FROM THE

Ball-Room

TO

HELL

BY

T. A. FAULKNER

EX-DANCING MASTER

Formerly Proprietor of the Los Angeles Dancing Academy and ex-Presidentof Dancing Masters' Association of the Pacific Coast. 

THE HENRY PUBLISHING CO. 

57 Washington St. , Room 16. 

CHICAGO. 

Copyright 1892

BY

R. F. HENRY. 

PREFACE. 

You will, my dear reader, find many very plain things between the twocovers of this little book; things which will, perhaps, shock yourmodesty and probably disgust you altogether. 

But if you find merely the reading of the facts disgusting, think howmuch more disgusting is the reality, and how essential that _some_ oneshould portray the evil to the public in a manner impressive and not tobe misunderstood. 

I have numerous reasons for undertaking this work, chief among them, however, being because I have for many months, felt it to be a duty tomy God, and to my fellow-man. Nay, I may put it in a yet more conciseform; and simply say, because of a sense of duty to my God, for Ibelieve the two to be inseparable. As the green calyx of the rosebudholds within its embrace everything required to make up the perfectrose in all its beauty of form, texture, tint and perfume, so my duty tomy God embraces my whole duty to my fellow-man in all its beauty ofkindness, love, and any help or warning I may be able to give, and ifthat duty shall lead me to speak out boldly and plainly a warningagainst the evil of a popular amusement, I will boldly and plainlyspeak, and leave the result with Him whose I am and whom I serve. 

Many will, doubtless, object to the book on account of the plainness ofthe language used; but, my friends, I have endeavored to tell the truth, and to do this on such a subject, does not admit of the use of delicatelanguage. A mild hint at such a fact, clothed in flowery language, wouldonly serve to give a vague impression, and would fall far short of themission I wish this little book to accomplish, viz. : the opening of theeyes of the people, particularly parents, who are blind to the awfuldangers there are for young girls in the dancing academy and ball-room, and of leading some, if possible, to forsake (as I have done) the oldunsatisfactory life of selfish pleasure and sinful indulgence and enterupon the purer, nobler and far happier life, which I have found in theservice of the Lord. 

I do not undertake to write upon a subject of which I am ignorant. Thereare, perhaps, few people living who have had more practical experienceor better opportunities of finding out the evil influences of dancingthan myself. I began to dance at the age of twelve and have spent mostof my life since that time, until within a few months, in the dancingparlors and academies. For the last six years I have been a teacher ofdancing and for several years held the championship of the Pacific Coastin fancy and round dancing. I am also the author of many of the rounddances which are the popular fads of the day. 

I merely tell you these things to prove to you that I know whereof Ispeak, and not because I am proud of them. On the contrary, it is thegreatest sorrow of my life that I have been so long and in such aninfluential way connected with an evil which I know to have been theruin, both of soul and body, to many a bright young life. And if, in thehands of God, I can be the means of leading one-fiftieth as many soulsto Christ as I have seen led to a life of vice and crime through theinfluence of dancing academies with which I have been connected, I shallbe more proud than I have ever been of any previous achievements. And ifthis little book shall, in any degree, help in the accomplishment ofthis purpose, I shall feel that I am more than repaid for my trouble inits writing, and shall willingly and gladly endure all the harshcriticism and condemnation I know its writing will bring upon me. 

 T. A. FAULKNER. 

FROM THE BALL-ROOM TO HELL. 

CHAPTER I. 

FIRST AND LAST STEP. 

Since my conversion from a dancing master and a servant of the "EvilOne" to an earnest Christian and a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, thequestion has been repeatedly asked me: "Is there any harm in dancing?"

And letters innumerable have been coming in with questions to the sameeffect. 

The more I mingle with people outside the dancing circle the moreforcibly I am made to realize how many there are who are seeking to knowthe truth concerning the evil of dancing, and how many thousands morewho, if they are not seeking that knowledge, certainly ought to haveit. 

+---------------------------------+| ~Have you read the preface?~ |+---------------------------------+

Let me assure you in the first place that I am well aware that there aremany church members and professing Christians who dance; but, if on thestrength of this you deem it a safe amusement, come with me for a fewevenings, and when you have seen all that I can show you, let yourjudgment tell you, whether you can, with safety, place your pure, beautiful daughter in the dancing academy or ball-room. 

Let us first take an instance from the "select" dancing academy, andthus begin at the root of the matter. 

Here is a beautiful young girl. Let me take her for an example. 

She is the daughter of wealthy parents; they have been called to mournthe loss of two of their children; and this is their only remainingtreasure, their darling, their idol almost, whom they love more thantheir own lives. 

They wish to bestow upon her every accomplishment which modern societydemands, so when it is announced that Prof. ---- will open his selectdancing academy they hasten to place her under his instruction. 

At first she seems shocked at the manner in which he embraces her toteach her the latest waltz. 

It is her first experience in the arms of a strange man, with his limbspressed to hers, and in her natural modesty she shrinks from so familiara touch. It brings a bright flush of indignation to her cheek as shethinks what an unladylike and indecent position to assume with a manwho, but a few hours before, was an utter stranger, but she says toherself: "This is the position every one must take who waltzes in themost approved style--church members and all--so of course it is no harmfor me. " She thus takes the first step in casting aside that delicateGod-given instinct which should be the guide of every pure woman in suchmatters. 

She is very bright and learns rapidly, but a few weeks have passedbefore she is able to waltz well, and is surrounded by the handsomestand most gallant men in the room, who flatter her until her head isquite turned. She has entirely overcome her delicacy about beingembraced in public for half an hour by strange men. In fact she ratherlikes it now. She wonders all day, before dancing school, if thathandsome man who dances so "elegantly" and says such nice things to her, will ask her to dance with him to-night, and finds herself dreaming ofhow delightful it would be to feel his arm about her. 

The evening at last comes; the uninteresting square dances are gonethrough with, and the music of the waltz begins. Her partner is theApollo of her day dreams. He presses her close to his breast, and theyglide over the floor together as if the two were but one. 

When she raises her eyes, timidly at first, to that handsome butdeceitful face, now so close to her own, the look that is in his eyesas they meet hers, seems to burn into her very soul. A strange, sweetthrill shakes her very being and leaves her weak and powerless andobliged to depend for support upon the arm which is pressing her tohimself in such a suggestive manner, but the sensation is a pleasant oneand grows to be the very essence of her life. 

If a partner fails, through ignorance or innocence, to arouse in herthese feelings, she does not enjoy the dance, mentally styles him a"bore, " and wastes no more waltzes on him. She grows more bold, and frombeing able to return shy glances at first, is soon able to meet moredaring ones until, with heart beating against heart, hand clasped inhand, and eyes looking burning words which lips dare not speak, thewaltz becomes one long, sweet and purely sensual pleasure. 

