Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-01-03
BEAsTIALITY.
Inaugursting the French Bal d'Opsra 10 New
York.
0isgraoeful SeeAes---Bawds and 5ulIies Ia
Carnival and Riet.


O'Clock. AT that time the floor, ex-
tending from the edge of the dress
circle to tbeextreme limit of the stage,
presented a curious spectacle.
Probably there were a hundred
masked women present, among five
hundred masked and unmasked men.
These women were dressed in fancy
costumes, nearly all selected with g
view to expose as much of the person
as possible. BY far the greater
number wO.e trunk hose and flesh
ings; but many were attired in the
short skirt OF the ballet, with some
attempt at bavadere and daughter OF
the regiment in the bodices and trim
mings. Here and there a woman wore
trailing skirts of rich material, and
flashed her diamonds in the gaslight
as she swung the train about. There
was no attempt on the part of the men
to assume imposing or elegant dis
guiseS.
The cheapest dominoes, and gener-
ally nothing more than mask, af-
forded them all they Wanted-the Op-
Nortunity to carry on q bravadO and
prOlalscOus Irritation with these WO-
men, That part of the family circle
tier which faces the stage was given
up to the musicians. The rest Of the
gallery was crowded with spectators.
The boxes below were all taken up,
the occupants being mainly maskers
overlooking the dance. But the pro-
cenium boxes, and notably the two
lower ones on either side, were filled
with q crew Of cOarse-teatured, semi
oiiiciOus looking roughs, who might
be politicians or gamblers or deputy
sherifis or cut-thTOats, or all, but VINO,
at all events, had no intention OF
dancing, and had hired these boxes
with the view OF having a good time
at the expense of the women, the
managers, and, if necessary, the pub
lie peace itself. They were crowded
in; some ofthem stood up and smoked
cigars; all Of them kept their hats on;
one or two burly beasts, who glared
upon the half-eXpOsed women on the
floor with a stOlid interest that could
only be heightened and intensified by
some outrageous departure from the
seemiiness Of simple enjoyment. They
have their fellows on the floor, to
whom they shout and telegraph.
They have liquor in the boxes, and
fhev- use it with a show of cOnviyial-
ftv 10 n,eUease their recklessness.
Atl2o'clock there is jam; most Of
the crcTd outside has got in by some
means; the floor is q mass of people.
Suddenly there is a fight IN lie boxes.
EXultant cries issue from the pr0sce-
mum. At once turn mp all the masked
faces in the whirling mass. 1t is a
Frenchman beset by two, aye three,
Americans. Blows are given and
taken; then they all 60 down out of
sight--Only TO appear again; the three /
are on him; they are screeching with I
that fierce animal sound that comes !
through set teeth, and in men and bull I
dogs ls pitched upon the same note. I
The makers rather like it; they
applaud ana cheer Cn-nOt the parties, /
but the fight-ssnd when the police 4
get into the boxes ana drag out the /
assaulted man and leave The assallants /
behind, the prOscenium beIlO5ys a mo- |
ment with ir0nical laughter, the /
music breaks out fresh, and the
dancers resume their antics as though
nothing had happened.
Enough liquor has now been swal-
loved TO float recklessneSs up to the 1
high WCter mark. There is another
fight going on in the vestibule. One
of the women mas been caught up by
the crowd and tossed bodily into the
proscenium box, where she is caught
and dragged by half dozen brutes in
over the sill and furniture in such
manner as to disarTange, as much as
possible, what small Vestige Of raj
UElL luCIt ID Ou uti. tic lcdA
awakens general enjoyment. Men
and women below vent their coarse
laughter at the sorry figure she cuts
and al the exposure OF her person.
Presently the trick is repeated on the ]
ether side. 4 young woman, rather
pretty, and dressed in long skirts, is
thrown up, and falls back into the
arms of the crowd, who turn her over,
envelOp her in her own skirts, and
again toss her up, temporarily de-
nuded. The more exactly this pro-
ceeding Outrages decency, the better
il is liked. One or two repetitiOns of
It occurred which exceeded the limits
Of proper recital. The women We're
bTndled into the boxes and there they
were fallen upon by the crew of half
drunkel, ruffianS, and mauled and
exhibited \ the worst possible aspects,
amid the isers and laughter OF /,
the other DRUNKEN wretehes upon !
the floor. One, a hes vier woman than I
the rest, is thrown out o. the box and I
falls heavily upon the fiOof, she IS !
picked up insensible by the police ana
carried out There is not whisper !
OF shame in the crowd. 1t is now
drunken with liquor in its own beast
lincss. It whirls in mad eddies round '
and round. The painting women in I
the deiirium of excitement; their !
ewes flashing with the sudden abnOr- {
mai light of physical elatiOn, bound )
\ and leap Ike Nigresses; they have lost ]
, the last sense of prudence ard safety. ,
Some Of them arr unmasked, and re- !
veal the faces Of braEeR and notorious '
she devils, who elsewhere are cut of !
by edict from this contact with the {
public; few of them are young, and ]
would be pretty but for the lasciytous {
glare now lighting their faces and the
smears Of paint which oYerlay their I
skins; all of them are poisonous, pitt 2
able creatures, suffering now with the
, only kind Of delirium which their I
! lives afford, rancOrOus, obscene, filthy ]
bean ties, out of the gutter of ciViliza- {
tion. gene mad with the license OF I
nnusic anu the contact of men, and ;
beset by crow DIS of hbidinous and un- I
scrupuious niulies who, anywhere s
else would be assigned OF their init [
macy, or roughs to whom this kind OF
a ball affords the only opportunity TO I
exercise the few animal faculties that
are left to them.
M. Mercier stands in the middle OF :
a.. floor and shouts to the musicians (
@ \. For it isn't safe for them 10 /
- - N henever they do there is a Q
NeERt, a;e ., s,-Slwart beauty, in bare &
- has lxnocs ed down young {
man In the entrance-N, ay, ana LETT the 6
marks of her high heeis on ms iace; {
She would have kicked the sle Out OF {
him while her bully held him own, y
ifa still stronger policeman had no. c
flung her like a mass of Otfal into d
corner. There she Is picked up, and, D
4. backed by half dozen Of her assO- {
saiates, pushes and strikes prOmiscu- i
ousIy, and the dense crowd about her h
push also, and strike, and sway here .
and there, and yell, and hiss, and a
curse. until the entire police force in I
the place drag out a score OF them, b
and then the rest 90 on with the b
dancing. between which and the fight 4
ING there is so little difference. G
In one of the boxes sits J. Fisk, jr., o
.x-ith a masked woman. But it is get ]
enc ZOO warm for him. The few
Nne -. IL, nnrr,n % cr,nntn- Z.