The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-03-22
DAILY CIR ESCENT

TIE FANCY BALL IN New YoRK.--A cores
pondcnt of the Home Journal gives the following
description of the affair. at the Aston Place Opera
House:
The whole of the papllet was Aoored over, and
raised three steps above the stage. The difference
of level, caused by the parquet having much more
slope than is usual IN theatres, not productive
Of any disadvantage, as II afforded Il better view OF
tie costumes of those the floor Across the stage
some thirty feet from the rear wall, was placed the
drop-scene, with large open arch, usually en-
poyed Ill the last scene of :. LHCreztd. Behind
this spread brilliant supp ar-tlble, visible
from every part of the house and presenting very
tempting appearance-so tempting, suppose, thai
II was thought necessary To place Two aupernpne
raTy inel-at-arins guard at the entrance. can
imagine no other reason for their presence The
rest oi The stage from the prosccnum to the door Of
the supTcf-room. was tented with white muslin,
fnted and divided into panels by pilasters of white
and gold. The spaces between the piIasters were
decorated with glded groups of musical instrt1-
ments The whole was brilliantly Hun mated, by
abundant additions TO the usual lights.
Having thus disposed OF lis frame, let us try 10
give you an idea Of the picture which was present.
ed TO my eyes on entering. On the floor of the ball
room, and iii The first and second tiers boxes were
presented at least twelve hundred persons, a very
far"e majority of whom i'll costume, while
from the dim rccesses OF the amplheatre, peered
down several hundred Pairs Of curious eyes | am
confident that, in the number and freshness of COS
tunes, and the beauty and excellent arrangement of
the house, no ball ever given Ill this country de-
serves to he compared with the OF last evening.
To enumerate all the striking dresses would occupy
a week; and even were disposed to make selec-
lions. a very moderate allowance of sleep has done
little towards enabling me to sepaIdte individuals
from the tltrong of images which fiji coniusedEy
before my mind. Although for some three or four
hours my eyes Were kept in active service, am
sure that Very very mary worthy objects escaped
iiieir observation Marquis and Marquise. lidaigo
and tontadlna, Cavalier and Puritan, Crusader
ard lnlideI Monk and Jew. Nun and Novice, Am
azonr. Quaker, Queenand Peasant, succeeded each
other more rapidly than could Sltuk their
Names
All ages and all countries We're represented, and
lew more besides Mobiles of every rank and IA
ilon, conrcrs OF every realm, monks OF every Or
der, and soldiers of every arm, wee mingled with
a proltlSon of female Costumes less easy TO name.
but far more brilliant III effect. Add to all this "a
large admixure Of such costumes as to defy all eff
forts at classification. Br6ands. in green velvet,
are nothing new. but brigands in specacles are de-
cIdcdty a novelty Had Mr.. James been present,
he never would have seen The last of the fairies. |
attribute the gaiety of the ball, in great measure,
10 the scarcity OF comic characters, always the most
melancholy members Of such assemblage.
The characters Of hIarquise and AmaZone Were
decidedly the most favorite with the ladies, and
from them should unquestonably select If called
upon to do the NEST striking figures OF the ball.
There many, OF course, who assumed the
slightest apology for costume. order to gam adj
mission but their small number was lost in the
mass of brilliant dresses. Nor were wanting one
or two who Were very slightly dressed, in every
sense of the term; bu: these also the throng con-
cealed, The whole aspect Of the scene was ex
tremeIy brilliant.