The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-06-13
Parts Gossip.
The Times correspondent gives some amusing

.amerieaa Feie.--Some Of the |sieS of The car
nlyal season deserve a notice. That given by
MIR. Hutton, Of New York, q week ago, was
unique IN many respects. But few Americans
were present-perhaps because there are but few
IN Paris Ii did not owe its uniqueness, however,
to that fact since the same thing has occurred on
other occasions, and in other places Mr.. Hut
ton family has been outrageously treated IN a
question of marriage by the brother OF the Em-
peror, Count de Morny. On this question two
camps have been formed in the aristooratIc cir
ces Of the ciiy--one in Justification of the Counts
conduct, and one against. For the honor Of the
French name, the latter camp is the most nupier-
Gus. The injured family sought, through the
medium Of mammoth s0iree, 10 regulerize the
position of the question. Invitations were sont
to both parties. The soirSe was magnificent
affair, and did honor TO American munfcence,
and, might add, sustained the American repu-
tation for prodgality Seven hundred inyIlations
were issued, and nearly seven hundred guests
answered to the summons.
The aristocrauc Faubourg 81. GERMAN, the old
nobility of France, made il point TO attend this
soiree in order to show their friendship for the
family, and thus indirectly condemn the Count
de Morny The Bonapartists also anxious 10
mitigate conduct which they could not approve,
except as a question of expediency, attended IN
large numbers; and thus, MIR. Hutton was able
to unite IN his saloons on common level, the
mummfed remains of Bourbonsm and the smart
young representatives, of Bonapartsm. The Mar
shals of the Empire logged the Marquisses Of the
Monarchy; the courtiers of to-day jostled the
courers of the Restoration The Tnileres
touched glasses with Frohsdorf--in dry wine;
aud people looked into each othes's faces for the
first time who had often wondered how each other
looked. IL is almost the peculiar privilege of
American families in France 10 bring about these
strange Interpretations of political coors. Only
in this instance, believe, neither the fred nor
the mountain were represented But, as said
IN ha ftp xvao ~ nyi
cratic, and any democratic elements would have
been out Of place
Bal Costume. Another Jsie that occupied for a
fortnight great share ofthe publicattention, was
the costumed ball at the Ministry Of Foreign AT
airs The Countess WalewsIsa, The hostess, APP
peared as Diana, the huntress the Countina Louis
XVI, black costume. One of the most elegant
costumes Of the evening was worn by an Amerl-
can lady, the Baroness dc Warcher, wife of the
Minister of Wurtemburg; il was Mohlo- Wala-
chan costume. Lady Cowly was in Mary Tudori
the ladies' of the American legation in powder
The belle Countess de Castglionne appeared as
the Gaeen of Hearts, Gnd had the courage to res,
nounco entirely the crinolinc Her dress f y
straight and in fiat folds TO fine knee. The Ehi~
peror and Empress appeared az the ball under
rose and blue domino, and rcfnoined two
hours.
Ii would take TOO much room to attempts TO-
enumerate the costumes Of even those persons
whose names are familiar to you. But there WAS
one costume that deserves SPECIAL notice this
was d chiGonier piogenes of the time o. LOUIS
XV.---bare legs, that is to say, aesh-coioied
silk stockings, breeches of white satin, patched
with gold and silver, vest Of golden cloth, WI,
large flaps, in his shirt sleeves, with arag- pleber
basket on his back full of bouquets; a lantern q
gold in HRS left hand, the crotchct m his sighd
The lantern bore a coronct
Prince Jerome and the Princess Matllilde havo
each given grand balls, and the last bail OF 'hc
Tuieres on Thursday, numbered more : ,hs1i
three thousand guests. The middle rooms Of the
palace were crowded TO sufiocation.
The End of tie World. SO you see that not
withs.anding the comet and David Hume y table,
turning, the old-fashioned gaiclysM Gale Frat
eatse, rcgns triumphant. The 18th OF june rs so
far Of for a Frcnchnani And yet this comet,
and its theatrical demolition Of the earth, has
caused veritablepan among certain class'is AZ
Paris. A Belgian almanac maker, who WAS a.
first created into German astronomer, asserted
ts.Ht this comet would strike the Garth on the l3h
Of June. ind he argued that even IL n comet was
but luminous body, the fact that II was luminous
proycd that it had certain conaatencc, anu there
fore destructive force whel, in violent motion,
IL il had only the force of the common wind cur
rents. so great a body must produce concussion
sufficient to dcrangc completely the earth y mo-
| ton if not to destroy II.
| This theory destroyed the equilibrium Of cer-
| tain weak heads at Paris; and M. Babinei, tli,
astronomer Of the Institute, was called upon to
clear up the difficulty, and give an opinion. IA.
ISabinet did not deny that there was comet IN
close proximity to the earth, or that it might not
come in contact with il on the 18th Of June. But
| he denied the theory Of the Belgian alarmist, and
| declared that comet possesses so littlc density,
that il is incapable of offering the least obstruction
| Ia the carth's normal motion. Arago, Sir John
Herschel end Lapacs, confirm this view Of The
| question Another man of science declares that
there win be no comet .ic I3,h Of June; and that
the obscryatories are silent because they Know
this fact and yet people are crct-i'ous.
| This pending calamity was ANNOUNCED 10 inc
world at the same moment as the news tiiisl
comet had been see1 at San Francisco aud Par~
anna, and it spread over Europe with the swift
ness of the telegraph. 1t Is talked Of in every
! circle, among the learned and the uncancd; III
the saloons Of the rich and the workshops of the
| poor. 1t is written about in prose and ~ verse,
| In songs and in complaints. For fortnight we
| have not been able 10 step out without hearing
| the cry: :. Here is the end Of the world! full
| description Of the comet Of June 10, only one
sou ~
4 Hume, the Scotch spirt-rapper, (who, the bet
4 ter TO practice his impos,ions, passes for an
| American is operating as q powerful auxiliary
1 to the g German astronomer IN creating panic
| His leeerdemain in the table turning and rappng
i farce is wonderful, and he isnow enabled to turn
i Il ID bs,er account through this panic about the
end of the world His spirits invariably con-
/ Arm the worst fears of his audiences, and he -
thus enabled to produce IN effect and make HIM
4 self talked about.
i IMPERIAL FANNY or CHIss.--Thc rcigning'
i Emperor Hen -Foung, assembled the throne III