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Show EVIL THOUGHTS OF DANCING. Suggestions of Pious Opponents More Harmful Than the Practice. There Ms, we aro almost sure, a lot of significance In" tho fact that "EU" Is tho first name of tho clergyman over In New Jersey who has Just made a great row b( causo tho young men nnd maids In his congregation sought to stir with mild excitement ex-citement tho gray monotony of suburban life by organizing a dancing class. To hear tho name of "EU" says much both as to tho tlmo when, and an to the place where, tho bearer's career began. Somo years havo passed since parents deliberately deliber-ately Imposed that name Upon their Infant In-fant son?, and for moro years still tho villages whera It could be done havo been so few that their characteristics are well known to all who havo given any study to this branch of sociology. So It comes about that anybody whose name Is "EU" Is practically certain to consider dancing sinful, even though It be conducted amid tho most Innocent nurroundlngs und with the protections deemed sufficient nowadays, nowa-days, by vast numbers of more than fairly fair-ly respectablo peoplo. And this "Ell," we notice, has declared that dancing ia ' hugging to music " It Is, of courso, or at least somo of It Is, If one chooses to look, or Is capable of looking, at the matter mat-ter In Just that way, but now unnecessary unneces-sary Is tho choice how unenviable th'o ability! Somo will be of tho opinion that this woll-lntentloned Jerseyman has done vastly more In tho lino of- suggesting thoughts ovll or approximating to evil In tho minds of the young Jerseyltes by formulating this neat phrase than would all the dancing they could havo Indulged In during many winters. In all probablll ty few if any of them over before gave a thought to the fact ho mentioned, and, therefore, for them It was not si fact. Now they will remember It every time they dance, and that really will put an element of dancer In what beforo was an agrocablo form of physical exercise, and absolutely nothing else. Tho namo of "Ell," much as It explains, does not qulto explain why a man of this day Bhould say that dancing Is "hugging to music' Many Ells havo so far lived down tho Influences of a narrow and gloomy youth that they could and would refrain from a characterization so full of indelicate auggeatlveness Tho Jersey "Ell," however, how-ever, Is desperately euro he la right-so right-so sure that ho has risked tho very cx-lstenco cx-lstenco of his church on tho maintenance of this ban against all who dance. From present reports tho dancing will go on. and tho church. If it goes on at all, will do It in two bitterly hostile fragmonla. It's a pity a great pity and bo much worse than useless 1 New York Times. |