Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-04-16
A Donkey in a Ban Room,

Mr.. Kendall, writing from Paris to the New Or
leans Picayune, describes the following scene in
Paris ballroom
highly ludicrous incident occurred few even
ags since at the Casino Paganini, large ball
located at the head of q passage leading out of the
Chaussee dAntin, and which is much frequented
this season by mixed and miscellaneous crowd
The orchestra had just struck up the Galop du Che
MN de Fer, (RaIlroad Gallop.) and the merry dam
GERS had taken their places, when into the bolt
ed donkey, snorting and braying at the top of his
powerful lungs and joining in the gallop went round
the large sale with perfect rush Never such
stampede seen in a ball room. The now affrightcd
dancers scattered in every direction and sich a
gittin up stairs such jumping upon chairs and
tables, and such climbing up pillars up to that
moment had never been witnessed in the Casino
Paganin nor in any other casino. The police were
struck dumb at the strange appartion. the musicians
dropped their instruments and fed in terror, while
the donkey kept gallopping on in his mad flight,
reering in circles around the room amid the wild
screams Of the hundreds of wonlen AL only bent up
on seeking places Of safety.
WHAT could have brought such an intruder into Il
dancing hall one could ina "inc but it was after
wards aScertained that the donkey had been left by
his master standing before door in Chaussec An
tin and that struck by one Of the carriages contin-
ually passing through that noted thoroughfare and
frightened by the attling of others he had sudden
ly started OFT at the top OF his speed. The he
ran, as is always the case the more frightened he
became and in his flight, seeing the passage leading
to the Casino he boltcd into it for refuge But poor
refuge did he find for he had to run q gaunt-
let of at least fifty coachmen always stationed in the
passage on the look out for customers who yelling
and cracking their whips at him. farther increased
his terror and his pace.
The saloon is on the first floor, and without stop
ping to procure ticket Of admission, but knocking
over the astonishcd keeper in his headlong
reer, the poor brute made his advent among the dan
GERS as already mentioned-'' solitary and alone he
sat that ball in notion, and commotion. too-with-
out stopping to select partner he joined in the
grand gallop. and at stride which disanced
everything on the track. After half dozen turns
round the saloon. and to music Of his compost
ton and performance, he finally cooled or tired him
self down, came to his senses, and quietly commenced
survey Of the premises
From this out he is said to have been the pet of
the evening the female portion of the crowd in par
ticular pressing around him, and regaling him pen-
tifulIy with cakes and other notions. When the ball
was over he was sent by the conmissary of police to
the public pound, and thus ended The doings of
donkey in dancing saloon. The adventures Of the
celebrated bull in the china shop nothing in
cOmparison-that animal simply confined his opera
tons to breaking plates, cups and saucers, but the
hero of the Casino Paganini for space broke up
ball.