Southern Christian Advocate

YOUNG LADIES.
THE BALL
Ann. Will you tell me, Aunt Ann, why
you think it is wrong to dance? Jane H. went
to the ball last night, and she says she does not
see why it is more sinful to skip about by rule,
to the sound of lively music, than it is to jump
the rope, or trundle the hoop, or play at blind.
man's buff, without rule or order, and with the
very great noise of our own tongues. And she
says too that it tells about dancing in the Bible.
and that even king David danced.
Aunt A. Indeed, my dear little girl, you ap.
pear to have learned Jane's arguments perfectly;
but if you will stop talking long enough, and at-
tend closely to what I say, perhaps you will be
convinced that balls are very dangerous amuse-
ments. As for king David's dancing, if you will
read for yourself you will see that it had no re.
semblance either in its manner or object, to the
dancing of the present day. It is not, however,
the mere act of dancing, that is more sinful than
other amusements. For instance, if a circle of
children had been very busy at their books, or
their work, till they were tired, and needed exer-
cise and relaxation, I should have no possible ob-
jection to seeing them "skip about by rule to the
sound of their own lively music," provided—
recollect now my restriction—provided it was
carried no farther than other plays usually are.
But dancing seldom stops here. It is carried to
an extreme which is injurious to the health, the
mind and the heart.
Ann. It may injure the health, Aunt, but I
cannot understand how it can do any harm to
the heart. Are not kind feelings excited by
joining in pleasant amusements with those we
love?
Aunt A. Yes, if there are no other circum-
stances which call forth wrong feelings in a great-
er degree. But here comes Jane herself; per-
haps she will give us some light upon the subject.
Good morning, Jane. Did you have a pleas.
ant ball last evening, my dear?
Jane. Oh, yes! delightful! I danced till I was
tired to death. Don't you think Mrs. A., I was
on the floor at every figure except two, the whole
evening; though there were several girls there
who were not asked to dance more than twice.
Oh! it made real sport for us, I assure you, to
see them sit moping there, with nothing to do
but look on; though that was not so amusing as
to see them try to dance. But then it would not
do to let them see us laugh; so we had to pre-
tend to admire them.
Mrs. A. Then you are certain the gentlemen
thought you the best dancer?
Jane. Oh, don't flatter me, I beg of you Mrs.
A. I presume it was only for the fun of danc-
ing with so young a partner, that induced them
to ask me so often. Oh no, I do not call my-
self a good dancer.
Mrs. A. Were the dresses as good as usual?
Jane. Yes, indeed! they were splendid! If I
only had such a dress as Miss L. wore. I should
never ask for any thing better. I was half de-
termined to throw mine in the fire, and never
go again till I could dress as well as the best of
them. I intend to save all my spending money
from now to New Year's ball, and add to it what
papa allows me for that. But you must know
that Miss C. and her sister were among the first
in dress, although their father can scarcely keep
himself out of the hands of his creditors. It
was so provoking to see them! And then there
were Mary and Susan T.—their father is abso-
lutely poor, and they earn their dresses by sew-
ing! It is a shame they were invited, but they
are called handsome, and so we must submit to
it. And so are the rich F's, thought to be great
beauties, but oh, how proud they are! We little
girls could see them laughing at us, when they
thought we did not notice them. We wished
them out of the world a hundred times. For
my part, I don't care for beauty. it is only skin