The more profitable things upon which she has been accustomed to spendher time and thought, lose all attraction for her, and during the timewhich intervenes between dancing school evenings, she feeds her romanticpassion on novels, unfit for any person to read, and which would havebeen without special interest to her before she entered the dancingschool. She spends much thought upon those things which tend to developher lower nature, for "as a man thinketh, so is he. " She has neverbefore had a thought she would not willingly express to her mother. Butnow she thinks of and discusses with her girl friends of the dancingschool, subjects which she would shrink from mentioning to her mother. 

O, foolish girl, if she had but remembered that her best friend was hermother, and that thoughts she could not express to her were thoughts inwhich she should never indulge, what untold sorrow and shame she mighthave been spared. 

She graduates from the academy and is caught into the whirl of society, and her life becomes what is called one round of pleasure--one roundcertainly of parlor dances, social hops and grand balls with champaigndinners and early goings home (early in the morning, _of course_). 

This evening there is to be a ball of unusual grandeur. The last of theseason of gaiety, and the closing of the dancing-school term. Our friendwill surely be present. Let us attend. What a scene of beauty, gayetyand splendor. It must have been of just such scenes the poet wrote:

 "There was a sound of revelry by night, And Belgium's capital had gathered then-- Her beauty and chivalry"--

But see, there is our friend of the dancing academy just entering on thearm of her devoted father. Three months have passed since we first mether. She is much changed, yet one can scarcely see in what the changeconsists. The face is the same, yet not the same. There is just theshadow of coarseness in it, a little less of frank innocence and truerefinement, and a trace, not exactly of ill-health, but a want offreshness. This last is, however, well concealed by the use ofcosmetics, and she is still a very beautiful girl, and the fond father'sheart swells with pride as he sees the handsomest and most fashionablegentlemen of the ball-room press eagerly forward to ask her hand for thedifferent dances of the evening. 

Her father remains for a few of the square dances, but soon retires, knowing that his fair daughter will not want for attentionfrom--gentlemen whose attentions he is sure must be desirable, certainlydesirable, why not? Are these admirers not rich and handsome, and dothey not move in the highest society. Ah, foolish father, how little heknows of the ways of ball-room society. 

But let us turn our attention again to the dancers, at two o'clock nextmorning. This is the favorite waltz, and the last and most furious ofthe night, as well as the most disgusting. Let us notice, as an example, our fair friend once more. 

She is now in the vile embrace of the Apollo of the evening. Her headrests upon his shoulder, her face is upturned to his, her bare arm isalmost around his neck, her partly nude swelling breast heavestumultuously against his, face to face they whirl on, his limbsinterwoven with hers, his strong right arm around her yielding form, hepresses her to him until every curve in the contour of her body thrillswith the amorous contact. Her eyes look into his, but she sees nothing;the soft music fills the room, but she hears it not; he bends her bodyto and fro, but she knows it not; his hot breath, tainted with strongdrink, is on her hair and cheek, his lips almost touch her forehead, yetshe does not shrink; his eyes, gleaming with a fierce, intolerable lust, gloat over her, yet she does not quail. She is filled with the raptureof sin in its intensity; her spirit is inflamed with passion and lustis gratified in thought. With a last low wail the music ceases, and thedance for the night is ended, but not the evil work of the night. 

The girl whose blood is hot from the exertion and whose every carnalsense is aroused and aflame by the repetition of such scenes as we havewitnessed, is led to the ever-waiting carriage, where she sinksexhausted on the cushioned seat. Oh, if I could picture to you thefiendish look that comes into his eyes as he sees his helpless victimbefore him. Now is his golden opportunity. He must not miss it, and hedoes not, and that beautiful girl who entered the dancing school as pureand innocent as an angel three months ago returns to her home that nightrobbed of that most precious jewel of womanhood--virtue!

When she awakes the next morning to a realizing sense of her positionher first impulse is to self-destruction, but she deludes herself withthe thought that her "dancing" companion will right the wrong bymarriage, but that is the farthest from his thoughts, and he casts heroff--"_he_ wishes a pure woman for _his_ wife. "

She has no longer any claim to purity; her self-respect is lost; shesinks lower and lower; society shuns her, and she is to-day a brothelinmate, the toy and plaything of the libertine and drunkard. 

How can I picture to you the awful anguish of that mother's heart, thesadness of that father's face, or the dreadful gloom which settles overthat once happy home. Neither their love nor their gold can repair thedamage done. Their sighs and tears cannot restore that virtue. It islost, gone forever. Ah, better, yes, infinitely better, would it havebeen if instead of placing their only darling in the dancing school, they had laid her in the grave by her little sister's side while hersoul was pure and spotless. 

But how is it with her ball-room Apollo? Does society shun him? Does hepine away and die? Oh, no; he continues in the dancing school, constantly seeking new victims among the pure and innocent. 

Like flowers, the choicest ones are plucked first, and most admired, their beauty soon fades and they are cast aside for new ones. Parents, do not discredit my statement. There is no mistake; I know whereof Ispeak when I say that just such villains as I have described are to befound in, and leaders of, the select dancing school, in the ball roomand at the parlor dance, figuring in what is called the best society, asthe most refined and highly polished society gentlemen of the day. 

Nor is the ball-room scene an imaginary one. 

I have seen it, just as described, hundreds, yes, thousands of times, and have known of many and many a case with the same sad ending. 

Do not delude yourself, my dear reader, with the thought that suchscenes occur only at low public dances. Some of the lowest and mostdisgusting deeds of which I have had any knowledge, have occurred at andin connection with, the most fashionable parlor dances. 

The following infamous deeds were done on one of the principal avenuesand at the home of one of the most aristocratic families of this city. 

The occasion was a fashionable dance of which I was manager. 

There was present the _creme de la creme_ of the city's society. Amongthem two beautiful young women who were actors in the play I am about toput before you. The play is in five acts. 

The first scene is of exquisite loveliness. It is a large drawing room, elegant in all its appointments. Its coloring as seen by gas light issoft, rich, and beautifully blended or prettily contrasted. Its picturesare rare bits of art from the brush of the most popular artists ofancient and modern times, and all its ornamentation is forciblysuggestive of culture and refinement. All these things we feel ratherthan see, for our attention is riveted upon the gay company assembled. 

We hear the hum of many voices and see before us scenes of fair womenand handsome men, diamonds flash, silks rustle, and no garden of flowersever displayed a greater variety of rich and dainty color intermingled, or flashed more brightly its gems of morning dew. But hark! From behindthat bower of blossoms and evergreens in yonder recess come strains ofmusic which set the little white slipper to tapping out the time as itswearer waits impatiently for the waltz to begin, and now the roompresents a scene of whirling, whirling figures. 

