Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-19
DOLLY WARDEN.
The Great Calico Display az b Peabody
ROte Last Might.
a suees..aal nan 81 Eyerr way.
The Charms Of Beauty without ExtrAVa-
ganee illustrated.

In the neighbOFhOod of five hundred
persons crowded into the great salon of
the Peabody Hotel last night to partici-
pate in, OF look at, the great calico ball,
of which notice was first given in the
APPEAL about ten days ago. The ball
was to be for the benefit of the Orphans
Home and st. Lazarus Church, and the
admission was one dollar. There were
present a great variety of gentlemen,
who were privileged to put on style,
while the lady participants were fewer,
not being allowed the pleasure ofstyle on
the occasion. Though an embargo was
placed on such external and ephemeral
attractions there was no bar to the ad-
mission of beauty, grace and sweetness
and hence these were c~Onsp1cuously
abundant. Thc memory Of Dolly Var
den was also revived in a way which
would have set that unsOphisticated
though somewhat crude and fiOrid little
beauty crazy could she have been made
aware of her fame in the days of her
life. Cotton was queen last night. 1t
reigned in piques, percalesy calicoes,
and muslins; it triumphed in under
skirts and overskirts; it conquered in
every shape. Two out of every three
ladies present had a Dolly Warden on,
and this accounts for an extraordinary
phenomenon which was witnessed
IN the bookstores for the past week,
every copy of "Barnaby Rudge" that
was for sale in Memphis was bought for
the purpose of finding out who and
what this famous Dolly Warden was
who thus took possession of the female
mind of Memphis and ruled with a sort
of imperial sway. The simplicity of
calico, however, was not to extend to
the head. In that attractive feature the
ladies were wisely left free to follow
their own taste. The heads were lovely
and in great and pleasing variety from
a lovely fame color to the tint of
the ravens wing. Speaking of
ravens naturally suggests ''Tapertit."
That character was reproduced
In several instances, with mod
ern improvements, but there could
be no mistaking the neat little
fellow and his killing legs. The gentle
men, in fact, without regard 10 dimen-
sions, did put on style in a very charm
ing way. There were sundry dozens of
them who went without partners, and
had the supreme satisfaction of remain
ing without them during the night
They formed a very beautiful fringe, like
the halo that philosophers have noticed
about the outer edges of the sun, TO the
compact throng Of beauty and calico
that gracefully maneuvred on the pol
ished floor of the Peabody's dining hall.
They looked on with greedy eyes,
and despairingly s~peculated on the
remote possibility Of getting a chance
TO form n in a set before three O'Clock
in the morning. This was the delight
full occupation of some, while Others
contemplated the frescoing of the ceiling.
HandweFker's band made music while
hundreds of happy couples enjoyed
themselves Mthe amazing whirl Of the
dance. Other hundreds, that could not
find TO dance, whiled away the
comfortable hours chatting in the parlors
or promenading the corridors. The
ladies who interested themselves in the
production of the ball were gladdened
by the great crowd and by the eontribu-
tiOns of calico that the Thoughtful ladies
had broughtfor the orphans. Why there
ever should be a "dress balP' in view of
the success of the most beautiful of cali
co appears to be one of these ineXplica-
bic mysteries of fashion for which no
masculine intellect can account. Every
one Of taste that had the pleasure of look
ing in at the ball last night, was struck
with the elegance and beauty of the
scene. Woman, always lovely, never
looked so fascinating as she did in cali
co ,Dollies attending a dollar ball. 1t
has great advantages, particularly in
genial weather. There ought to be more
of them.
The supper was announced at twelve.
That was also a success, being served in
~L-N Em-NglsA~-a - E--,t
which the Peabody is so justly celebra-
ted.