Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-03
NO. 50.
MISCELLANEOUS READING.

CHRISTENING IN FASHIONABLE LIFE.
Mr.. n. p Willis, in that most readable pa
per, the Home Journal, thus describes n
christening in the Fifth avenue, which he re
Gently attended:
II was scarcely arrived in town. when my
brother took me to gay party at that eX-
quisite petit Trianon of house, James r.;
Cooley's. Our friend the ex-publisber ard
politician bad invited three hundred OF his
friends to witness the baptism OF bis child
the ceremony at Q followed by brilliant sup
uer and soiree AS would readily be supposed
it was a gathering OF the lntellectu ActiVl-
ties of New York, and their wives and daugh-
ters. There were cergymen and tinanciers'
politicians and publishers, lawyers and doc
tors, editors, authors and artists. The service
was performed in the octsgonal central room
of the principal suite of apartments; and 1t
was certainly novel contrast to sec bate
iu arms and rector in full canonicals in
the midst of so gayly.dressed an assem-
blage. And when the prayers came, and,
amid the brilliantly lighted gildings and
mirrors, the ladies, in their jewels, and
plumes, fell upon their knees at the embrold-
cred ottomans and bowed their shoulders to
the solemn responses, il was the applying ot
a trying touchstone to luxury and beauty
With the second thought, OF course, came the
rational remembrance that our splendOr
and mirth may as rightly feel the presence OF
God al our gloom and sadness; and tho
chid's destiny most properly receives lis
first conservation with the witnessing OF
Joyous gathering OF friends. OF the BeiI0r5
Heqira indeed-the era Of making the world 8
mirth and pleasure tributary also to recognl-
ton of the Great Giyer Of oil thIngs--lt
seemed progressing sign.
"Amoog the celebrities were DR.. Taylor,
the patricisn pastor Of Grace Church, who
performed the service; Governor Hunt with
the couchsnt lion behind his easy smile; the
historian Bancroft, locOm otively ahead OF the
train of thought with which you were trying
to come up with him; Count Uurowskl, the
exotic American author; Church, the OssIan
painter of Niagara, with face corroDora-
tive of his inspired picture; Professor Greene,
so long our scholarly Consul at Rome; lie
mann, the belisved-in-Mayor of our cosmopo-
lie; several Of the best.known manufacturers
of public opinions; and last, not least, the
country's distinguished tree-cbsmpion, who
has go happily moderated the thoughtless-
ness of the American axe. In the way CT
bright particular stars the most admired
shining for the evening was done by con-
stellation from the North-a Boston mother
and her two superby beautiful daughters.
1t seemed but day to me, as looked upon
them, since the mother herself was fair
young schoo!-girl-just those daughters ago,
For the rest Of the evenings events--how
charmiDgly the band played as the supper
room was thrown open; how teteS7d-teteS went
on in the cosy library; how Morris aud Willis
renewed their VOWS of eternal fidelity over
the chickeu-salad; how Palmer's exquisite
marble bust of Cooley's daughter was ad-
mired; how it waxed late; and how We wish:
ed the sweet infant whose baptism we had
witnessed all manner Of warm blessings, as
Brown received US under the cold starlight
Of outdoors, and called our carriage With his
pleasant fiction of goodnight though it
was morning-for all this, please call on
your memory, my dear Morris, while We
leave it to the readers accommodation"