The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-15
w Es II POIN T.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or THE HERALD,

WEST POINT.
-,~~~.o~~~~~~e~~o~~~o-~~
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or THE HERALD,
The Graduating Hop-Great .rowas-Nrag-
indecent Display-Gorgcoas Costumes.
WEsr Porr, June IA, 1867.
The Point, in harmony with all nature seems radiant
with loneliness tonight The moon looks down bewitch
ngly with greater splendor than before tseemeth
well, as this night chronicles in glowing language the
most memorable occasion OF the year al the Military
Academy. The graduating hop, the grand magnificent
closing scene one doing honor to tho
graduating class that win go out into the world
after their almost four years solitary imprisonment,
Is now in progress. Elsen, with his sweetest of
imperial bands watts out upon the brilliant scene the
most delicious music, blending harmony and pathos
with the childish :gee of the merry hearted hundreds
that swell through the corridors and festooned halls Of
the Academic Guiding, disconcertng the sensitive
nerves OF your correspondent listens its mystic
rious and weird spells The and gentle super
ntendent, who has brought chaos of confusion and
syste matzed the muhitadnous details Of this glorious
institution the gallant soldier who monarch OF all
DO surveys betwoon these green-cad hills has kindly
lent his omnpoent aid, backed by the incompatible
Boynton giving the cadets, who have long been very
anxious for this brilliant Terpsichorean treat full
cavaliers and gallant youths Of Columbia have
passed sleepess nights in devisng and arranging the
details OF this occasion Neither time money has
slipped Its annoying nose into the question: and the
consequence is OF all such similar and gorgeous arrays
at the Point this stands pre- eminently overtops
ALL and can with the fullest declaration OF truth be
its hopicuar history. From the uttermost OF
the Unon-from the bleak hills OF the North to the
cities o e Eas 20 The
West brilliant bellies and gushing dasels have longed
for this short season Of pleasure, and they all
here Assuredly young ladydom all over the reacha-
bio States has been fevered with the announce
ment and set ablaxe bv invitations Each cadet
sent weeks ago the artistic gems OF sinvite to his
friends and their friends friends thus the coveted
little papers the sweetest of the
Or these enchanting Creatures some hundred leagues
away The commodi0us academic hail is at the service
of the second classthose who step into grander posi-
tons and bigger shoes in few days-and they direct
the arrangements Of the affair.
The cards OF invitation specimens of beauty in their
peculiar line, scattered all the Point beside
your company have, in addition, the names Of men
whose scions bear the distinguished honor OF gorously
acqnittng themselves in the late rebellion.
Everybody IL certainly here. Papas with cumbersome
families, mammas whose ages are far beyond the silver
thread that connects youth with middle age brothers.
gentle brothers. brothers, and myrads beaux
have been cajolod into coming and they The
cars for the past three days have such
repeon that fears have been expressed that the rush
ing surging crowd OF much beauty would crush the
gentle life from each other grinding them to pulp Of
innocence their inantesimal remains floating away into
the noble stream that pacdly sweeps by the
bulence and wickedness Of metropolis augmented
edge, and picnics from along its banks enticed by the
glowing reports OF the dance swell the great crowds
still the more Such jamming OF hotels such trouble
10 nnd place where TO lay ones head before
witnessed, nor was It evor before known Roe runneh
over his festive headsman, Paul. making bis couch
nowhere 70 lay his bead; and ~ hotel keepers have
gone % the last extremity, beseeching. with
thu Of thAir "a haa h
granted snd % professors and their caaes over
run with friends seriously annoyed oy the unussal
roads on their usual peaco and comfort Yst this taking
away Of great bulk OF cavaliers and ladies gives
evidence Of decrease, NO appreciabls diminuton Sug
Ladies' whose wealth and position home give them
space and beauty OF location for whose
boudoirs would charm the heart Of . kiug-are sand
wched spooned between those they beard
Of In apartments destitute Of ornament; and grim old
bachelors, whose every method Is governed by the
double rule OF threc with papas ponderous In their
own estimation and full OF the Of all evil yclept
money; and stately DANES whose heads are covered
not fail 70 count three score Of ae ,Suomnousv
consigned 70 stics and unheardof places OF repose At
Butermik Hall and at Garrisons there have been many
choice spirits arriving within day-all for the grand
have seen moro haggard faces, watery eye. pursed
up mouths soiled linen and dshevelled hair to-day
before In many months have heard moro graceful
erms OF scoldng more pratical oaths, rash
han in aycar. The autocrat fresh from the counting
Dom in Wall street; the dame whose slightest wish is
'vcr noticeable: the sweet tempered belle whose most
'xorUtaus Ctaus arc never gAlnSal0. whose look
brings troops Of slaves to her feet purse up their
mouths and are pecvish. looking for some iuckess
wight to vent their extnguishing wrath upon. Their
coding mood Is everything but pleasant They berats
her most intimate cavaliers; they wipe out friends
Papa and mamma are obsolete; but amidst all the
'rcathings OF their gentle thunder they maintain the
weetest demsanor the lions Of the day. the gay
dated. white panted many buttoncd soldiers OF the
epublc who alone can draw them out OF this slough OF
lespond.
In the meantime the fair sweet creatures who were
ortupate enough 70 secure In advance the coveted
Anp fhn
Ittire made themselves Respondent, and with the
princely cadets went TO the ball. full OF determination
,ramme before midnight. At that hour the music
eases; the hop happy remembrance only. Az
write the delicious. wcirdlk music steals softly to my
evidence that the hop is in full progress
liirth regns supreme Gayey Yields her scepre. The
'adets and ladies arc simply ecsatic In their bliss. The
ormcr released from the bothersome regulations OF the
Academy, freed from professors away from Rotations
,arng css than straw for lessons, drills sieges
pendidy through the ana some 70 receive
heir bits OF parchment, bearing testimony that they
rave been carefully examined In all the arss sciences
md literature have given themselves up the full
oyment OF the hour, regardless Of the future. Every
sders uniform slislens In the respondent light from
III fitted and arrayed in new hop' shoes polished
ike mirrors. The broad aises approaching the hail. |
srs a clean ssn,n ps.cnmsns Kitchen Inc long
wound with the flags Of many nations, among
hem the trophies Of many blood contested fields, rs-
hese just over and beyond the grand staircase hung
q festoons the flags OF the world, Is the grand
lrchway under which gushing damses enter 10 the
brilliant salan beyond Here amid the brcathngs
rom the prince Of all hop musicians and
he whirling hopiles tho hall is OF momen.
AIRY interest Spacious. with high walls and
'ollshed sidcs surrounded BY damask covered
ofas attached TO the walls with It's sides hung with the
kilfu productions OF West Points favorte students
re lie chief characteristics. Opening from the main
all are numerous elegantly furnished and pleasantly
decorated toilet rooms whose are amply
csed by the exhausted dancsrs The list OF dances is
4 follows
I. 9alop 10 RedowA 10 Lancicrs
Poka kedowa H. 0aiop. ~ Deux emps
}. Lanciers. ~ QuAdrne ~ Waltz,
|. Deux Tempo Is Dcux Temps. ~ q aop.
}. Rcdowa- a. Tros Temps. rs Lane icrs