The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-27

As might have been expected from previous
announcem ents, past experience and present
preparations, the masked ball OF the Freund.
schaltsbund last evening was the event OF
the season. Notwithstanding the lowering
weather, and the admontory mist which threat
ened to keep sugar.coated people within doors,
nine O'Clock found an array OF youth and beauty
throngng the hall and bidding dull care begone.
Nothing could have been more perfect than the
arrangements adopted to secure the fullest mea-
sure Of happiness to all who participated In the
festive scene. The hall was beautifully prepared
| for the occasion, and almost the brightness OF
sunshine was shed with softened glow upon the
ever.moving congregation OF as choice fun-loVine
spirits OF both sexes as ever gathered to trip the
| light fantastic toe.
To describe the costumes In detail, or even tc
enumerate the fancful and grotesque pictures
continually changing before the eye, as II legion
OF full grown fairies were revolving In some
monster kaleidoscope would be impossible. Even
az an observer, one was caught IN arms aud
whirIed away to be astonished by tete-a.tete
with the most impossible creatures in the world.
individuals wearing faces that might have been
fashioned on an anvil, and attired In garments
S~S-.N>'
enjoyed their entire into queeniiest circles, anu
coquetted with the mimic goddesses OF the hour.
The fifteenth amendment and the carpet-bag'
ger; the ancient noblesse and the ourang outangi
Knights, peasants, and troubadonrs, bandfs anu
harleauins, and preposterous characters Sener'
ally, arrayed in style that would torture the I'M
agination to find a name for, constituted gay
and fascinating spectacle that male one feei as II
his soul were walking on stills. Here Veneraoie
mauma, with her tray Of groundnut-caKe' eA'
changed ebony compliments with dliaplaaleu
old woodsawyer, who, with due regard lor muni'
cipal penalties, displayed on his person the con-
spcuous placard "License Obtained" Tnere the
turbaned Turk gazcd wistfully on three lovely
sisters in the costume Of the time OF Louis QUA
torze. And moving slowly amid the throns an
animated bottle reared It's towering necS-con-
veying sly and rather wicked suggestion Of the
c,usa causaas Of tie multitude OF exaggerated
red noses that blazed all over the room with the
significant splendor Of physiognomical chande-
liers.
The display Of dress on the part OF the ladies
was superb, and many o! the articles worn eX-
h!bited taste and elaboration to degree that
revealed days and weeks OF anxious preparation.
or course much o! the pleasure OF the evening
consisted in the enjoyment Of thorough incog-
nito, and OF flirting. for instance, with
ones wife without = ing discovered, or In
drawing involuntary confessions from eyes
which were very certain to have seen you before,
and yet, to your own certain knowledge, belonged
to pretty woman you never spoke to in your
llfe But, after all, no hearts were broken, and
no damage was done beyond the remedy o. the
hour, and The "mistakes OF night" only seemed
the merrier, because there came time when
masks were dropped, and those who only saw
through the glass darkly, could look on each
other face to face.
The music was furnished by Muler's band,
and the dancing, which continued unremittingly
until late hour, gave one an insight into every
step that lends grace to the human form. The
refreshments were abundant, and take 1t all In
all, the entire occasion was one OF which the
Freundschactsbund may feel proud.