Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-03-02
PARIS GOSSIP.


Ball at the Tuilleries-How the Empress
was Dressed, and what She Said and
Did-A Romantic Affair. i'm which the
Empress takes a Part-Gaities in Paris
Americans Participating - Who they
were and how they were Dressed.
We are permitted TO copy the following from
sprightly letter written by an American lady
in Paris to friend in this country:
PARIS, January 26th, 1865.
l. and attended the last ball at the Tuil-
leries. accompanied by a gentleman friend from
New York. The Empress was exquisitely
dressed In white satin, trimmed with folds of
yellow satin, puffs of tulle, and branches of
yellow acacia intermingled with diamonds; q
magnificent wreath Of diamonds in the hair
with few acacias intemingled; splendid brace
lets of diamonds and emeralds extending above
the elbow. Extending from the belt were gar
lands of diamonds, emeralds, and ru bies, which
looped up the over-skirt. She looked charm
ing, and as we stood very near her in the sup
per room we could hear her witty remarks to
the Emperor.
Some of the other dresses were magnificent
and elaborately trimmed with flowers, of
which this year one cannot wear too many.
L. was very becomingly dressed in pink
silk with a long train, puffs of tulle around the
bottom, and an over-skirt of pink tulle, span
by gas light; a sash of pink satin ribbon; on
each sleeve rose buds with long s.reamers of
ribbon. The skirt was caught up with roses.
/ wore the green satin dress which / have
heretofore described to you.
/ will now tell you a true story of the En- :.
press. Last Wednesday week the Emperor
and Empress attended one of the small the
atres to see the play of 'Oomte Jacques" On
the stage a charming young girl took part in
which it was necessary to feign weeping; but
the girl wept bitter tears, and the Empress was
so much impressed that she sent for the stage
manager after the act TO inQ uire WI no the girl
was, and desired him to ascertain the cause of
her tears. The young girl answered very in.
nocently that she had a lover to whom she was
devotedly attached, but his father would not
let him marry her until she would bring him a
dowry of thousand francs, which she had
not, and so she would have TO give him up
which would break her heart. As this play
represented her case, she could not keep back
the tears, but she hoped no one would observe
them. Her griet, however, did not escape the
Empress, who found, upon inquiry, that the
girl was respectable and obliged to assist in
supporting her parents by performing at the
theater, to which her mother always accom-
panied her. The following day the Empress
sent one of her chamberlains 10 present the girl
with marriage portion of a thousand francs
and money to the amount of five hundred
francs for the mother
Last Tuesday we attended a splendid ball
given by DIR. johnson. About two huadred
guests We're present and the toilettes were su-
perb. Yellow is the fashionable color this
winter.
We have had another comedy performed at
our house. H sustaining the principal char
acter, une dame du grande monde. The name OF
the piece i. 'sApres lie Bal" and it is inter-
spersed with songs. Our large drawing room
was turned into an impromptu theatre and
there were quite two hundred ladies and gen.
tlemen present They Were very compliment
tary OF the performance. After the comedy
there was dancing until half past three in the
morning. The Princess Gortchakoff (niece of
the prime Minister of Russia) and her young.
est son were here. Her dress was rich black
velvet with jet trimmings and ornaments
Some of the others present We're Countess de
Dawidof, Princess de Visconti, MS Down.
ing, of New York, black velvet dress and let
trimmings; Madame Thothose pale blue motre,
five rows Of large gold beads round the neck;
the Misses Lynch We're in India muslin, EN- .
broidered over pink silk; Miss Hanback, in
white chambery, roleaux OF lilac satin at the
bottom Of the skirt and on the body; Miss
Ware, Miss Matterson, Miss Wilson in white
with gold stripes running down; Mrs Par
mely, Conte de Hauteriye, Conte de Bonfils
Nisconte de L'Angle, Conte de Persian, Visconte
de Ferrire, Conte de Patras, Conte de Barne-
Vile and so many others that cannot name
them.