The New Orleans crescent., 1868-03-01


Special sspondenee Of the New Orleans Craseent1
New YoRK. Feb. p, 1868.
The great society sssat t4is weak was the mar
risge OF a daughter of the 6fty-mii,onaire. Van.
deTbt, to one of the heroes of the recent war
Col. Shepard. The affair exhibited to an unusual
degree the pleasant conjunction of beauty youth. .
esilaDtry and wealth; and If Hymen was not
tickled at getting into his pretty meshes so many
delightful and admirable qualities, it is certain
that all the fashionable world in New York has
been in futter about it, and exhausting the
vocabulary of praise and wonder. The company
present at the church included so many fashlOna-
BILE women and distinguished men, that all the
seats, and a,sles, and galleries, and the vestbue,
were fairly packed to a brilliant density. The
building was prettily garlanded with holly and
evergreens. and bows and streamers of white
ribbon. The brides dress was a marvel Of mag
nihcence, and Of course the grooms and brides
maids looked as effectively subduing as possible.
After the ceremony came the reception at the
brides new house, elegant In architecture and
superb in fittings and furnishings. he town has
talked and the papers have discussed the affair,
and why shouldn't theyg II isn't often that the
daughter of a man worth fifty millions, king of
two railroads, owner of a score of steamshiss
general autocrat of trade, finance, stocks, Goa.
sents TO get married and bestow upon a fortunate
colonel so many spare millions. tf
We are in the midst of the grand balls which.
az usual. come on during the few weeks pre-.
cediDg Lent This week we had the Lieder-
krsDz, that marvellous exhibition of strange
dancing, grosesque dressing and merry sports.
There Is nothing else quite like il in the country.
Next week comes The grand charity ball; this,
" til the Lecerkraaz. held at the Acsdeny of
Music. The charity ball, more than any other
public afair Of its kind, brings out the creme de
Ia creme OF our society. Every body who is either
distinguished rich, handsome or fashionable
makes 1t a point of honor TO be present The
profits of this ball are contributed to the poor
Following the charity bali comes the bal adsgIe
OF the Arion, an entertainment which. someghat
l.lcdfTErQuZ afr
ing opportunity for the display OF invention 10
tostumiugv and for its strange grotesque process
sons and its unique sports.
Slightly paraphrasing Burns's well known line,
snoW in town may be described as "a moment
white, then mud forever"-almost The fhaws
ere upon US, and the streets are pitiful with the
ice. the slnsh, the mud and the accumulated
hltb. The lower part of the city is almost i'm
psssable. Some Of the streets are piled high
with snow and ice thst have lost every possible
resemblance To their original nature. Others are
filled with compound Of dirt and water, and
snow trying 10 melt, and ice ground into sliny
sand, through which horses desperately struggle.
or hopelessly founder. To ride Is impossible, |
to walk a desperate endeavor, ruipous to boots,
destructive to temper, and il not accompanied
-sy ss AN an occasional slip up into the mud mar.
on Friday to see the prepxll5hhss n the City
Hall Park for the fireworks display on Wash |
ngtoD's birthday. Fifteen Thousand dollars |
wasted in ten minutes idle and useless amuse- |
ice aud dirt which on all sides almost blocked |
up the streets washington's birthday by the |
way, Is now very generally celebrated In our |
city. The legislature has made il a legal holi- |
day, and this causes the banks to suspend bust /
ness. the brokers' boards TO close and the courts
TO adjourn Trade, of course, follows these ex-
amples, and business becomes very generally /
suspended. There Is always q military display, |
but this year the condition of the streets ren-
ders II almost Impossible.
There is very special interest 10 New York just /
now in srt matters. Tbs exhibition at the /
Academy Of Design Of the pictures sent from
the United States to the Paris Exposition affords |
the stranger an opportunity OF seeing some OF the
most famous pictures Of the last dozen years. in
Guiding paintings by Church, Clifford, Gay, Bier
stadt, and all our celebrities. so many master
eces were never before collected together in our
city at one time. In addition these In the same
building, Is the water color exhibition which in
ciudes some OF the most delicious gems conceiv-
aole IN branch Of the art which Is now pecom-
ing rapidly popularized. There are numerous
oiher galleries open, some of which have on ex-
hibiiion pictures by the most famous Of living E1-
rCpean artists. To the lover of art there Is just
at present unusually fine opportunities here for
seeing and enjoying great paintings.
One OF the most reprehensible features OF our /
modern fast society the extent 10 whichjuvenie
parties are now carried. Neither in style OF /
dressing, In Refreshments, In amusements, nor IN
the hours, Is there much to distinguish them from
parties OF adults. Invitations are sent printed /
after the latest mode, and regrets" have all the
conventional elegance Of the most fashionable
people. absolutely heard miss Of thirteen de
clare that che had received eight invitations for
ole evening, TO all Of which temporary illness