Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-05-19
For. the Yorkville Enquirer.
THE FANCY BALL.


coming, and I'm coming, to tell you what sow
while on my wanderings; and of oil the scenes
none produced o more vivid impression than the
Fancy Ball at Columbia. Bright and beautiful
were the aower-decked and jewel-studded pictures
which in kaleidoscope changes were presented,
forming brilliant conclusion to the chivairic
pageant of the morning. And first let me speak
Of Knights and Nights. There was the Knight Of
the Rueful Countenance presenting strange par
ado1 with his face beaming with joyousness. But
how else than happy could he have been, having
gained the Journeys prize, and having crowned
as Queen of Love and Beauty the fair Maid Of
the Mist, the glorious personifcation of BOTH
Then there was the Night who pinned her sable
mantle with star mot with the star'of the
Evening though, for. she was in her ewnopeculiar
sphere, brightsnd lovely and surrounded by sstel-
lites. have before said it and 1 now desire en-
phatically to repeat it, that Nghtis more beauti-
full than Day; though must acknowledge that
Morningis very lovely, yet it comes after Night.
The other Knights, the ats-clad Knights, must be
content to remain in their pristine darkness be-
cause the sacred yates has not space wherein to
describe them so although they are very tortes
they must consider themselves ranked With the
multi who pszsd aunty Agdmcmnon:
After Night, who comes more appropriately
than the bushing Aurora, clad in the rQseate hues
of the early dawn when the herslding beams Of
the sun are gliding the East. And then comes the
white Lady Of Avenel, most trply representing
that mystical and beautiful creation Of the mighty
Magician. From earliest hoYhood this character
has had strong attractions for meas one Of scott's
finest imaginings and now the Reality Of the Ideal
possesses none the less. Speaking Of Scott we
pass with an easy transition to pay our devoirs to
the peerless Helon McGregor, before whom in all
humility bow, confessing yinability at descrip-
ton. Beautiful! graud!! glorious !!-were
there higher point Of the climax willingly would
I accord it.
And who do you think were the Maids Of Honor
to her Majesty? They were Norma and La File
du Regiment, and none were costumed more truth
fully, beautifully or goodly than they were; fit
ting hand-maidens for Beauty's Queen. Think of
these two in one concert and then think of Queen
Nab, light and as bright as her fairy prototype.
Think of the Druid priestesses wreathed with
oakep leaves and crowned with beauty; of the
Flower girls radiant as the roses which they wore;
the Broom. sellers saoesping all before them; and,
(but let me pause for breath and then, as the
French say, returning nosmoutons) let me speak
Of the Sheperdess with her crook, and I'll war
rant you she leads her flock by fair fields where
she CLEANS the roses which bloom upon her cheeks.
Then came Hail Columbia wrapped in the bright
folds of the star-Spangled Banner-oh long may
she wave! as likewise may the beautiful Undine,
the sprte fair as Water Lily.
There were courtly danes in the quaint yet be-
coming garb of ancient days, and must be al
lowed to remark, if our graudmothers resembied
these fair ladies' then hurrah for our grauamothers
with the accent on the grand.
And now to thee oh Gipsey girl, as thou vast
seen weaving fortunes and unravelling 'fates and
knitting stockings; to thee, for thy undying and
untiring devotion to the wandering minstrel whose
turning steps thou folowedest close as he went on
his grinding way to thee offer my hat and or
gan, because my heart and lutte are among the
things that were Tor, maybe, never were).
Then supper came, and with it as usual came
good time. Although the Rosy was passed around
and it was Fancy Ball, none was at all disguised
and all went merry as manageable belle. To
me the remembrance of it brings most pleasant
memories, for sat by the side of q dark-eyed
peasant girl than whom Italia itself can show no
rarer beauty. Clad in the costume of that clas-
sic land, the chosen home of Poetry and Art, she
wasa bright theme for sweetest song, and present.
ed model worthy Of imitation by the sublimest
Genius Of Sculpture or Painting. And when in
after years, when am in my lonely bachelors
garret, and memory recalls the bright pageant Of
that night, there will come brighter than the rest
the closing scenes, which left my soul filed with
beauty and ohastened by its contact with purity.
There were others not less striking or beautiful