The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-02-27
Our Ithaca correspondence.

ITHACA, Feb. %, 1850.
The Grand Fancy Dress Ball at Ithaca.
whats this that checks the onward
Flow Of thoughts.
And backward leads to days Of oourtly gallsntriss
where velvet robes. and cap and feather,
Did mack the man Of quality
lis past times recollection,
Showing Us customs netsmorphoees.
That day, whose lustre shall grow brighter as
time advances the birthday OF Washington-is
the day we commemorate; not with the loud peal
of cannon, as We mark the anniversary Of
a nations birth, but by social and festive
gatcnpps, wherein are exchanged the mu-
tual obligations OF society, and are nurturcd
the sweet amenitie: Of life. Early in the sea- :,
that the birth day should be Observed in this place.
by grand fancy dress ball, TO be gwen at the
Clinton House /; and, as to resolve Is 10 do with
our citizens, immediate steps were taken to com
plee the preliminarles and soon the town was rife
with preparation. History and the poets were
seerched for "characers," and by the day, all was
IN most admirable preparation Tor the grand initial
fancy dress. The spacious assembly room OF the
Clinton House was most superbly decorated for
the occasion. Evergreens were trailing around
every easement, and hung gracefully pendant from
the ceiling above. The walls were covered with
works OF art; both the grsver and pencil contri-
bu,ed 10 the sdomment Ii was as grand US an
exhibition hall Of paintings and engrayIngs.
AT about nine O'Clock, on the evening OF the 2lst,
the company began TO assemble; and soon was
messed in this fair village. Now strobe IN royalty
in its eImined robe, and, close upon heels, the
notified fool, with his csp and bells. Then came
the ccurtler in his smiles, bowng gracefully at
every step, betraylng in his air his sycophancy.
And then the royal dame, in glittering robes,
swept by, IN lefty pride and stateliness; fol-
lowing. came beauteous costumes, from old
EneIand's courts, and Spaln's proud castles,
Versailles, and IRON the ducal palaces Of
Italy. and from the Alhambras OF the East,
where the Moslem reigns. But the gorge
ousness IN which pride and power habits IT.
self did not usurp the gitienng scene, for poetry
had iis creations there's and the sweet, plain attire
OF Switzerlsnd's peasantry, IN wnning contrast
with the trappin2s OF royalty, and the only true
pisantry in the world" was faithfully personifed
But the character that most Justly meves our souls
10 sympathy, and claims more largely OF our vene-
ration, is that of the Indian chief. Here We are, on
the very plains and mountains III At were his home,
and the home Of his race. Twas here, on Cay
uga's fair bosom, that he Piled he testhery oar.
and eped the bark canoe. Teas here, on these
plains and these hill sides, that he chased the
stag and the roe, and freed the barbed arrow,
his weapon Of yore. lie strobe N our midst
last night and appeared a sprt OF the past,
risen TO reclaim his ancient Inheritance.
But / must descend to particulars, and give
glance at the incidents Of the evening. shall
nothing extenuate, nor set down ought in ma
lice" but shall make brief mention OF the charac-
tiers Represented.
First IN order. as they were descending, first in
the scsle OF beauty, were the Three Graces,"
characters sustained in most natural aad WITCH
ing manner by Mrs B., Mrs. T. and Mis- H.,
sisters, and twins in loneliness. Thar dresses
were white satn.
Miss &c, as Joan OF Arc, wore too sweet a
snile TO be the COMMANDERS OF araies and the
kehtress of battles-the arbitress Of a nation's
destiny. Indeed, TO command cannot be in her
nature, unless TO control by the influence Of beau
~, be TO command.
Miss K-h. as Grecian lady, was a beautiful
AVID appropriate representative Of that classic land
where poetry and the arts had their birth
Miss H-n, as Nydia, the flower girl Of Pom
pen, was herself as blooming and lovely to behold
as The fragrant blossoms she so gracefully held.
EMiss A NJ =, as a Turkish lady, was beautifully
suired, and, from her joyousness, did not seem to
think or know that the jealous eye of the bearded
Tu,k, Der lord and master, was on her.
Miss e. M came fresh and blooming from her
own mountain home, smds' the mountains and
gcraes OF old liberty-iouaa Switzerland; asd fe-
Iourneycrs with her were the M,ssss I'D, to-