The Portland daily press., 1869-02-03

MAsoUERADE.-Wet think there is no pref
tier sight than private fancy dress masque.
rade party, composed of the younger portion
of the community. There is no straining after
effect, no stiffness. Every one knows that the
participants are personal friends, and thst no
advantage will be taken of their unreserve.-
Such party came off at the residence of one
of our citizens on Monday evening, which
proved to be the pleasantest affair of the kind
we have ever attended. The dresses were, in
many cases, very elegant, and the different
maskers did not content themselves with the
stilted remark, " do you know who am" but
each endeavored to represent and carry out the
character they assumed
After the assembling of the guests, a mock
wedding took place with all the appropriate
features of the real ceremony. A beautiful
arch of flowers had been erected at one end of
the spacious parlors over which large star,
formed of gas jets, was suspended, which pour
ed food of radiance upon the brilliant COM
pany below. The bridal party, six in number,
took their places to the melodious strains of
Mendelsshon's Wedding March," all arrayed
in the costume of the period, and were united
"AsAA oOOoihih3 sOlCulhiJy III tu0 uOly DOQQS
OF paddock" by a selfordalned Clergyman
Much amusement was created by the peculiar
form of service, hardly to be found in the offic-
ial prayer-book and in the Interruptions of the
ceremony by parties who felt that they had
sufficient grounds for interference.
Dancing was next entered into by The CAV
throng, whose bright and sombre costumes
flashed hither and thither, forming series of
Kaleidoscope pictures that fairly unclaimed
the attention. 1t would hardly be just to par
ticularize costumes on an occasion like this
but we cannot forbear mentioning one dress
which bears an historical interest. 1t was
court dress of the time of Napoleon, and had
been worn, if we are not mistaken by the la
dy's ancestress, one of the family of Joel Bar
low, our Minister to France under President
Monroe. The skirt was of rich white satin,
and the Topped oveskirt of buff satin, richly
ornamented with gold lace The lace that
edged the short sleeves and neck, was particu-
larry rare and valuable, and the jewelry was
very unique and formed part of the original
costume. Another lady wore a dress that be.
longed to revolutionary times; also an heir
loom, and the shoes did not differ much from
those worn at the present day with the Grecian
bend. One charming young lady as flower
girl passed among the guests pinning fragrant |
e1otics to the gentlemen's coats, while another
In beautiful cantinier's costume offered re-
freshing beverage. Then there was sweet |
little shepherdess, bewitching member of the
Society of Friends, two charming representa-
lives of Night" and Morning" beautiful
'Undine," "Snow Flake" Winter" Folly
and many others whose costumes we were I'M
able to ascertain. The dresses of the gentle
men were also very handsome, and some of
'hem extremely comical, one young boy being
iressed as an old lady, and displaying an abil-
ty in the assumption of no small power.
1t was an extremely handsome party, and
'ne that will long aforementioned by all who
we're so fortunate as to have been present