ed wood in modern
London houses, but the boards are smooth, and a very tolerable surface
for dancing purposes is produceable by the simple process of washing
them over with milk. Some people, not caring to go to the trouble of
having carpets taken up, content themselves with a holland cloth tightly
stretched over the carpeting, which is indeed preferable to that
abomination, a beeswaxed floor, but is, at best, but heavy traveling for
the dancers, and apt, too, to tear during the evening into dangerous
foot-ensnaring holes.

Are you a connoisseur in costumes? The men's dress is, of course, the
same, in general appearance, all the Western world over, and the only
varieties in a London ball-room are the better or worse styles of
tailoring and an occasional white waistcoat. Fortunately, the fair sex,
with all the colors of the rainbow and all the inspirations of the
fashion-books and dressmakers at command, can and do give a
kaleidoscopic plentitude of variety to the scene. _Debutantes_ just
"come out" in society are conventionally confined to simple white, but
their more experienced sisters may indulge in any combinations of tulle
and other gauzy substance, white or colored, with ribbons, flowers, and
all the materials and devices known to millinery, at discretion; to all
which the rich and stately velvets and silks of the chaperoning matrons
form an effective background.

And now for the introductions. There is no getting on at all in a
private dance, nor indeed in any London society, without introductions.
Society rigidly requires of every man that he submit to the process as a
preliminary to addressing even a remark anent the weather to a
lady--much more before asking of her such a favor as a dance. But a man
who goes much to dances soon grows somewhat wary in this matter. He
learns to shun the overtures of the seemingly benevolent people--above
all, the master of the house--who proffer willingness to introduce him
to partners; for has not experience taught him that such folk are always
actuated by the desire (laudable enough, perhaps) of procuring partners
for some lady friend whose personal attractions are not, by themselves,
calculated to bring them? No, he prefers, the selfish wretch! to seek
and choose for himself--first, to look about and determine to which of
all the strange faces in the room he would wish to be introduced, and
then to set about finding out means of getting introduced to them.

It is a misfort