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Show Danced Themselven Into Frenzy. There is nothing new about the et-durance et-durance dance. In 1734, when peasant and noble for leagues about gathered at the festival of St. John, at Alx-la-Chapelle, a fellow in motley danced over the cobbles. Presently he was joined by a beggar, so that the two gyrated companionably and leaped and pranked. Then a stout burgher hurled his bulk into the revel. A conflagration conflagra-tion of dancing, without apparent reason, rea-son, was kindled, and before the sun declined the streets were thronged with prancing thousands. Indeed, so runs the chronicle, they "commenced dancing danc-ing In a wild and frantic manner, many losing entire control over themselves, them-selves, and continuing to dance until dropping down from fatigue, and some, In a moment of frenzy, dashing out their brains against walls." |