The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-02-16
Pittsburgh.

mands less and less amicabe.
Pittsburgh.
Correspondence Of the New York Heraldl
PITTSBURGH, Feb A. 1916.
Grand Ball at Monon gahela House-Beauty, Ele-
gance, Fashion and Iaste-A full, true, and par
ticular account.
DEAR BENNETT -
The great act Of the season, in fashionable life,
came of in this city, in the shape of a Ball or
Party, given by the Bachelors at the Monongahe-
la House on Thursday evening last. Mine host,
Mr.. Crossan, having received carte blanche, with
two weeks notice, toymake ready, sustained his
well earned reputation beyond the hopes of the
most sanguine, by style of arrangements and de-
coration, which would not have done discredit to
any of the most recherche saloons of the French
capital, while his able and gentemanIy assistant,
Mr.. Alden, appeared to have exhausted the rich
stores OF his treasury IN launching forth
upon the grooming tables of the ladies' ordinary a
spectacle of luxury, which for briancy OF display
and refinement OF taste at once bafed all descrip-
ton, and reminded the admiring beholder of
sThe Royal feast, for Persia won,
By Philips Godlike Son."
Great were the preparations for the event during
the week preceding. Milllners, mantua-makers,
and dry goods men reaped rich harvest from the
reckless expenditure of contendlng bellies and
beaux, and every greenhouse, public and private,
was stripped OF its floral treasures to supply the
immense demand tor bouquets. Apropos-oi
greenhouses, must not omit to mention, that Ger
tam army and navy officers, who are stationed
here, suspectng foul play in the. matter of bou-
quets, have determined TO establish greenhouse
Of their own. An illnatured friend at our elbow,
suggests that they will have abundant material for
the purpose-Capital idea, however, that of the
greenhouse, and highly characteristic of genuine
esprit du corps.
Being little beyond the noon of life, we did not
hurry, but found ourself at 81 o'clock at the en-
trance to the ball room, where we paused in ad-
mirng wonder, to contemplate for moment, the
magnificent and gorgeo GUS spectacle before u.s.
Already two hundred and fifty of the votaries Of
Terpsichore were dancing to the music of the fine
band from the United States arsenal, and truly il
may be said, that pleasure, not
"Madness, ruled the hour"
Each face was beaming with delight, and the
wrlnkles OF care, for the nonce, were banishe0
from brows, that had been marked in many a rude
encounter with the world-while the boy-god.
from his well filled culver, scattered his shafts with
lavish profusicn, and
"shock thousand oders from his dewy wings"
To say that the ladies surpassed all previous ef-
forts, In the elegance OF their attire, would be bu,
faint praise. The coup d'GI was grand and i'm
posing to the last degree, realizing to our observa-
ton, more than our imagination had ever con-
ceived.
Proceeding up the room, we had an opportunity
remark more particularly the individual attrac-
tons, which contributed 10 make up the vast sum
of loneliness assembled on the occasion.
First, because towering above the rest In sta.
ture, we noticed the queenly Miss Men, late OF
st. Louis, moving graceful as a swan, while her
dark eyes flashed with fearful effect upon sundry
beaux. Alas poor Mr.. ]. Look to thy rivals
now. In the next cotlllon were Miss T., of Nor.
folk, Va, and Miss v. c., looking like Twin sisters
IN loneliness, similarly attired in blue and silver,
resembling each other, yet still unlke-the former
sweet exotic from the sunny South-the latter, a
charming specimen OF our more Northern cline.
The first OF these ladies', to our keen perception,
seemed to listen with interest to the soft nonsense
of the attentive Mr.. Mex although per contra, il
is said, she is
Near these stood the sweet and pleasing Miss A.
c., all unconscious OF her own attractions, while
gazing with evident pleasure at thvse of her capt..
waiting sister, just named. In the same set we OBJ
served Miss r. of Cincinnati, in whose fine, intel.
lectual face we thought we could detect the traces
of some "secret sorrow" which not even the as
siduous attention Of Mr.. G. could dissipate
A little further on. we perceived the beautiful
and sprightly Miss D., one In whom we have al
ways felt melancholy interest, in conse quence Of
superintendent Of the public works at H F., and
with whom it was our good fortune to be acquan-
ted in early life. Near her, remarkable for her
saiety and animation, stood Miss G. D., lady
" somewhat near the throne" being nelce OF
the Vice-President elect. Her cousin, Miss W.,
daughter of the present Secretary at War, came
next, just blooming into womsnhOod, and looking
exceedingly well. Miss s, the daughter Of one OF
sylph, stood listening, with evident qualification, to
the Establishments Of Mr.. M, whose suit it is
thought will shortly terminate in matrmony. Con-
spicuous amongst the rest, we noticed Miss X.
dressed with excellent taste. Also Miss c., Of AL
leghany, favorite OF ours, looking exceedingly
well, the beautiful symmetry OF whose neck and
shoulders, and finely rounded arm, are seldom
IL -
thus to partcularise, but are admonshed that this
communication is already sufficiently extended
Many, very many, we are therefore compelled to
overlook, Of whom it might truly be said, grace
of whom were present, contributed not little to
the loveliness of the scene-one | must mention,
particularly, as she is yet bride, Mrs. B., late
Miss r., Of Philadelphia, as no less distinguished
for the beauty of her person, than for her sweet
" Had Heaven but given us such wife, and this
world were one entire rash chrysollte. we'd
not exchange her tor it." OF the gentlemen, it is
most to do the agreeable, as though the whole sue
cess Of the affair depended upon his individual ex
ertions. We must not, no vever, omit to notice
an artist Of no mean celebrity, Mr. d., who, for
once exchanging the usual cynical expression Of
his face, for a countenanee wreathed in smiles,
acknowledged that here, indeed, he had at last
found the true line of beauty.
We heard bitter complaints of one practice,
which we are bound to say we think " would be
more honored in the breach than the observance
viz that of certain " pencilings by the way" In
which our bellies indulge, on small cards, brought
for the purpose, whereon to record their several
engagements. No lady should engage herself for
more than two or three sets in advance. An arch
little friend, with whom we discussed this matter,
mischievousy insinuated the suspicion, that the
books, In some instances, were not fairly Kept,
the credits being far too numerous; while in others
it looked as though the fair scribe was determined
to secure every offer, to prevent the possibility Of
finding herself diseneaged.
Every thing, however, passed of to the salts
faction of all concerned. The rich viands and
delicsces OF the supper table were well and ably
discussed. Coffee was served up about half past
three o'clock, A. M and at this signal the COM
pany began gradually TO dispense. Half an hour
from this time our services were required in the
cloak and hood department, when, after posses
sing oursef Of our fair charge, we succeeded IN
navigating our way, through a double row of vo
ciferous drivers, to our own carriage, and short
and pleasant ride terminated, so far as we were
yA