After the managers had organized the Company by drawing numbers and appointing the opening with a Minuet, Uncle was called on and introduc’d to a Lady for the opening scene. The Managers who distributed the numbers called Gentⁿ No. 1, he takes his stand--Lady No. 1, she rises from her seat, the Manager leads her to the floor and introduces Gentⁿ No. 1, & so on till the floor is full. After all the Company have been thus call’d out then the Gentⁿ are free to seek his Partner but no monopoly. Lady at the head chooses the figure, but it is considered out of order for one Lady to head a figure twice unless all have been at the head. If there happen to be some ladies to whom from mistake or otherwise have been passed the Managers duty is to see to it. And another Custom was for a Gentⁿ to call on a Lady & inform her of an intended ball & ask permission to see her to the place & see her safe home again. If the Gentⁿ does not draw such Lady for the first Contra Dance he generally engages her for the first Volunteer. At the Refreshments the Gentⁿ will by instinct without Chesterfieldian monition see that his betterhalf (for the time being) has a _quantum sufficit_ and that without cramming his jaws full until he has reconducted her to the ball-room, then he is at liberty to absent himself for a while. There were two young gentlemen there from New York who were much attached to each other. They promised to let each other know when a ball was on foot. At one time one came to the other and told him to prepare his pumps against such an evening. The answer was--Pumps out of order, must decline. No Sir that will not do. Then Sir you have been buying Several pair of handsome Mocassons for New York Ladies. If you will lend me one pair & you will put on one pair (it wont hurt them) I will go. Snaps his fingers--the very thing. The next ball after this Moccasons became very fashionable. So many fashions have their origins from Necessity. A traveller named Bennet gives us an account of the amusements of Boston women in the middle of the century, when dancing was slowly becoming fashionable.