The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-29

cs, as if to say, See how enjoy ourselves while
you are cOoped up there within the narrow limits
of decorum. trembled for the young ladies in tLn
boxes; | should tremble for any one, man or woman
upon whom that lovely being should cast her fasci
mating glance. But just at this moment observed
a gentleman in black approach and touch her ON
the shoulder. He was tall and well made, and had
long straight feather i'll his cap, but noticed he
mad club foot. She turned around suddenly at
the touch, while mOmentary paeness passed over
ner nushed lace; but, seeing nothing, she thought
IL was only the plume of her partner that had
brushed across her shoulder Again the gentleman
In black touched her as before whispering in her
ear, lhou devotest thy life to pleasures science
| taber' ~ 7
expected to have seen her fall away in a swoon:
but at that instant Strauss and his hundred (ah
VINO can resist Strauss and his hundred? burst forth
VIII one vi MS eh"cest morceaux, and the fair one,
VIII smile, dashed into the dance. The music
! must nave drowned his words but they made sucb
| an impression oh me that, although his nerson now
| seemed ulsagreeable could not resist following
nm TO hear what he would say to Others So thread
my ms way through the motley throng, he whis-
pered to one, "fosse conamune" and of another In,
asked, 'W here will you get food for yourself and
! sick mother Tomorrow ~
began to feel outraged at such extreme and
neartess iDertles; put observing that all those ad-
dressed laughed louder and dancedwitb more IGa even
than before, concluded that no one had hoard tbn
! gentlemans voice, nor had seen him, but myself
Tor IN an instant and can scarcely tell how, he dis
|
At this moment the French gentleman who ar
companied me, and who had been dancing reioined
me with his partner, and desiring to show me Svcry
thing, proposed that should follow them to the
| 6Det, which was situated in the lower part of the
| building.
Here a scene presented itself, such as can never
be witnessed elsewhere. The tables were strewn
with Champagne bottles, smoking hot punches
DavarOises, cigar stumpS, broken cigarettes coffee
cups, iqueur glasses, and in short every mauinabIe
drink or utensil that could be serviceabe in Bac
| chanalian rout; while around the table, and on the
taDie sometimes were clOse " grouped hundred
iantastca forms and shapes of every color twisted
INTO every possible position and all talking or rath
er shouting, at the same time. The air was filled
with dense smoke from the cigarettes of fifty pref
" llpS ana the cigars of their companions, and if
there was anything they did harder than drinking
and smoking, it was the jingng of glasses, BANG
ing OF chairs, and general efforts to see who could
make most noise.
My companion and myself edged our way with
| difficulty to chairs, humping against the rush
ing garcons, and now trcading on some satin slim
per, and in return receiving very pretty comp-
ments for our stupidity, which my friend was not
slow in returning in voluble volleys among other
tmngS desiring to know why people had such long
awkward feet
Seated at last, he gave his partner cigarette in
the management of which she left nothing to be de
sired by the most skillfuI senorta of Cuba she pud
anu spped punch, and slipped punch and pulled, and
chattcd, all nj the same time
Rattle went the glasses, prattlc went the tongues
as only French tongues can; dancing went the ia
Dies, and whirling went the chairs, as the new
drinkers poured in and the old drinkers teH out
1t was real orgie. The smoke alone rose soemnly
ana thoughttully to the ceiling, and seemed philoso-
pni|ihS on the scene, except when the music of
Strauss and his hundred Cab! cha can resist Strauss
ana hlS hundred?l appeared to break through its
thick columns, and send it whrling in rapid pirou-
cites Just like any other dancer.
For an instant was completely lost in reflections
Never had been present at a scene of greater APP
) parent gayety-neycr appearances more de
ceptive Nearly all of these gaudy, gildcd exteri-
orS concealed hearts that were, ought to have
been, miserable; but a short life and a merry one
seemed to be the universal AIM and so they danced
themselves into misery and dcath-danced them
selves as far away from true happiness as the quiet
OF family lireside is removed from the boistcrous
mirth of IA mask ball,