Notice particularly this couple near us and that one in yonder corner, for I know them well. The ladies are beautiful and respectable. 

To be sure, one not accustomed to such scenes would consider themanything but respectably dressed, with their nude arms, neck andpartially exposed breast, and tightly clinging skirts which more thansuggest the contour of body and limb. 

But society and fashion demand such dress; vile men demand it; for themthe waltz would be spoiled of half its pleasure if the woman was not asnearly nude as she dare be. 

The male companions of the two girls are handsome and fashionable, butof their character not so much can be said, except in condemnation. Theyare certainly pleasing, and are in every way endeavoring to be so totheir young lady companions, and appear to have succeeded very well intheir efforts, for, as they whirl over the floor, they gaze into theeyes gloating over them and gleaming with a fury of lust. They allowwords to be whispered to them which they would not listen to at anyother time; listening now, they come closer still, and in response to apressure of her hand, his arm tightens its clasp of her waist, and she, losing all restraint, yields herself to the evil passion of the moment. Thus the fury of lustful thought becomes mutual and is mutually enjoyed. 

The second scene is in a summer house. Only four characters are requiredfor this act. They are the four we have particularly noticed in theball-room scene. 

This, too, would be a pretty scene, if the pleasure of it were notspoiled for us by the evil we see in it and know may result from it. Thesummer house, covered with vines and flowers, is in a beautiful gardenfilled with shrubs and trees. The night is calm and cloudless, and thesilvery moon looks sadly down upon the scene through the branches of thetrees. 

The girls have been invited to retire thither for rest and refreshment. The men have previously arranged with a servant for the refreshments, with plenty of old wine provided for their use, and now they urge theladies to partake, saying they will feel refreshed and be sustained byit for the remainder of the evening. 

After much coaxing and pleading they are induced to take a glass. Thisaccomplished, the men feel that their object is as good as achieved. Thewine soon has a visible effect upon the unaccustomed brain, and thegirls are easily induced to drink more. 

The third and fourth acts are only repetitions of the first and second, and the last and fifth takes place behind the scene. The curtain mustfall between us and the going home scene in two hacks to which the halfintoxicated girls have been conveyed by brutes in human form. 

We only know that these girls are now unable to resist, if they were totry, the deed of shame their male companions are bent upon doing, inthat closed carriage, whose driver has been ordered to go slowly, and weknow what has taken place, as in after days we see these girls no morein respectable society, although their accomplices still appear as mostelegant and highly respectable gentlemen, alias ball-room Apollos. 

This tragedy, my friends, was acted out in real life, and is only asample of hundreds and hundreds of cases of which I have had personalknowledge. 

"But, " some mothers say, "I know that I can trust my daughter. The waltzmay be the means of leading astray some shallow, low-minded girls, andmay arouse the lower nature of some of those whose lower nature liesvery near the surface, but such girls would go astray anyway. Mydaughter is a pure, high-minded girl, and I am sure she is trustworthy. "

I am glad she is. Keep her so, my friend, _keep her so_. Do not riskmaking her otherwise by placing her under the greatest temptation thatcan possibly come to a girl. 

If you place her in the dancing academy or ball-room she cannot and willnot remain what you say she now is, and she has but a comparativelysmall chance of escaping ruin--comparatively only a small chance, I say. 

It is a startling fact, but a fact nevertheless, that _two-thirds of thegirls who are ruined fall through the influence of dancing_. Mark mywords, I know this to be true. Let me give you two reasons why it is so. In the first place I do not believe that any woman can or does waltzwithout being improperly aroused, to a greater or less degree. She maynot, at first, understand her feelings, or recognize as harmful orsinful those emotions which must come to every woman who has a particleof warmth in her nature, when in such close connection with the oppositesex; but she is, though unconsciously, none the less surely sowing seedwhich will one day ripen, if not into open sin and shame, into a naturemore or less depraved and health more or less impaired. And any womanwith a nature so cold as not to be aroused by the perfect execution ofthe waltz, is entirely unfit to make any man happy as his wife, and ifshe be willing to indulge in such pleasures with every ball-roomlibertine, she is not the woman any man wants for a wife. It is anoticeable fact that a man who knows the ways of a ball-room rarelyseeks a wife there. When he wishes to marry he chooses for a wife awoman who has not been fondled and embraced by every dancing man intown. 

It is also noticeable that after marriage few men care to dance, or tohave their wives dance. 

The second reason why so many dancing girls are ruined is obvious, whenone considers how many fiends there are hanging about the dancingschools and ball-rooms, for this purpose alone, some of them for theirown gratification, and others for the living there is to be made fromit. I am personally acquainted with men who are professional seducers, and who are to-day making a living in just this way. They are finelooking, good conversationalists and elegant dancers. They buy theiradmittance to the select (?) dancing school by paying an extra fee, andknow just what snares to lay and what arts to practice upon the innocentgirls they meet there to induce them to yield to their diabolicalsolicitations, and after having satisfied their own desires and ruinedthe girls they entice them to the brothel where they receive a certainsum of money from the landlady, rated according to their beauty andform. 

Can you wonder when the degrading, lust-creating influence of the waltzitself is united with the efforts of such vile demons of men as I have, described, that two-thirds of the dancing-school girls are ruined. 

It is a greater wonder that any of them escape. The question is oftenasked: If what you say be true, why do not more of the dancing girlsbecome mothers? I will tell you why. It is because they dance away allfear of maternity. It is the knowledge that the dancing floor _exercise_will relieve if they get into trouble that makes many a woman boldenough to take risks. 

Dancing and drinking invariably go together. One rarely finds a dancehall without a bar in it, or a saloon within a few steps of it, andsooner or later those who dance will indulge in drink, which is thedevil's best agent in the carrying on of the vile business transactedin, and in connection with, the dance hall. 

CHAPTER II. 

FROM THE BALL-ROOM TO THE GRAVE. 

Let me tell you a true story which will illustrate this point. 

It was a Saturday night in the month of December, in the year '91. Thegirls who toil daily in the stores and shops on Spring street werehastening to their homes after the long week of toil. As they pass alongwe notice among them the tall, graceful figure of a young woman whoseems to be the favorite of the group of girls about her. She is ahandsome blonde of nineteen years, with a face as sweet and loving asthat of an angel. 

She was born in a country town in New England, of respectable parents. Her mother died while she was yet but a little girl, leaving her to thecare of a devoted father, who, with loving interest, reared and educatedher. 

After the completion of her education she entered a printing office, toserve an apprenticeship, but the close confinement, following, as itdid, in close proximity to the confinement of the school room, soonundermined her health and a change of climate was prescribed. The fatherfelt he could not part from her even for a few months, but as it seemedfor her good, he reluctantly consented to her going to Los Angeles, the"City of the Angels, " for a year. 

