Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-21
THE GAZETTE.

MONDAY MORNING, MAY 81, 1860.

dina on the evening OF April - -
know not whether it was my sense OF
duty a newspaper correspondent, or the
desire to see the State apartments at the Pet-
Ii Palace lighted up but | allowed myself
10 be persuaded to be one OF the oooo who
accepted tie honor of His Sandman MaleS-
tvs gracious invitation to the Grand Court
Ball last evening. Familiar as he must dali
" become with The idea that this sudden and
vast accession of fortune is no idle dream OF
his fancy. the good Soldier-king must be
tempted TO exclaim, with the Dodge OF Ge-
noa, among all the pomp aud circumstance
which surrounded him at the Louvre, that
the greatest wonder of all for him, is to see
himself here" Thanks to the good taste of
the Marquis Ridolh, who was trusted with
the care of the Royal deme>nes during the IN
terregnum. not pin has been touched at the
PalaZzo Pitt, 50 that one mi ght almost expect
Mt any moment to see the caStuway Grand
Duke step in and do the honurs Of what was
50 lately his house. Carpets and mirror
frames and ornaments of every description
still bear the famous cogniZance of the balls,
or pills" Of the Medici, quartered with, |
believe, the fishes" OF Lorraine. The llv-
cry servants, Il motley crew, wore the color
of the new no less than of the old master IN
Discriminatory, and the collar OF the Annun-
Ziata and the green scarf of St. Maurice, the
Savoy badges Of knighthood, were hardly
more frequent than the scarlet uniform. the
Tuscan order of St. Stephens. Old Tusca-
nv, in short. had blended with, without mer-
ging into, Young Italy. The King did not
throw aside but bravcly put on his predeces-
sor'S "old shoes" and what a glorious
pair of shoes it is. One Of the most wicked
scons of the prohgatc House Of Me,ici. ply
edbv his conlesSor on his deathbed with argu-
ments drawn from imaginary pictures OF
the io7s of Paradise, wcaried with the fla
ming description OF 'marble halls" and fra
grant bowers" cut short the eXhortaton
with the modest remark, For myself, am
quite willing to put up with the Boboli Gar
dcns." Those Gardens and the palace they
belong to are quite the thing to putt prince
out OF conceit with death To all eternity.
That palace which a mere steward OF count
;ng-house clerk built; which Il banker I'M
proved, and to which eighteen generations
OF vicious, but elegant despot> almost daily
added every treasure that Italian genius con
tributed 70 the realm "f the beautiul--that
palace, only second to the Vatican III antique
monuments, second 70 none III modcm en-
bellshmentS--tha palace comes to the m
heritGncc of IL Prince Of Savoy, without his
striking one blow for it, simply IN remuner-
ation OF his acquaintance with the nature
of an oath" OF his or his fathers timely
compliance with the signs of the times Nor
this palace alone, but the hundred villas,
castles and hunting lodges which the way
ward fancy of idle royalty embelli>hed, PoS-
gio Imperiale, P9atolino, La pctrair, and
ever 50 many between the Apprentices and
the mediterranean !: then, besides the Tuscan,
all the town and country abodeS Of extinct or
etfete magnifirence at Lucca, Massa, Mcdena,
and Parma, the romp and luxury vi Far
nese and Este, Of Cybo and Bourbon, to-
gcther with remnants ot the spiendor OF IS
CONT Storza, and G0nzuga, all tins gives
the crown property of the new Italian hIng-
dom such an unparalleled extent, wealth, and
variety, that the king must pray tor a long
life to have the pleasure OF thoroughly see
ing->ay nothing Of enjoying the best part
of his recent acquisitions.
Well, but as TO the Pitt Ball Why, the
invitation was for 9 o'clock. Invent at half
past s, and found crowd already. | have
some confused idea Of being squeezed III
along with 4 great mass Of uniforms and
black coats, Of slow, tedious, sitting pro-
gress through a narrow avenue, fenced III on
either side by two great masses OF black coats
and uniforms. with here and there Il !ittle
mounrain of white muslin and gauZc have
All ndistinct recollection ot being thus jam
med in toran hour or So, mob-mob~-mob
--cruSh-crush- carried by the tide
from throngcd an;ichambcr into more
tIlronged saloons, and thence INTO a still more
closely packed ballroom: issuing forth, after
long agony, into scarcely less choking card
rooms and galleries, going thus twice anc
thrice through these almost compulsory c'o-
lutions I'LL Il lull in the storm enabled me 70
exercise my free will, when, after brisk
skirmish for my hat and CLOAK, / was but
too glad 10 find myself outside the gate, and
to go home to bed before midnight.
Ask me not what saw besides. | heard
at about ha!fpnst . the lively .fonta" an
nouncing the Kings arrival. had some
peeps at HIM rs he stood up erect IN a corner
of the ballroon--erect with his head thrown
backwards, in that attitude with which Il
million huStS have made Us iamlilar, but
with that good-na;nrcd, gooI-humoFed eX-
preston. which battles pencil or thlScl. BE
side him stood the Prince of CarIgnano,
taller and even portlier figure, hut np less
bland and serene. | deserted among his
suite FurinG, BuuncumNagui, t"rSi ana Il few
gentlemen OF his Cabinet and household. |
noticed his glance towards Us poor w1-htS,
pounded 10 Il jelly III the fray. | ianclcd III
the comparative ease and security OF his tenn
porary harbor, he felt pity for Us poor mar
inerS, tossed about in that mari Na.yH". and
the Slv remarks he addressed to his Home
Minister. could almost bet referred /" the
grief poor criuuline must come to III the
swarm Of that tuuncc- cvclln% multitude.
Anon he passed me III the galleries, rs. pre-
coded 10y single usher, and followed 10y his
retinuc, he launched into the vortex and az
complishel the tour III the apartments, when,
dare say though | do not positively
know tiff he was the wise hlng | always
took him for, he undoubtedly followed my
example, Withdrew from the lnelrr. and !c.t
his 5000 guests, masters Of the battlefield.
What more can tell YOU? Shippers are
not in my way. and fair ladies We're only 50
in DAYS of wore. Floren:inc beauty did not
certainly muster to advantage last night.
Two English laSscs bore oft the palm easily.
!. LEXANDKIA COUNTY COURT, JANrl!N
= l. lSG0.-Thc Court doth order THAI the re-
mort of Commissioner West. ot the account ot
Arinda 4. kccnc adminiStratriN ot james VI.
Z! it.,. b,.. -a,r t'trl1-