The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-11-26 00:00:00

THE MARQUIS AND MARCHIONESS OF

ALMONDARES.

GRAND FANCY DRESS BALL AT HAVANA.

THE CREOLE BEAUTIES OF CUBA.

(From the Correspondent of the .Wew York Times.)
The grand fancy dress ball, given by the Marquis and
Marchioness of Almondares, at their elegant mansion,
nearly opposite the Belen Monastery, Havana, was one
of the most splendid reunions at which it has ever been
my good fortune to be present.
The apartments in all the storeys of the mansion
are conntcted with folding-doors, which being thrown
open form a ball room equal in size, and superior in
elegance and beauty, to even the Academy of Music
at New York. There is one attractive feature at
the residence of the Marquis of Almondares that
calls for particular observation. The simply chaste yet
noble staircase composed entirely of pure white Italian
marble, which produces an effect which I must leave to
the imagination of the reader, no words that I can com-
mand being capable of describing its chaste beauty. But
'enough for the elegance of the mansion. Permit me to
essay a description of the ladies, or of some of them,
who were presentr and of their attire. There were
several young ladies who were attired to represent butter-
flies, of whom only two were known to your correspondent
.---they are named Irene Enlute and Rositer Orozco—
both being of a style of beauty that
Would t;:ey begin a sect,
Might quench the zeal of all profeesors else— •
Make proselytes of those they but bid follow."
There were four ladies attired lz ; Queens—Mrs.
Pepilla Armestero de Cardenas, with a in.,gniiicent long
train, was the most distingue.
Mrs. Laborde made one of the prettiest -Filles des
Regiinent mortal eyes ever beheld. Miss Lola ilenrea,
daughter of the noble host, appeared as Aurora, and
was truly the very incarnation of rosy'morn. Her dre-ss,
of cobweb-like fineness, was of pink, and blue, and
white, with a mosaic crescent and brilliant stars, which
were, however, in splendour outshone by her dark, dark
eyes. Her cousin, who bears the same name, appeared
as La Folee.
Mrs. Aldama appeared as Mimic, with at least a mil-
lion dollars worth of diamonds in her attire. "Music
bath charms," it is said; but in the case of Mrs.
Aldama, we might in her matronly beauty and gorgeous
display of wealth say that every note in the gamut, from
re to do, was represented by a chain of diamond notes
that in no other land ea.n be surpassed. Miss Mucedes
Orozco as Euterpe, Miss „Leonora Moliner as Undine,
looking as fresh and beautiKil as though she had but
just ascended from Old Ocean's deepest caves. Miss
Rita Duquesne, daughter of the loarquis of that name,
was attired, ci la Pompadour, in setlow silk, &c., &c.,
and looked very charming. But It must pause ; for,
were I to continue to name even but a tctiie of the beauties
that sere tho ""e'ab -4',.•••-•I I abould require an un-
reasonaoze portion or you, opaoc. One 4.""'""""
1 must add—the majority of the ladies wore w..l.lite powder
in their hair—a fashion that prevails, I under:43nd) at
the Spanish capital just at present, but which, t:,l mY
taste,'is not becoming our creole beauties, nearly all of
whom possess a wreath of ebon tresses unequalled b)'
any other ladies in the world.

'ot a single gentleman appeared in character, the
dull black coat and unwhisperables being universally
worn with white vests, &c.
The music was exeellent : two bands, one in the salle
4 dance, the other, a full military One, in the grand
'entrance hall. The supper and refreshments were
recherche and abundant. It will suffice for me to say
to any one who has ever been in this city that they
were supplied by that prince of culinary artists, Bernard.
Dancing was kept up until a late hour, and all retired
delighted with the time they passed.