It was a sad day for both when that father and his only daughter parted. Little could he know of the fate that was in store for his pure andloving child in the far West. Little did he think when she kissed him anaffectionate farewell, and told him she would return in just one year, that he would never see her smiling face again. Nor did she dream thatshe was journeying to her doom; that far beyond the mountains she shouldbe laid to rest 'neath the sod of mother earth. 

But to return to the scene on Spring street. 

As the little group pass up the street her very beautiful face does notescape the notice of the crowd of idlers gathered on the corners gazingimpudently at the passers by. 

Among these idlers is one of the city's most popular society gentlemenand ball-room devotees, and we hear him mutter to himself as he staresimpudently at her pretty face: "Ah, my beauty, I shall locate _your_dwelling place later on. You are too fine a bird to be lost sight of. "

He follows her to her lodging, and day by day studies her habits. 

He discovers that she goes nowhere except to her daily toil and tochurch. He visits the church, and finding no opportunity to approach herthere, is about to give up the chase when he finds out that thedenomination does not condemn dancing. 

"Ah, now, " he says, "I have you. "

He goes to one of the most fashionable dancing schools, where he is wellknown, and explains his difficulties to the dancing master, who is everready to take part in just such dirty work, for it is from the pay forsuch work that he derives much of the profit of his school. 

He sends her a highly colored, gilt-edged card containing a pressinginvitation to attend his _select_ school. 

She does not respond, so he finally sends his wife to press theinvitation. The girl, not dreaming of the net that is being woven abouther, promises that if her pastor does not disapprove she will attend. Her pastor _does not disapprove_. He tells her that he sees no harm indancing. 

Why does he not see harm in dancing? Has he never been where he _could_see?

She takes it for granted that he _knows_, and acting on his adviceattends the school. She is met at the door by the dancing master, who isvery polite and so kindly attentive. 

The society man who is plotting her ruin is the first person presentedto her. He is a graceful dancer and makes the evening pass pleasantlyfor her, by his kind attentions and praise of her grace in dancing, andwhen the school is dismissed he escorts her home, which courtesy sheaccepts, because the dancing master vouches for him, and she thinks thatis sufficient. He continues his attentions, and finally invites her toattend, with him, a grand full dress ball to be given at one of theprincipal hotels. She has never attended a grand ball in her life, andlooks forward to this with the greatest pleasure. 

The evening at last arrives. Her escort calls for her in an elegantcarriage. She looks more beautiful than ever in her pretty, modestevening dress, and he says to himself, "Ah, my Greek Goddess, I shallhave the 'belle of the ball' for my victim to-night. "

As they enter the ball-room she is quite charmed and dazzled by itssplendor and the gaiety of the scene, which is so novel to her. 

During the first of the evening her companion finds her more reservedthan is to his taste, but he says to himself, only wait, my fair one, until supper time, and the wine will do the work desired. 

Twelve o'clock at last comes, and with it the summons to the supperroom. Here the well-spread table, the brilliant lights, the flowers, themusic and the gay conversation are all sources of the greatest pleasureto the unaccustomed girl, but there is one thing which does not pleaseher. It is the fact that wine is flowing freely and that all arepartaking of it. She feels that she can never consent to drink. It issomething she has never done in her life. Yet she dares not refuse, forall the others are drinking, and she knows that to refuse would bringupon herself the ridicule of all the party. 

She hears her companion order a bottle of wine opened. He pours andoffers it, saying, "Just a social glass, it will refresh you. " Shelooks at him as if to protest, but he returns the gaze and hands her thefatal glass, and she has not the moral courage to say no. 

As they raise their glasses he murmurs softly, "Here's hoping we may beperfectly happy in each other's love, and that the cup of bliss nowraised to our lips may never spill. "

One glass and then another and the brain unaccustomed to wine iswhirling and giddy. The vile wretch sees that his game is won. 

He whispers in her ear many soft and foolish lies, tells her that heloves her, and that if she can return that love, he is hers, and hersalone, so long as life shall last. 

She sits tipped back in one chair, with her feet in another, laughsloudly at every poor little joke, and responds, in a silly affectionatemanner, to all his words of love, and when he makes proposals to whichshe would have scorned to listen at any other time, she not onlylistens but gives consent to all, and does not leave the house thatnight. 

When she awakens next morning, it is in a strange room. Her head whirls, she gazes abstractedly about her and tries to shake off what seems toher to be a horrid dream, but she is brought suddenly to realize that itis no sleeping fancy, but a steam reality, as a low voice by her sidesays, "Did you rest easy, my dear?"

"My God!" she fairly shrieks, as the awful truth bursts upon her, "is itpossible, or am I dreaming?" and she passes her hand wildly across herface. 

"Do not excite yourself, my dear; you are not well. You will feel betterpresently. "

"Better!" she cries, bursting into tears. "Better!! What is life to menow that you have robbed me of my virtue? Oh! that I should have sunkeninto such depths of sin, and that you, vile man, whom I trusted, shouldhave led me to it. "

She tries to rise, but finds herself too weak and dizzy, and falls backheavily upon her pillow. 

"Lie still, my love, and when you are able I will let you go. But do notblame me for what has occurred, it was by your own consent. You know Iam going to marry you, and all will be well. "

"No, " she sobs, "all will not be well; nothing will ever be well withme again, " and she returns to the room which she has left a few hoursbefore as a bright and happy girl, now broken hearted and on the vergeof despair, with a blot upon her young life which nothing on earth canefface. To be sure, he who has brought all this upon her has promised toright the wrong by marriage, but poor consolation it seems to her tohave to marry a man whom she feels to be worse than a murderer; eventhis poor consolation is denied her, however, for the wretch, when hegave the promise, had no thought of fulfilling it. Such trifles as this_he_ thinks nothing of. It is the way of most high society men, and whenhe comes to her again it is not to marry her, but to seek to drag herlower down. She repels him and he is seen by her no more. He has nofurther use for her. 

Days grow to months, and now added sorrow fills her cup of grief tooverflowing. She is to become a mother, and the poor girl cries out inbitter anguish: "My God, what shall I do, must I commit murder. Oh, thatI had never entered a ball-room. "

All her old companions shun her, every one shuns her, even he who ledher to her ruin shuns her. She goes to him, hoping he will havecompassion upon her, but he meets her with a sneer, calls her a fool, and tells her to commit a yet greater crime than the first, which in herdespair she does and "seals the band of death. "

She soon became very ill and sank rapidly, and then came a time when shefelt that life was short, and that if she wished to leave a message onearth it must be delivered quickly. Having heard of my conversion andthat I intended exposing the evils which germinate in the ball-room shesent a messenger requesting me to call immediately. 

