ETIQUETTE  FOR  TRx.   BALL  ROOM.        97

Do  not  be  the  last  to  leave  the  ball  room.  It  is  more
elegant  to  leave  early,  as  staying  too  late  gives  others
the  impression  that  you  do  not  often  have  an  invitation
to  a  ball,  and  must  "make  the  most  of  it."

Some  gentlemen  linger  at  a  private  ball  until  all  the
ladies  have  left,  and  then  congregate  in  the  supper-room,
where  they  remain  for  hours,  totally  regardless  of  the
fact  that  they  are  keeping  the  wearied  host  and  his  ser-
vants from  their  rest.  Never,  as  you  value  your  reputa-
tion as  a  gentleman  of  refinement,  be  among  the  number
of  these  "  hangers  on."

The  author  of  a  recent  work  on  etiquette,  published
in  England,  gives  the  following  hints  for  those  who  go
to  balls.     He  says  : —

*'  When  inviting  a  lady  to  dance,  if  she  replies  very
politely,  asking  to  be  excused,  as  she -does  not  wish  to
dance  ('  with  you,'  being  probably  her  mental  reserva-
tion), a  man  ought  to  be  satisfied.  At  all  events,  he
should  never  press  her  to  dance  after  one  refusal.  The
set  forms  which  Turveydrop  would  give  for  the  invita-
tion are  too  much  of  the  deportment  school  to  be  used
in  practice.  If  you  know  a  young  lady  slightly,  it  is
sufficient  to  say  to  her,  '  May  I  have  the  pleasure  of
dancing  this  waltz,  &c.,  with  you  ?'  or  if  intimately,
^  Will  you  dance,  Miss' A —  V  The  young  lady  who  has
refused  one  gentleman,  has  no  right  to  accept  another
for  that  dance ;  and  young  ladies  who  do  not  wish  to  be
annoyed,  must  take  care  not  to  accept  two  gentlemen
for  the  same  dance.  In  Germany  such  innocent  blun-
ders often  cause  fatal  results.     Two  partners  arrive  at

the  same  moment  to  claim  the  fair  one's  hand ;  she  vows
7


98  gentlemen's  book  of  etiquette.
