The New York herald., 1867-03-05
G ARITY BAL /.

Scene-Thc Most Successful Affair Of the
Season.
The new Academy Of Music was ali smiles and bril-
ancy last pight as is the case when tho annual
tribute to Charity Is called for by the managers Of the
Nursery and Childs Hospital or all tho balls OF tn
the Charity ball regarded as the most ariso
cratic and select, for on the occasion Of its
currence even tho elite Of the Knckerbocker eie-
ment in the metropolis pay their homage to
Terpschosa Then, and only then, the sub
stantial portion Of the descendants Of Peter
Stuyvesant and his quantity grave contemporaries Is
in public. Tho charitable character Of the ball.
the claims Of the little left desolae and dependeut
the good feelings Of the worthy burghers Of the
tropolis and the admirable management Of the annual
charity ball sufficient guarantees for the thawng
Of the arstocradc leo that hedges in the aboriginal
upper ton OF Gotham.
rm ARRANGEMENTS
for the ball last night comprised only the platform
which concealed the seats Of the paque and the let
ters Of nre which from many mouths Of dame spoke
the object Of the assembage At the extreme end Of
the platform, and fronting the triple tiers Of the audi
torum, rocky landscape made q rugged background
to the kaleidoscope picture that moved tho dancing
floor Above, around, every side cleaned countless
gas jets and the crystals in the huge chandeliers In tho
centre darted myriad lances Of light the shifting
scene beneath The amphiteatre each side had it,
array Of brass reed and string Instruments with Lander
presiding over the dancing and Grafulla over the
promenades
POLICE ARRANoExEsra
Tho ukase Of Captain Bracket string out the line OF
carriages fom Twenty NTH street down Fourteenth,
and thence towards Third avenue As cacn carriage,
sometimes with It's liveried coachman and footmen,
drove up to the brilliantly lighted entrance Irving
place and deposited its rich cargo OF silk, satin, dia
monds bright eyes, cogrs Of the most varied and in
some cases the most exravagant styles rounded shou
ders cleaning bracelets, dainty little shoes such Gin
derela never dreamed OF, and other attributes OF
the fair sex m route for Academy ball.
. largo crowd Of curious outsiders scrutinized,
criticised, admired and censured each cloakod
form that trpped up the unpainted steps Captains
Bracket and Cameron, stately, dignined became
chiefs Of the Metropolitan Police were ubiquitous not
in person least In their blue coated representatives
Here No. 2002 politely informed an errant guest that
the supper room, at ten p. NJ, not the ballroom:
there No. - blandly informed wbito kdded human
wall flower that In standing In the entrance to the plat
form he more ornamental than USEFUL Hour after
hour, until midnight, the constant stream Of
abode OF Melpomene and Terpsichore, and the
same richly toIetted throng passed In. without,
within, a cup dail Of splendor brIlliancy wealth and
fashion, and in both localities the blue coated guardians
Of the metropolis.
ced at half past nne after the overture to VIII
liam Tell played by GrafuIlas band. Groups Of
ladies and their attendant cavaliers chstted promo
naded and reclined the seats as tho charm.
ing music Of Martha was waited from the
mnasa with aaS strain. ns ''s Of .
march Of the Tannhauser Wagner Ia certainly an
promising caterer to the music Of ball, but in this
march he his grapdest and most attractive dress
and orgets the future In the present Joy The reception
committee, represented particularly by Mr. Theodore
numerous guests, and the members Of the floor
mit,ee stood different parts Of the platform like SO
rooms previous to the opening OF the ball. were con-
gregatcd hundreds Of masculine and feminine devoees
Of Charity and Pleasure giving the lag. finishing touches
room box and aisle loated the strains Of Grafuilas
band and Landers orchestra calling up remniscances
Of Strauss, Lanner. Gounod. Ha'cvy, Donzstii. &c
TUE DANCERS
Tho visitors conpregated in constantly Increasing
numbers In the obbies previous TO the formal opening
OF the festivities presented animated picture OF
fairy costumes and majestic hgurcs which was second
Ssss pss ns Seocs hs
OF silk and bfcadcioh whch coeged the Hobbies and
adorned The Galleries Win T. bright G colo coCr' rssSlysd
| upon the dancing door. with fans futiering. rib.
bons streaming, diamonds nashipg and Tho :he sheen Of
and the uitsr OF pennon in some knghtly cavacade in
the times Of yorc In time with tho enchanting strains
which swced in harmonious resonance above the heads
Of the ssscmbsge tho gorgeous train moved about the
limits OF the auditorium and displayed all its ooloB 70
Tho dancing opened with disnined quadrle performed
In dgned manner by only portion OF the assembage,
inclined
first and pass the few moments preliminary TO the
earnest Inauguration OF the dancing festivities In Co
quesh praiile and curious scrutiny OF the toilets OF
their acquaintance. The next Dance however, was
moro generally inferred into, and the third found
all tho promenaders drawn into the Terpscho-
Of the dancing floor, beneath the circus chan.
deier which hablualy and unavoIdably dominates
ali scenes Of fcstivy in this building As the evening
progressed and the crowd in dressing rooms Hobbies
and the floor became more numerous the excitement
Of the dance and the socaty OF the chatting spectators
poS rfinnaf
until the mad wh OF the gaop music was not faster or
earnest than the corresponding motions OF the
viewed from the upper part OF the house after the cold
and the dancing had thus fairly begun was OF ami
mated beauty varying constantly developing itself
in phases and fresh effects Of light brightness color
and groupings Tho gay costumes seemed In the may
whirl OF the vats melted into one or formed into
a waving mantle OF harlequin hucs, tossing in
cedng in consonance with the musical whirlwind
which swept above in full and unrestrancd sway.
though resembed in its main features The gorgeo us
show Of the leading balls that had preceded IT, yet in its
details u was pre- eminently nns The dising style Of
the whole asscmblage was not lost although relaxed
slightly In the excitement Of the dance and adorned the
with extraordinary good qualities, which rendered
such aHairs
were most superb. might have been expected Of such
assemblage Of the wealth, beauty and fashion, the
very first society or the metropolis In chevete cspe-
svsbo ehisnon % entering largely into the sdornmsnis
OF the fair ladies' and being moulded IN
with sliissrns dust and cs~itehinsy supported with
curled locks and we'll trained tresses artulIy coed
otherwise disposed 70 adom 10 the utmost degree
the fair features which they shaded Tho dresses fairly
optshone 10 splendor, richness, ohas,e neaness and
actual extravagance OF display anything in the
way Of ballroom show OF costumes thai has
been seen In this vicinity during the entire
tera although there were many ladies attired in gauy
materials richly trimmed and carefully made up. The
dresses were mostly made up with unusually long trains
in tho under materials being pulled tarlstans
the train being OF silk, far spreading on the noof be-
hind and open in 'front.' 70 display the puns and
| rich adommenp laid on with an unsparing hand
In every vandyke dBossez also made their first
appearance in numbers the floor Of. the ballroom.
There numbers Of decolle4 dresses md abundant
opportunity thus given for the display with sutA
BE relief Of diamond necklaces and bra ceets and all
manner Of jewel adornmsnts which used In great
profusion in finishing the toilets Of the dashing
belIea A notceabls feature Of tho dancing
| noor was the absencc Of tho hateful opera