On entering the house I was led to a couch in a cosy room where lay thebeautiful young woman whose pale face showed all to plainly, an amountof sorrow and suffering unwarranted by her years. The countenance of thesufferer brightened as I entered, and she extended her hand saying: "Iam so glad you came to see me, so glad to know that you are to exposethe evil which buds in the dance hall. Do not delay your work. I haveprayed God to spare my life that I might go and warn young girls againstthat which has made such a sad wreck of my once pure and happy life, for, when I entered dancing school, I was as innocent as a child andfree from sin and sorrow, but under its influence and in its associationI lost my purity, my innocence, my _all_, but I know that God hasforgiven the sin which is sending me to my early grave, where I shallsoon be forgotten by all earthly friends. 

"Do not grieve for me. I am leaving this dark world for a bright andhappy one where sin and sorrow are unknown. Mother is waiting for methere and I am not afraid to go. "

We spoke of a hope that she might yet recover, but she only closed hereyes and shook her head slowly. 

"No, " she said, with considerable effort, "I shall never leave this roomalive, never see the green hills of home, never see my father's face, but tell him not to mourn for me, I shall be happy in the arms ofJesus. "

"Is there nothing I can do for you?" I asked. "Yes, " said she faintly, looking earnestly into my face, "Yes, there is one thing; that which Ihad hoped I might live to do myself. Promise me that you will do thatand I shall die content. Promise me that you will go before the worldand speak out a warning against the awful dangers of the dance hall, andtry to save young girls from the sin, disgrace and destruction dancinghas brought upon me. "

I made a solemn promise before God that her request should be compliedwith. 

The dying girl showed unmistakable signs of pleasure at having myfaithful promise. 

She pressed my hand and said in a voice scarcely audible, "You have seenball-rooms as they are, my friend, and there is a great and good workbefore you. May God bless you in it. I seal your promise with death, "and before I could speak she was dead and her soul had winged its flightto a heaven of love and peace, where weary hearts shall find perfectlove and perfect justice--where not man, but God, judges his children. 

I know the man who was the perpetrator of the crime which was the causeof this sad death. 

He, to-day, instead of being hung for murder, as he so richly deserved, is a leader in society. His name often appears in the social columns ofthe daily papers of Los Angeles, as the leader of some fashionabledancing party or Kirmess. 

He has been the winner of several prizes in dancing, in fact, is anelegant dancer and is wealthy. These facts gain for him admission towhatsoever society he chooses to enter. 

Think, ye parents who have daughters who dance, of their being nightafter night in the embrace of such men as he, as they most certainly areif they dance much. Such men as he flock to places of dancing for thatvery purpose. 

Some may say that places of dancing are not the only places where suchmen are to be found. True, but at no other place would they be allowedto take such liberties with your daughters that they may there. Thisthey well know and consequently there are more of them to be found inplaces of dancing than elsewhere, and it is not the whirling that theygo for and enjoy. 

How long would dancing be kept up if they were to whirl alone, or if menwere to dance with men and women with women? Ah, no; it is not thewhirling, but the liberties the waltz affords, which forms its chiefattraction. 

You, perhaps, think your daughter is in the most select society, andonly in such, and will accept only the most respectable gentlemen aspartners. But, how are you to know this? How can you be sure that thisvery man of whom I have been speaking, or another of the same type, isnot among those considered the most respectable in the select parlordances?

You may be perfectly certain that _he_ will never publish his ownmisdeeds, and the girl cannot expose him without making public her owndisgrace, so his base deeds go undiscovered and he may still be found atdancing parties or on the street corners engaged in the occupation inwhich we first met him, viz. : seeking whom he might destroy. 

What decent woman, if she knew his real character, would wish to throwherself into the arms of such a man. If she were a true women she wouldalmost rather die than have such a man even touch her, to say nothing ofbeing in his close embrace for the space of a waltz. 

Or, what lady would allow any man, in any other public place, except theball-room, to take the liberties with her that he takes there? Would alady with a spark of self-respect, at any other place, lay her head uponhis shoulder, place her breast against his, and allow him to encircleher waist with his arm, place his foot between hers and clasp her handsin his?

This is the position assumed in waltzing, and I tell you, my friends, that such a position tends, in a greater or less degree, to develop thelower nature of sexes. It cannot be otherwise. It is in perfectaccordance with nature. I have heard girls express utter innocence ofhaving any improper emotion aroused by the waltz, but I do not believethis to be strictly true of any girl. If it is, I am sorry for thatgirl, for she has a sad lack in her nature. 

"Male and female, God created them" and placed within them emotionsintended to be shared only by man and wife, and if others indulge inthose emotions, and continually arouse them by assuming the waltzposition, which is only fit for man and wife, they commit a sin againstGod and nature. 

Against God because He has said "Thou shalt not commit adultery, " and "Isay unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hathcommitted adultery with her already in his heart. "

And against nature, because a girl thus constantly aroused, soon breaksher health. 

One may work six days in the week and arise fresh every morning, but lethim attend a dance for only a few hours each evening and see what willoccur. Health and vigor vanish like the dew before the sun. 

It is not the exercise which harms the dancer in mind and body, but thecoming in such close contact with the opposite sex. Did you ever know alady who danced to excess to live to be over twenty-five years of age?If she does she is, in most instances, broken in health physically andmorally. Doctors claim it to be a most harmful exercise physically forboth sexes. The average age of the excessive male dancer is thirty-one. 

Beside the harmful exercise there is great danger from the exposure, agirl is so often subjected to in a ball room. She gets in a perspirationduring the dance, and as soon as it is over rushes to an open door orwindow with arms and chest exposed. Is there any wonder that so manywomen of to-day are unhealthy?

CHAPTER III. 

PARLOR DANCING. 

Some contend that there is no harm in parlor dancing. How many parentsare able to restrict their children to parlor dancing only? Not one inten thousand. 

Dancing is too fascinating, and they who were at first content withparlor dancing soon want something else, and will, for the sake ofdancing, go to almost any place. 

If private dancing is allowed, and all else strictly forbidden, thechild will often deceive his parents and dance at times and in placesthat they know not of. 

I have known young people to be at Sunday night dances, and in lowcompany, when their parents (who only allow parlor dancing) thought theywere at church. 

They made a practice of going to the church and remaining long enough toget the text of the pastor's discourse, and then going away to spendthe time in dancing, and if questioned, they were able to give the textof the evening's sermon, and the trusting parents would not dream oftheir having been any where but at church. 

I only wish that certain parents, who think they are restricting theirchildren to "parlor dancing at home only, " could have been with me thenight of May 30th, 1892, and seen, as I did, their girls, some of thembut twelve or fourteen years of age, dancing in a public saloon, whereso much beer had been spilt on the floor that the women had to holdtheir dresses up to keep them from getting soiled and wet as theydanced. 

