u with him! Another resembles the little
tin soldiers which schoolboys have such an affection for, in that he
has been gifted with large flat stands, twice the length of himself,
instead of feet. And oh, _how_ he kicks! Then there is the
complimentary man, a creature who never opens his mouth without making
or implying a compliment. Does he ever find anyone whom this system
pleases, I wonder! The only antidote I can find is to take no notice,
and pretend not to understand that the pretty speeches are directed at
you. This discourages him after a time.

It is amusing to get hold of a man's programme, and find out how you
are represented there. They do not put down names, but describe
costumes, hoping thus to find their partners easier, but in reality
plunging themselves into most hopeless perplexities. They scribble
down "pearl necklace," and find later that there are at least sixteen
in the room, and so are worse off than if they had written the name.

Some describe the personal appearance, but this is a very risky thing
to do. A man the other day wrote down his partner as "Miss blue dress,
with the nose," and subsequently dropped his programme, which, of
course, was picked up by the lady mentioned. Now I do not know why you
should dislike being told that you have a nose--you would feel very
much worse without one--but when your nasal organ takes up double its
share of room in your face, and is, moreover, prettily tinted with
scarlet, which you try to conceal under a little pearl powder, and
only succeed in making it purple--well, perhaps you would not like to
be told you have a nose. At any rate, this lady did not, and hers very
much resembled this description, I believe. But she was a wise woman.
Not a word did she say on the subject, and he went home happily
unconscious of her fatal discovery, until a few days later he
received his programme back as a Christmas card, with "Miss blue dress
with the nose's compliments." How very comfortable he must have felt
when he met her next!

What a great many different styles of dancing there are! You have to
change your step with nearly every partner. The girl should always
suit hers to the man's, he has quite enough to do with the steering.
You require about five good partners altogether, and can then spend an
enjoyable evening. A different man for every dance is tiring. You
never get beyond the theatres and the weather; you have not time to
say much more, and grow quite wea