The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-05-27
A Fancy Dress Ball in Hungary

| PeSth, which was announced as A
FOOLS Evening. given by the Com
mittee of Folly" A correspondent
describes the scene thus:
Although more than five thousand
persons were coDgregated together,
many of them In costumes which
| took UP an unusual amount OF space
one gentleman, for instance, was
saccoutered cap-a-pied in gilt-spiked
armor, which glittered so brightly in
the gaslight that he looked like a
cross between the sun and an heraldic
porcupine = the circulation of the.
marquers was never impeded for a
moment. On arriving at the foot of
the grand staircase, leading up to the.
| hall, we were received by the members.
| of the committee, attired as fox hunt
ers, and adorned with supplementary
noses that FLASHED deeper pink
than their calico coats.
On the broad landing outside the
hall was stationed a band of, honor,
which greeted US with hideous bray
ing of trumpets and humping of
drums. This orchestra was com
posed of ten trumpets,r eight drums,
and one violin. Before entering the
great hall we were each presented
with an emblem of Folly, which the
ordinances of the committee obliged
us to wear, at least until midnight.
When [ crossed the threshold of
the Redouten Saal, my first glance
around !, caused me- to- ask myself
whether perchance | was mad, or
whether everybody else present had
suddenly taken leave of his senses.
In the first place, the space between
the galleries and the arches support
ing them was covered with drawings
of wild beast cages with open doors.
Huge placards on each side of the
doorway announced the exhibition of
gigantic menagerie-W ombwell,
Batty, and the geological Gardens,
Regents Park, all rolled into one
Truly here are cages. enough, butwhere
are the animals? [ turn to the right,
and lol the orchestra, some eighty
strong, which is banging and
clashing away in "a mock cage big
enough to contain allosthe Sy-i
denham II antediluvians, with
megalosorous9 to spare. Isl composed
of the wild beasts missing from the
chalk and pasteboard dens. The ve1
sore, as did, to watch the carnivora
performing on their several instru-
ments. An elephant diligently blow
ing flute under his trunk is not an
everyday sight; nor tiger tapping
the triangle-1but tigers are amongst
the most accomplished celebrities at
Pesth . and i conld not weary of ad =
across his knee, diligentIye playing lug s sis
violincello. The first violin was a
kangaroo, more .gnaturaller than
life - pelican had French horn
inserted In the side of his bill gray
bullock administered 2 the kettle
drums; and the chef d'orchestra was
huge gorilla, of a hideousness
quite unequalled in the illustrations
of Du Chailla. ~a,,r-s-f.xr
Across the room, from one gallery
to another, was fixed tight-rope, up
on which a mechanical Blondin
went through the traditional feats
Having made friends with an enor-
nous spider and lovely young stur-
geon. / accompanied them to another
large room, in which was held the an
nual universal exhibition of the soci-
ETY.. guide to which had been pre-
sented to me on my arrival. From
this printed catalogue of the curiosi-
ties exhibited, subjoin two short ex-
tracts ...,-....,--...,.,.
can Constellation of Siberia, apparently
blank sheet Of paper, lip which,
however, a profound idea lies hid
enLwhich happens to be only known
to ourselves and to the Emperor of
the French NOT,TAOs go
Austria, acountry on the Danube.
No. 6,721. A machine, which has the
facultyNof imparting to paper flung
upon table the ring of metal. .rooBy
this means our splendid empire has
been made the most sonorous State IN
the world
Some of the objects exhibited were
eminently eccentric. For instance,
collection of cigar ends, geach endow
ed with historical interest; entr dutres,
and dropped by Menelaus when he
received the news of Helen'sB flight
with Paris.
At II o o'clock solemn procession
of eight hundred Fools, headed1by
both bands, took place, and | humbly
hope that my ears may never again be
outraged by such an abominable
chariudri as prevailed during this
ceremony: Greenwich Fair gone
mad, a Z urkish regimental band, the
Chinese Feast SoP Ianterus, AND
British election riot, might, perhaps,
I if thoroughly we'll mixed produce
something like the sound that shook
the Redouten Saal at the hour of
I midnight on. Sunday last Every
8 xyE,xl