This is usually the result of teaching the child to dance and thenrestricting them to home dancing. If they once become fascinated with itthey must and will, by some means, fair or foul, have more of it thantheir homes afford. 

There are professing Christians who condemn the sale of liquor, advocatethe closing of saloons, and frown on Sunday picnics and otheramusements, who allow their own children to attend so-called selectdancing parties. 

In these places are taught the rudiments of an education which may makethem graduates of the saloon or the brothel. 

I do not say that it _always_ does, but I do say that it _often_ does. 

The safe side is the best side. Keep them from taking the first step toruin, and they can never take the last. 

Where did the majority of the drunkards take their first drink? Wheredid the gambler play his first card? Where did three-fourths of thewomen, who are to-day living a life of shame, have a man's arm aboutthem for the first time?

Let me answer. 

The first drink of the drunkard was just a social glass. 

The first game of the gambler was just a social game. 

And three-fourths of the outcasts had a man's arm about them for thefirst time when they were young girls at a social dance. 

There are in San Francisco 2, 500 abandoned women. Prof. La Floris says:"I can safely say that three-fourths of these women were led to theirdownfall through the influence of dancing. "

The lot of a Negress in the equatorial forest is not, perhaps, a veryhappy one, but it is not much worse than that of many a pretty orphangirl in our Christian land. 

We talk of the brutalities of the dark, dark ages, and profess toshudder as we read in books of the shameful practices of those times, and yet, here beneath our very eyes, in our ball-rooms and theatres andin many other places, the same hideous abuse, which must be namelesshere, flourishes unchecked:

A young penniless girl, if she be pretty, is often haunted from pillarto post by her employer, and if he fails to get her to submit to hisdiabolical solicitations outside of the ball room, he will manage to gether to attend a dancing school, where he has the _right_ to encircle herwith his arms and press her to himself until she is inflamed withpassion. She hears in the ball room no warning voice, finds no helpinghand to guide her in the path of virtue. The only helping hands thereare those of which Byron wrote, "Hands which may freely range in public sight Were ne'er before--"

and which helps her rapidly down the road to ruin. 

When the poor girl is once induced to sacrifice her virtue she istreated as a slave and outcast by the very man who brought her ruin uponher. Her self-respect is gone. Her life becomes valueless to her, andshe is swept downward, ever downward, into the bottomless pit ofprostitution, and becomes an outcast from her fellow-beings. 

But she is far nearer the loving, pitying heart of Christ than all themen who forced her down. And who shall say that Jesus loves her lessthan He does those who profess to be His followers and the soldiers ofHis cross, and yet stand silently and idly by while all this fearfulwrong goes on. 

The matron of a home for fallen women in Los Angeles, says:"Seven-tenths of the girls received here have fallen through dancing andits influence. "

Of course, some of these, either from inherited passion or evileducation, have deliberately and of free choice entered upon a life ofshame; but the great majority do so under the stress of temptation;sometimes because of poverty or chafing against uncongenial employment, with meager wages. They are told that in the profession of prostitution, they can, if they are lucky, make more in a single night than they couldby sewing a week. 

Can you wonder that many a girl, aroused by the waltz and then lured bysuch glittering bait, is led to sell herself, soul and body, to thosewho make use of her and then cast her aside for another?

And yet ball-rooms, where this corruption germinates, flourish and arecountenanced by many preachers of the gospel, and attended andencouraged by church members whose pastors have not the moral courage tocondemn the evil, for fear of offending some of their members who dance. 

The ministers, in a great measure, set the standard of morality in ourland, and when they will rise to the occasion and make a long strike, astrong strike, a strike altogether against this ball-room curse, Christian people will strike with them. Then, and not until then, willthis evil be wiped out. 

It is at the cause and not the effect that the strike must be made. 

In some cities the advisability of closing all the houses ofprostitution by laws has been discussed. 

One might as well try to stop the Mississippi river from flowing bydamming it at its mouth, as to try to stop this great stream of vice byclosing the doors of the brothel. 

To dam the river at its mouth would only cause it to overflow its banksand seek another outlet, and to close the doors of the brothels on onestreet would only drive them to another. 

To stop this great tide of sin we must begin at its source. To close thedoors of the brothel, close first the doors of the dancing school. 

CHAPTER IV. 

ABANDONED WOMEN THE BEST DANCERS. 

The most accomplished and most perfect dancers are to be found among theabandoned women. Why? Because they are graduates of dancing schools. 

If any should wish to ascertain the truth of this let him ask the girlsthemselves. 

I have for several months been working in a Mission of Los Angeles, andwhere I have before seen causes at work, I have now had ampleopportunity of seeing the effect, and I have often heard some of theseunfortunate ones cry out in bitter anguish "Would to God that I hadnever entered a dancing school. "

The following 200 were cases of girls who are to-day inmates of thebrothel whom I talked with personally. They were frank to answer to myquestions in regard to the direct cause of their downfall, and Igathered that these were ruined by:

 Dancing school and ball rooms 163 Drink given by parents 20 Willful choice 10 Poverty and abuse 7 ---- 200

I know of a select dancing school where in a course of three monthseleven of its victims are brothel inmates to-day. 

CHAPTER V. 

EQUALLY A SIN FOR BOTH SEXES. 

I have, in the preceding pages, spoken chiefly of the harm that comes towomen from dancing, and have shown how vile men make use of theprivileges the waltz and its surroundings afford to lead once pure girlsto impurity and often to crime. But do not think for a moment thatbecause I have here thus spoken, that I hold the women blameless or thedance to the man harmless. 

While the woman is more often disgraced in the sight of man, I believethat in the sight of God the sin of dancing is equally a sin for bothsexes. 

A girl is often ensnared into intoxication and thus into greater sin byvile men, but she is not wholly excusable. If she goes to a ball shemust take the consequences. Every woman has a God-given instinct whichteaches her right from wrong, and she cannot but know that to indulge insuch emotions as the modern waltz fosters is wrong. 

It is a horrible fact, but a fact none the less, that it is absolutelynecessary that a woman shall be able and willing to reciprocate thefeelings of her partner before she can graduate a perfect dancer. 

So, even if it be allowed that a woman may waltz virtuously, she cannot, in that case, waltz well. 

It matters not how perfectly she knows and takes the steps, she mustyield herself entirely to her partner's embrace, and also to hisemotions. Until a girl can and will do this she is regarded a scrub bythe male experts. 

