The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-05


ITIsII) INAUGURATION BALIi-"A thing
Of beauty Is a. joy forever" and those
who were 80 fortunate as to attend the
Inauguration ball of the "Virginia Har-
mony Club, given atthe Ballard House,
Richmond, on Thursday night, will feel
the pleasing influence OF its recOllectiOns,
like the echo of its sweet music, long
after the melody has ceased. The BALI
room at the Ballard is reckoned the best
in the city for such festivities, and on
this occasion its ample dimensions were
adorned with unusual beauty and bril-
lance. Space does not allow US to give
the detailed description which our i'm
pulses prompt us to give, and which the
celebration richly deserves. 1t was a
signal success, and light hearts urged on
the dance with light and graceful feet.
Among the ladies there was rare beauty,
decked with dresses which we never saw
excelled in elegance the music was well
selected and well performed and the
supper--was too fine to have its flavor
traced by pen. hHtrs Glad" t'azH
Between seventy and eighty couples
graced the hail. most of whom were
masked till IL o'clock, at which hour,
like the Mystic Beauty in the fable,
they were unveiled The effect was
striking and anxious inquirers had their
curiosity, aroused by the hidden faces,
satisfied. ~ efcfi - Is ' i'7
The personation OF varions characters
was so admirable, that il was decided as
n pleasant feature In the entertainment,
that a silver card case should be award
ell to the best female representation, and
fine set Of gold sleeve buttons to the
hest male character. Messrs. Elisha r
Keene, Senator from Pittsylvania; DIR.
James Beale and M. b. Goodwin werese-
lected by the managers Of tile ball to
perform the difficult duty of umpires in
this question. At the close of the
seventh or eighth set the committee
took their seats in the middle of the hall
and the throng Of masked bellies and
After inspecting this fair array the COM
mittee retired, and in short while re-
turned with the following report:
The committee, after mature delibera-
ton and a free conference, (attended
with much embarrassment, consequent
upon the excellent representations of
the greater proportion of the characters,
conclude that the best original male
character is that of tile old City Point
negro; and the female character that Of
the decrepid old lady, walking with n
stick. 'I "a ~
s4 ELISHA F. KEENE, y
JAMES BEALE, nj. d.,
~ NJ h. GOODWIN,
The reading OF the report was followed
by enthusiastic cheering and clapping
OF hands, after which the chairman OF
the Committee of Arrangements gave
the signal for uhmasking, and invited
the gentleman and lady representing
the selected characters to come forward
and claim their prizes. The old lady"
presented herself i'm the person of Miss
Clara Lowenthal, a beautiful young lady
of about eighteen years of age, and the
City Point Negro" turned out to be
Mr.. Charles Mittledorfer, both of Rich
mOnd. These characters represented
persons of extreme old age, and were so
well sustained that, although one of the
committee was distinguished member
of the medical fraternity, yet it was
with great difficulty that lie could be-
lieve the parties were young in years,
After the unmasking, a short season
was spent in dancing, when the grand
promenade ensuedy and the supper too
good for its memory to be marred by de-
scriptiOn) was announced. Supper over,
the merry dance was kept up till five
o ciOck, A. M
The characters were all rendered with
such admirable success that it would be
difficult to mark any Of them for dis
tinction. But there were one or two so
striking that we will barely aliude to
them. One of the most remarkable was
that of character representing pump
with handle and all complete, who
moved about the room from time to time,
and furnishedwater to those who worked
the handle with all the magic of Wy
man. Then "Bottled Butler" attracted
great attention and applause. He rep
resented perfectly large bottle, about
seven feet high and large in proportion,
bearing in different places the following
labels :''Smith & Brothers, brokers, New
Orleans, b. f. Butler, cashier; $50, 900
deposit" Money, jewelry and other
valuables received for safe-keeping, by