412 



THE BEST OF THE FUN 



and to come to relief of forlorn or deserted damsels as 

 often as opportunity may offer and their knighthood's 

 vows may demand. Some of them, it must he admitted, 

 take up a more independent, self-abusing role ; aim at 

 elbowing out the younger men, and assume a right a la 

 carte, as if approaching a bill of fare to which the first 



riie uld wlio sup conscientiously 



comer has first right. Against these, happily, it takes a 

 very few ball-rooms to enable the fair solicitce to hold her 

 own, and a few in hand. Even this assumption is, per- 

 haps, better than standing in the doorway, a pastime once 

 so popular, but that would appear practically to have 

 dropped out of date. No, there was nothing but life 

 about the Rugby Hunt Ball, from the youngest debutante 

 in her broad - shouldered frock to the most respected 