I would that young women who dance could just once be "behind thescenes" when young men meet after an evening's dance to discuss ittogether, and hear such remarks as "that Miss ---- is a perfect stick. Iwould not give a fig to dance with her. You can't arouse any morepassion in her than you could in a putty man. To waltz with such as sheis not what I go for. "

Or, another says: "Ah! but that beautiful Miss Smith is a daisy. She isposted. This waltzing is the greatest thing in the world. While you arewhirling one of these dear creatures, if you do the thing correctly, youcan whisper in her ear things she would shoot you for saying at anyother time, but she likes it all the same. They take to it naturallyenough if they are properly taught. If you don't know just how it isdone go to a dancing master, or any professional dancer. They know, andthey will soon let you know. You will soon become a waltzer and thusfind out what there is in it. "

Such remarks, and worse than these, (remarks unfit to publish even inthis plainly written book) are made, my fair young ladies, after theball, about you by the very young men who, at the dance, you thought sonice and who are so considered. I am ashamed to say in by-gone days, Ihave been among these young men myself, and I know that to hear themgive free expression, loose-tongued, to the lewd emotions and sensualpleasures in which they indulge while in your embrace, is almost ascommon as the waltz itself. 

I repeat what I have said before, that I do not refer to rough, uncultured men, but to those who are looked upon by society as mostpolished, refined and desirable young men. 

If it be true that a woman, however innocent in thought, is the subjectof such vile comment, if there is the barest possibility that it may betrue, is it not also true that if she is possessed of a remnant ofdelicacy, she will shrink from exposing herself to such comment, andflee from places of dancing as from a den of vipers?

CHAPTER VI. 

THE APPROVAL OF SOCIETY IS NO PROOF AGAINST THE DEGRADATION. 

I know that there are many who will contend that I have some selfish orspiteful motive in writing thus strongly in condemnation of the waltz. Many will doubtless claim that the waltz is very moral and healthful, isindulged in by the best people of every land, seemingly tolerated byall, and that he who raises his voice against it does so from othermotives than a disinterested desire to warn his fellow-men against it. 

I admit that it is indulged in by a great multitude (not of the best)but the most aristocratic society people. But does the fact that societyhas permitted itself to be carried by storm into a toleration of themodern dance make the dance any less degrading and sinful. No more so, it seems to me, than does the fact of the universal use of alcohol makeits effect less harmful or make it any the less a destroyer of homes, happiness and character. 

No, its universality does not prove its morality, and it is certain thatresults prove conclusively its immorality, and all who try to make itout otherwise, are either those who know nothing at all about it and areunwilling to believe that such an evil could be in their midst withouttheir knowledge, or those who know and practice the abominations, butenjoy it far too well to confess what they know. These last will beloudest in their clamor against this book and its author, and in theirprofession of perfect innocence. 

They believe themselves to be the sole possessors of the secret whichmakes the waltz their pet amusement. They do not mean that their secretshall be divulged, and they seize every opportunity of praising the"beauty and variety" of the waltz. Its "health giving exercise, " "itsinnocent amusement" and its grace-giving qualities. Grace-giving, forsooth. The grace of the harlot, to my mind, is not the most desirablepossession. 

I have known many and many a non-dancing mother to encourage her childto learn to dance, because she wanted her to become graceful, and inmany a case that daughter has lost grace, health, virtue and all that awoman holds dear. If you have a choice of a saloon for your son, and aso-called select dancing school for your daughter, I beseech you, in thename of God, place your son in the saloon, but keep your daughter out ofthe dancing school. 

If you wish her to become graceful there are schools of physical culturewhich are much better adapted to the development of health and grace, and much less to the development of vile passions and depraved natures. What I have said before will be no surprise to those who waltz, though, of course, they will feign great surprise, ignorance, and innocence ofit all. 

But dancing schools are often made use of in a way that is not so wellknown. Professional thieves often frequent these places. Many of themare perfect dancers and good conversationalists. They appear mostrespectable and are, of course, so considered, since they are found inthe select school, where references are required. 

They gain admittance to the school either by practising fraud upon thedancing master, or inducing him to practice fraud upon the public byadmitting such a man for a liberal compensation, to what he advertisesto be a select school. 

When once in a school it is an easy matter to form the acquaintance ofthe wives and daughters of wealthy men. 

To these he makes himself most agreeable, as he well knows how to do, and, if possible, manages by some means or other, to get an invitationto call. If he fails, he makes some excuse to call without aninvitation. During his calls he manages, if opportunity presents itself, to seize some valuables; if not he will locate them, to be called forupon some future dark night, and he is quite safe from arrest, for evenif suspected he knows that the ladies of the house who have been seenwith him in public would only bring disgrace upon themselves byarresting for theft a man upon whose breast they often reclined inpublic. 

This, however, is of small account. If it was the only evil connectedwith dancing, this book would never have been written. The loss ofearthly possessions is of little consequence when compared with the lossof health, happiness, purity and virtue. 

I simply tell you this to show you how many evils a dancing master iscognizant of in connection with dancing, that the generality of peopleknow little or nothing about. 

Some one has said that few people know better than the dancing masterand saloon keeper, how many souls are sent through the port holes ofhell between the ages of fourteen and twenty by these two agencies ofthe devil. 

And he is right. 

The heart of the dancing master must be even harder than that of thesaloon keeper, for while the saloon keeper must witness the harmful anddisgraceful indulgence of men, principally, he knows that there is achance that it may prove only a harmful indulgence. 

But the man who can constantly see pure and lovely women being whirledto a disgrace from which she can never recover must have a heart hardindeed. Yet this is what I have witnessed and helped to perpetuate byteaching dancing. Still I heedlessly continued in the business, untilsomething occurred which set me to thinking. 

I met on a train, while leaving town, one day a young woman, who, a fewmonths before, had been a member of my select dancing academy. She hadbeen ruined there, and was one of the discarded ones when the school wasclosed for a few weeks, as all dancing-schools have to be every littlewhile, to get rid of those girls who have met with a fate similar tohers. 

I entered into conversation with her and found she could no longerendure being shunned and slighted by all her old companions, and wasrunning away from home. I knew that her parents would be heart broken, and that she, without the protection of a home, would soon sink to utterabandonment, and I tried every persuasion to induce her to return to thehome she was leaving. I--who was still teaching the very thing which hadbeen her ruin, now that self-respect and all for which life was worththe living, was lost to her forever--I tried to save her from furtherdegradation. 

After I had argued for some time with her she turned fiercely upon me, her once beautiful eyes now filled with a desperation born of despair, and said, with a look and tone of reproach which I shall never forget:"Mr. Faulkner, when you will close your dancing schools and stop thisbusiness, which is sending so many girls by swift stages on a straightroad to hell, _then, sir_, and not till then, will I think of reform. "

I was stirred by her words as I had never been stirred before. But forthem I might, perhaps, not have been writing this book to-day. At this Iknow many may sneer and say that I have myself done more than most mentowards the furtherance of the evil I so strongly condemn. 

