The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-21
srLENpoes OF RoYALFY.
The GreatmetternIeh Bali.

The Grea 4 N netternIeh BALL
PcIris correspoade1tee LORdoR OOtlrt Journal
1t was thought that the utmost effort
of elegance and good taste had been
made by Lady Cowley on the occasion
OF the ball given to the Prince of Wales;
but the fete given at the Austrian EN-
baSsy, on Tuesday, throws even that
memorable triumph far into the shade.
Never since the days of the great Ma
poIeon, when the famous "crystal baIl''
given by Prince SchwRrtzenburg,
where every ornamant was OF StrdS and
cut glass-the ball which terminated so
fatally by the burning of the hotel In
which II took plAce-was such mRgnifi-
cence displayed as that which greeted
the eyes of the Princess Aetternich's Is
visitors on the above mentioned even
ing. The rooms of the Embassy are
known to be small and poor, furnished
with faded yellow lamps, but ill suited
for the reception of royal and imperial
guests. But the Princess Matternieh
has not been denominated in her own
country .the golden fairy" for nothing.
In the twinkling of an eye, as If by
magic, arose from out the dreary mass
of faded walls and mirrors, all black
ened and bedimmed, a very palace of
the Coral Caves, }" vieing in richuess and
romance with the most splendid invens
tions of Oriental poets, the more prac-
ticAl productions OF our finest artists.
The idea of throwing the garden of the
hotelinto the middle OF the grand saloon
originated entirely with the Princess
herself An octagon gallery, Of which
the saloon formed one side, was
contriVed SO as to inClOse the
rare shrubs and flowers OF the paterre
on which the apartments occupied by
the Princess open. The effect Of this
arrangement was magnificent; the
hangings of the walls, even ofthe artif1-
the next day, were of green and pink
f1uted satinj innumerablei chandeliers,
interviewer with flowers, made the light
most brilliant, while concealing the
means of lightingi and over all now
and then waved a brilliant rainbow,
green, orange, blue and purple, pro-
duced by the electric light. AT the end
of the great gallery thick curtains OF
tapestry had been drawn until the ar
rival OF the Imperial guests, when sud-
denly they rose as the band struck up
Z" "PdTtdHt pour Ia SyTie, and the view
became dazzling in the extreme. A
splendid throne had been erected in a
kind of lighted boudoir, and here 1t was
that the Imperial guests were led where
they could enjoy, the most wonderful
coup d'6uI ever before displayed. A
fountain rose in the midst, lighted with
electric light, and the fairy rocks
whence it was supposed to spring were
all covered with aquatic plants-real,
fresh, and but lately torn from the cool
caves where they took their birth. The
air was cooled in an Instant, and the
very sight OF the green freshness was
sufficientito dissipate all idea of the
sitting heat which Is anticipated at
these gorgeous fetes. The Emperor,
who, in spite of the distraction afforded
1. -, FI.1AIrAN har II
was attired in evening costume. blue.
coat, and black silk smalls. The upper
portion of his figure has grown rather
bulky for the legs, and the fashion of
shoes much cut away on the instep,
which has been lately set by the Due de
Mouchy, detracts greatly from the
dJleSSe OF fthe ankle. His Majesty appears
thegeneral's uniform he adopts on most
occasions. The Empress, always
charming in whatever attire she may
choose 70 appear in, wore strip of
straw-colored sltan embroidered In
pearls; over this a tunic of white tulle
ornamented with hedge roses, inter-
mingled with pearls and diamonds. A
little toquet of straw-colored satin and
lace, made in the fashion OF that worn
last OF all by Marie Antoinnette, form
ed the coiffure, and in the softened
light OF the ballroom the effect of the
whole toilet was soft and Vapory in the
extreme. The Parisians we've grateful
to Princess Metternich for the vast
trouble she had taksn in assembling SO
many specimens OF native beauty to-
gether, thus destroying the Impression
which every foreigner carries away
with him that French beauty consists OF
pomatum, rouge, and p0HdFe dc TfE.
"How have you managed, Princess, to
display SO much youth and beauty ?"
aaF hn EnlnFa1a n the nf lnua-
ly women passed in one ceaseless
stream before the Throne, bowling as
they passed, and glittering for mo-
ment like figures In magic mirror.
''Ah, that is my secret returned the
Princess, laughing. tThey are speci-
Exhibition" Presently the young
brother of the Taiooon walked by in
State, followed by his tutors and attend
ants. He paused to salute her Majesty
with no i'll grace. "You may dance to-
night" said her Majesty sweetly.
tNay, your Majesty" replied the youth
''I have too much TO learn while am
young to waste tin upon frtvolity; it
will be time enough to learn TO dance
when am old" The Empress smiled,
but not being exactly OF the same
opinion, said no more, and the young
Talcoon Withdrew, leaving the small
space in front Of the Throne vacant for
the next courtier. Thus did the
whole 70 evening pass away, and
when It was over the Impress
gracefully owned that she q, had
oeen for some hours In a dream of Par
adise. AT eleven the Emperor and EN-
press arrived, and were INST by the em-
oassy du comIpEet, As soon as they had
arrived the ball room was opened, with
the band playing HPartant pour la
Syrie,n and the entrance OF the royal
cortege; the Emperor walking in with
the Queen of the Belgians, the Empress
with King Leopold III, the Prince OF
Prussia with the GrAnde Duchesse de
Leuchtenberg, the Princess Royal with
her brother the Duke of Edinburgh,
whose departure for Marseilles is fixed
the Princess Mathilde, the Princess
Murat, the Duo and Duchess de Moucny,
the Am bassadorB OF England, Russia,
Prussia and Turkey, the CORDS Diplo-
matique, and the suite ofithe royal per-
sonaRes present. The Belgian Queen
looked very well, and her stately APP
pearance gained for her the admiration
OF. the old Faubourg, who had been in.
vited, andshad answered the tnvitationt
Notwithstanding the ecard had informed
them that they would meet Napoleon
LII, and his Consort. The Princess
Royal looked remarkably well, and
her kind, good, and bright c0unte-
nance excited the admiration Of all.
Her quiet English manners and digni-
fed department. were brought out in
charming relief. There was con-
adorable number OF beauties, semi
beauties, gone-by beauties and
coming beauties. Among the
first, one may mention, OF course, the
three Paris deities-de Monchy, de GAL
nfet and de Pourtles-Madame de
Gourval, Madame Balleroy and Md
anne Ronalds; and among ia-a
MdIIe. de Grammont and \
GFetry. The cotillion began u, AZ
mast three. and actually lasted IL. near