New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-01-30
THE WASHINGTON ARTILLERY BALL.


Wednesday night, far exceeded in brilliancy any
thing of the kind that has transpired this season.
The hall was magnifcently decorated. Festoons
of evergreen and star-and-strpe drapery beautifed
its whole circumference, whilst the arms and &C.
couterments of the company were disposed around
the walls, forming, with the company,s flags and
other ornaments, the richest pictures Of tasteful
fancy. AT the head Of the hail. the stage supported
and an immense canopy Of flags sheltered Maneiri
and his valiant CONDUCTORS who sugar the atmos-
phere with their sweet blasts, and are enabled to
survive their own sweetness only by eating pickles
and drinking lager freely when not on duty.
This grand marquee Of Apollo and the Goddess
Of Liberty was thanked by two Of the pretty brass
arrangements which Mars some time ago presented
to the aforesaid god and goddessto the former for
their astonishing musical qualities, and to the latter
for their great efficacy in keeping outsiders from
treading on her skirts. And to show that these
pretty pieces Of brass might be useful as well
namental, were piled near them some of those won
derful black balls, which SO potent in ballotng
when one nation says to another, j" You can't come
in!' The foot of the hall was also decorated in
most striking manner. The life-size portrait Of
the immortal Washington, with the evergreen
twining above, was Tended off from the crowd by
bristing base Of evergreen, representing an Afri-
can jungle, in the midst Of which stood, open
mouthed and feryeyed, the old Eastern picture Of
the stars and stripes "a tiger, with his blazing
eyes for stars, and his hide of black and yellow
streaks for the stripes! This, one Of the finest
stuffed animals extant, was a contribution for
the occasion from the collection Of Messrs. Spald
ing Rogers, at the St. Charles street Museum and
Amphitheater. OF all the different features Of
namentation, this was the most striking and at
tractive, as well the most tastefully arranged.
The entrances to the hall and to the ladies' dress
ing saloons, we should add, were handsomely
draped in the American colors. So much for the
previous ornamentation.
But what shall we say Of the living tableau
which presented itself as the dancing hours came
on and as the fiddlers began rosining their bows
Figure out in your mind the first figures of the pic
ture--the trim and handsome Artilerists, in their
bright and truly national uniforms, going through
the annual hospitality drill that is, seeing to
everything and everybody throughout the build
ing up stairs and down. Then hear the rafting
Of the carriages, and see the gushes of angels in
gauze and of gay cavaliers in white kids and shin
ing broadcloth and patent leather, which the car
riages threw upon the lively and thiek-crowded
picture. Hear also, and see, the troops Of merry
maskers who crowded the banquettes in an I'M
broken stream which whirled eddy-like into the
building. Saints, devils, kings, courters, and other
characters, historical, fictitious plausible, proba-
ble possible, provoking, and preposterous; queens
and angels, (some by nature and some by costum-
er's art,) and all the other nnumerable types Of
feminine loneliness and witchery Of which this
gay Southern city is SO prolific Feast upon this
II 80
You admire what you see, and the picture still
thickens and grows more bright around you. Hall,
stairway, passages, dressing-rooms all full of
life beauty and gaiety they keep filling, and
finally overflow. The rustic Of silks, the futter Of
wells and laces, tile merry movements Of the mask
ers, the flashing Of bright eyes and other diamonds,
the glow fdewy lips and other rubies, the dazzle
of ivory teeth and other pearls, the swell of arms,
necks, and other fascinating aabaster-these be-
wilder you by degrees, and you lost, until you
begin to find yourself uncomfortabiy crowded.
You can't get ahead for the crowd. You can't re-
treat for the crowd. You can't turn around for
the crowd. You 60 along, whithersoever the yor-
tex happens to sway. Gentlemens elbows bother
your ribs, and their feet tramp yours, whilst yours
tramp the skirts of the ladies around, whom you
don't expect to meet, don't know can't get away
from, and never expect to see again. You catch a
glimpse of friend few feet off, and trust to your
elbowsto help you to him or her, as the case may
be. AT last, by good fortune, you pounce upon a
lady friend who is not engaged. You try to dance
there is no room. You essay promenade you
find it hard road to travel. You try to seat your
lady; the seats are all full. You take your lady to
the dressng-room that is packed tightly, like a
bunch Of yiolets or a box Of figs. Your lady
squeezes in; and, if you be hopeful, you say to
yourself, "Adieu, fair partner, and if we meet
again this night, We are among fortunes chosen
ones!h You go up stairs to draw few full
breaths of air. But the gentlemen there, stand
ing and smoking around and the rooms filed,
like 50 many boxes Of sardines.
AT last you come to tile conclusion that Wash
ington Artillery ball must be considerably bigger
than one of the common kind, since Odd Fellows,
Hall is not more than half large enough to hold it.
The novelty of the thing attracts YOU and banishes
your sense of discomfort. You conclude not to
allow the Artilleriss to furnish music which YOU
can't face, and conclude that if you try you are as
able to stay as any. You sympathize with the hun
dreds of ladies and gentlemen You see going away
because they can't find place to sit or stand.
This hightens your spunk you stay; you see it
cut; and you leave at least quite satisfied on this
point that you have seen one of the most crowded
and splendid balls ever given in New Orleans.
To come down somewhat to particulars, Captain
Walton and his men had heavy piece of business
on their hands. The charge of the bright brig
ade IS of this cty's gaantry, fashion, and beauty.
was overwhelming; more than was expected; but
the Artilerists stood their ground on Bunker Hill
principles They might have been routed, but for
the battery Of good things they had, cooked and
primed, behind the rampant or entrenchment
which separated the ballroom from the supper-
room. When toward the witching hour,n the
battery was unmasked, the bright brigade charged,
and made the issue one of the do-or-die kind. If
not annihiated, said brigade met their fate with
courage worthy Of the occasion, and had to sue
cumb. There was no blunder, but all were in
wonder. In plain English, the supper was good,
plentiful, sumptHous, and generally satisfactory.
The richness andayariety of the fancy dresses,
fashionable dresses and DISCUSSES, were equal, if
not superior, to anything hitherto seen in Odd
Fellows Hall. Many of the maskers appeared in
the most costly and tasteful style. The variety of
character costumes was represented to the full
The principal new features were gentleman or
two in Shanghai suits of Kentucky bagging, (typi-
flying love of fashion, but greater love of Southern
manufacturing resources, in these Northern and
Southern times) and the several characters of Dot.
Old Caleb and Tug Slo,oboy. going to show what