I bow my acknowledgements. I own it all. 

 "I lived for self, I thought for self, For self and none beside, Just as if Christ had never lived. As though he had never died. "

I sinned against heaven and in the sight of God and man, and was in nowise worthy to become a child of him to whom I came ten months ago, andhe received me just as I was, all stained with many, many sins, and inhis boundless love and mercy he forgave them all. 

I feel I cannot close this book without just a word to any of my oldcompanions who may chance to read it, and to others who are leading thelife I once led. I want you to forsake that old life I once shared withyou and, as I have done, give yourselves into the hands of the Master, Jesus Christ. 

You don't know what you are missing of happiness in this world and whatyou may miss in the world to come. I do not ask you to take my life foran example. That would be a poor example, indeed. We do not have to takeany human life for a copy. The life of Christ is the one true examplefor us all, and I believe that when we stand before, the great Judge ofall, the question will not be, _ if we have lived as well as thisprofessing Christian or that church member_, but if we have lived ourlife as nearly like the life of Christ as we could. 

And right here let me say a few words to professing Christians andchurch members who dance. I say "professing" Christians because Ibelieve there is a vast difference between a _Christian_ and a"professing" Christian and church member who dances. 

To be a _Christian is to be Christlike_, and I believe there is nothing_Christlike_ in partaking of such pleasures as have been described inthe foregoing pages, even though you indulge no further than the licenseof the waltz. And even granting (if this were possible) that you onlyengage in the indecent and suggestive position and motions, without asingle sinful thought or feeling, do you believe that your HeavenlyFather could say to you, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast spent the evening to my honor and glory. Thou art in theworld and not of it. Thou hast done nothing that could cause thy brotherto offend, but hast set a good and Godly example. Thou art letting thylight so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorifyyour Father which is in heaven. Thou art denying thyself and taking thycross daily and following me. I left my home in glory and lived andsuffered and died the death of the crucified that thou mightest takethine ease, dance, drink, and be merry, and then, lay down thy cross andtake up thy _crown_ in glory to be with thy Savior and be like Him. "

"The Son of man cometh at an hour when ye know not. "

If he should come and find you at the dance, locked in the embrace ofanother woman's husband, do you feel that he would consider you ready?

Do you not feel the slightest fear that He would say, "Depart from me, Inever knew you?"

Ah, my friends, I should fear it very much. I should fear that to myaccount would be laid the sin of the harlot. 

You say that you dance very properly. What have you to say for thosewho, looking to you for a Christian example, see that you, a churchmember, dance, and conclude that there can be no harm in it for them, sothey indulge and are ruined by it, and in after days are to be foundleading a life of shame in the brothel, all because of your examplewhich led them to take the first step on the downward road?

Do you believe that when you shall both stand before the bar of God forjust judgment that none of her sin will be laid to your charge?

Christian friends, a great responsibility rests upon us all, not only tosee that we "keep ourselves unspotted from the world, " but that we doall in our power to drive from our fair land this awful blot and curse. 

TESTIMONIALS. 

We have just finished reading Mr. Faulkner's book, called "FROM THEBALL-ROOM TO HELL, " and we are profoundly moved by it. We believeevery word of it is true, and that his characterization of thedemoralization and ruin wrought by the modern dance is none too stronglyput. 

Surely nothing worse could have been found in Sodom than these DancingAcademies, as a reason why the righteous God sent fire and brimstone anddestroyed them all. These exposures are as carefully and delicatelywritten as could be, and yet not fail to be fully understood. 

We hope the book will find a wide reading and help to open many eyesthat are blind and startle many that are careless, and prove to be abarbed wire fence around many homes of the innocent. 

May the Holy Spirit of God bless our Christian brother in his efforts toexpose these hot-beds of vice. We advise all pastors and members of ourChurches to read this book, and send it to friends. 

Signed by the following ministers, of Los Angeles, California. 

 REV. BRESEE, Pastor Simpson M. E. Church. REV. D. READ, Pastor First Baptist Church. REV. H. U. CRABBE, Pastor United Presbyterian. REV. M. H. STINE, First English Lutheran Church. REV. A. C. SMITHERS, Temple St. Christian Church. REV. F. V. FESHER, Vincent M. E. Church. REV. A. B. PHILLIPS, City and County Missionary. REV. J. H. COLLINS, Third Congregational Church. REV. A. ANDERSON, Universalist. REV. FATHER MORLEY, Catholic Priest. 

REV. O. READ writes--"You have photographed the ball-roomcorrectly. "

REV. B. FAY MILLS says: May God bless you in your work, and hope thatgreat good will be accomplished by this book. I believe what you say istrue. I know of such cases as you have described. It should be read byall Christians. 

CAPT. E. R. JENNINGS: "Among those who have spoken in praise ofyour powerfully written little book, 'From the Ball-Room to Hell, ' letmy name be enrolled. "

REV. E. S. TAYLOR writes: "Last evening I purchased a copy of'From the Ball-Room to Hell. ' I read it through at one sitting, andhasten to thank you for your noble utterance. I know from my ownexperience that every word is true. "

REV. S. E. WILSON, in a long and eulogistic letter, says: "Thisbook fills a vacant niche in the temple of literature, not occupied bysermons or homilies. "

PROF. HOMES, ex-dancing master, writes: "This book is foundedon facts. "

THE REV. FATHER MORLEY, a Catholic Priest of California, writes: "Having carefully read your excellent book, 'From the Ball-Roomto Hell, ' I cannot forbear expressing my full approval, therefore Icheerfully endorse every line contained therein. You have opened, dearsir, a campaign against public evil. You can send to me one hundredcopies, which I shall place in the hands of my followers. "

"The author writes evidently under a deep conviction of the truth, andgives a voice of warning in terms that will nigh take away the breath ofmany parents who read it. We think that every pastor ought to see thatone of these books should be placed in the hands of all members of theirchurch. "--_California Christian Advocate. _

The lady principal of one of the chief female educational establishmentson the Pacific Slope writes: "Myself and lady friends of mine have readthe book 'From the Ball-Room to Hell, ' and think you have done a noblework, and think it ought to be read by all parents. "

PROF. A. T. SULLIVAN, ex-dancing master, says: "Waltzing is thespur of lust. "

"We feel pleased that there exists a pen bold enough to denounce theevil complained of in so masterly a manner and in such vigorous English. If we mistake not, it will work great good in the social world. "--_LosAngeles Evening Express. _

"This book has created a greater flutter in social circles than anythingpublished within our remembrance. Its pages should receive carefulperusal of parents, and the equally careful attention of the young. Webelieve every word of it is true. "--_Los Angeles Times. _