Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-12-02
EVENING STAR.
DOUBLE SHEET.
HE BRO kLHN NAVAL BALL TO
TIE GRAND DUKE.

. Correspondence Of the Commercial Advertiser
FJFTH AyENvE Horn Nov 10Th

Correspondence Of the Commercial Advertiser
FJFTH AVENUE HOTEL, Nov. 10Th.
Yesterday waSs hard day for Alexis
He got along very well with the fire brigade
review, and vas very much amused at the prac-
teal working Of the steam engines at the Clar-
tnd"n, but the Brooklyn naval ball was one
straw Tee much.
I have seen failures-many social failures in
my ttctimc-but never saw such a contempt
IDLE botch. from beginning TO end, as the Brook
l,u ball Why. ! could take our DelmOnicO
Boys hy the EaEd-yes; press them TO my aching
to-om for inriciing. daring their reign, no such
CalamitOus fizZlc upon the Grand Duke and the
public a. last nights naval ball.
have seen brave men mad and seen fair wO-
mru scOid before, but never saw two thousand
more bitter men or more thoroughly Disguised
women than I saw this morning As the clock
struck three. 7 have seen brushes at the Presi-
dental inaugurals, > have seen gaudy, POM
IcUs empty tiu-el ia the tiger glare of the cor
ruIt AmsTi ~. I have seen men hatlesS and
oOaties> and women ia dishabille among the
Cyprian dance 81 Grand Duchess ball, but |
never before sasw these abuses in such big capt.
ta's a. / saw them last night.
To begin with the beginning.
The TOOms were beautifully draped-Captain
Bartlett lid his work mlgni dcently. The sup
per was superb and the flowers lovely. The large
Russian dOuble-eacle on q shield of flowers and
the three Russian vessels dTaped in flowers and
mn bo1s were too beautiful for anything, but
there all beauty ended-there all pleasure
ceased.
The ventilation Of the grand room was dread
ful. Women nte'i, men pulled and blew, and
the stencil of tine Fifth Avenue Thester at ten
g. CLOCK was a sWt et OdOr compared TO the foul
atmosphere which two thousand people werc
compelled to breathe; This, when there were
twenty nine windows which might have been
opened,
The Grand Duke came at 1880. OF course
there could be no dancing till he came. GOuty,
red nOsed and puffy old naval officers clustered
around the reception daiS, and young officers
IAN hither and thither with the boarding house
aTiStOCTacy of Brooklyn, leaving Russian Office
{" take care OF themselves, or remain unwilling
wall pictures. Three or four old fat dowagers
stood IN black velvet dresses tanning vigorously,
and absorbing the attention OF the Grand
Duke. When the first set was formed, four old
women, who never danced in their lives and
three puffy old pumps who -cOuld not get of Of
slow walk without rheumatice pains, monop-
OliZed the Grand Dukes set. This Is the way
they stood:
MUSIC.
Madame CatacaZy.
Admiral Rowan.
Mr.. Catacazy. Mrs. Brown.
Mrs. Capt. Ransom. Admiral Smith.
Grand Duke.
Mrs. Admiral Smith.
The set was the Lanciers-the plain old Ian
ciefs. but how they mixed it upl Mrs. Smith
insisted on dancing a cOtiilon, while old Rowan
Ioked around and botched everything. Admiral
smith followed Rowan, and Cataeazy knew just
enough about IL to keep running forward and
back-fOrward and back. This he did like an
Old woman, sixteen times The poor Grand
Duke was completely puzzled, for every NOV {
they made was false, and everybody in the room
laughing at old ROwans and old Smith s
stupidity Mrs Smith was not blamed, for she
l. a sensible old lady. and weighs about six hun
fFcN rounds All she tried to do to smile
blsudly and slid, backward and forward like old
Catacazy, while the poor Grand Duke was ready
to sink with shame.
After the third II .ure and before the "grand
chain, the thing got into a ridiculous mudde.
Mrs. Admiral Smith saw every lady laughing,
and shook her fan violently 90 julien to stop
the music. Poor julien too busy to see
Mrs. Smiths fdgety tan-shakng, and the band
went on saving away at the tune Old Rowan
Row Pulled Juilien's coat-tail, and while the set
was in disorder the music stopped. Old Mrs.
Smith lit her lips in anger; the Grand Duke
hlu>hed tor very shame, while old Smith and
Rowan tJ,ldlcd back 20 the side, while two thou
sand dancers wondered why one fidgetty old
woman should shake her fan and stop julien
and the dance. This stupid failure should be a
warning at future balls to old women and gOuty
Old men to stand enc side and let the Duke have
a good time With the girls.
The ucNt set went better, for the old dOwagers
had sense enough % keep out OF it. PRETTY Mis-.
Tracy guided the Duke nicely through while in
The set were Madame DelonG, Miss Carr. and
Miss Emily Smith. niece Of the Admiral. AT
terWaTd Hiss Tracy lTOmenaded with him and
talked so Prettily Siat she got the Grand Duke
Botchery and stupidity eliminated as the
guestSbegan to think of going home. Fourteen
bundled coats were checked thorough one win
COW. They were az mlNed up; 10 was put with
80 and 20 with .E3S. When guests wanted their
coats and hats Lhey could not be had About
one check cOuld be redeemed in two Minutes
300 minutes or 30 hours 10 be used mp before
the last guest could have his coat. Tnen com
meEced the crowd, the confusion, the jam, the
smash. the tear, rltc squeeze the fight, the dread
Ccatless sallies OF guests into the keen night air
Though I was anxious TO get home early,
waited, damned. and squeezed for three dread
FIJI hours. and then only got INV coat General
SlOcurl Mt home with red banIianna around
lis head. Fernando Wood wore an afghan
James Brady had his coat sleeve torn off, ana
went home hatle-S. Isaac Sherwood, .Jr.. lOE
everything. and Charley Smith. at daylight thi,
morning, was still scraping around in huge pile
Of rubbish for light Oyerceat and a decent
Dunlap hat. The scene, the lighting, the swear
ing. and hOarsc shouting battles description.
When IL came 70 The Carriages, the same con-
fusion followed. Many ladies waited two hour
IN the cold. oh the colds, the lung fevers the
night has brought about! May Godin his mercy
PARDON those laundering Off GERS who humbugged
a., and who bored the Grand Duke last night
write this at daylight and while hundreds oil
PEOPLE still wildly searching for lost coat,
and hats. Nav these red-tape naval blunderer,
realize Chow sharper than a serpent's tooth il i.
to have a hatless mani
During the evening two rude men. who were
aid to be Journal lists, walked the whole length
OF the room in Overcoats- How long must il bs
before journalists will learn 70 be gentlemen
and how long shall rude, uDcultyated, and un-
washed men be allowed 20 disgrace the fair Office
OF exalted journalism by appearing in shabby
clothes, and otherwise conducting themselves in
baTbarous manner, that polite society i,
compelled tO shun them? Men for the credit
OF your brother Journalists, do wear q dress
coat when you come TO Grand Dukes ball!