The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-05
Benevolence Wearing the Mask
Of the Dance.
The Sights, the Music, the People, the
Scenes, the Sets and the Supper.
Philanthropy Led to Her Work by the
Hands Of Fashion and Pleasure.
Distinguished Guests and What They WOre.-'
Remarkable Toilets and Who Wore Them.


held at the Academy Of Music last night, was for
the benefit Of the Nursery and Child's Hospital, at
the intersection Of Lexington avenue and Fifty
first street. During the past eight years more than
one hundred thousand dollars has been raised by
this means, and 1t is hardly likely That the receipts
OF last evening will fall much below the average.
The largest amount realized was in 1870 when
nearly seventeen thousand dollars was reached,
and the smallest in 1885, when the receipts were
only $4,000
There is picture in this city which forcbly SYM
bolizes charity, both that kind which is cynically
said to begin at home and stay there and that OF
which St. Paul declares "charity never faieth."
Into this picture are pressed score Of the varie
ties in which charity expresses or refuses to ex-
press itself, and the entire gamut Of benevolence
and malevOence is therein exhausted. very diff
ferent yet about as striking a picture to the
thoughtful man was that presented by the
Academy festival OF last evening. Wealth, fashion,
style, BIRTH breeding, were blooming around on
every side, but their perfumes were sweetened
and idealized by the soft sunshine of the emotion
in whose name the entertainment was given. We
know that the sceptic is ready with his blan1
sneer and Officous satire to inform us that HUI
mainly is innatey selfish in the very act Of gener-
osity, and the only means by which it can be CO.
j0led into doing kind deed is by having an
argument presented to Its love Of pleasure. 1t is
not relevant to stop to argue this point now. We
might pay the sceptic in his own coin by suggest
ing that his reason for affecting such intensity of
candor may be found in the qualification thus
given to his malignty He who seeks to penetrate
the final motive for good action is too often like
q bird fascinated by that mysterious serpent, the
Unknowable. 1t will be enough to say that the
Charity Ball is noble Institution, resting
upon very broad and very valuable
basis that it is warmly supported by hundreds of
our most purespirited and influential citizens, and
that that Is noble conservation OF pleasure which
devOtes 1t to the alienation of the weak and suf-
fering.
THE SALE OF BOXES.
The sale Of boxes for the ball closed several days
ago, but the demand was so great that many more
could easily have been disposed OF. Boxes, which
at the be ginning were offered for $50 ana 800,
brought, toward the close, at least twice as much
Among the box-hOlders of last evening were for
proscenium boxes signor Banjotti, the Italian
Cuban revoutionsts resident in New York; ex-
Mayer Cur GnntNher box No No 81 MIS-
box No. g. Arthur Leary, box No. g.; Mrs. Abe
CASTS. box No. IA; DR.. Woodruff. box No. IS; v.
Delafeld, box No. 90; Henry Clews, box No. %;
No. IS; Alexander Tailor, box No. 81; G. W. God
dard, box No. 45; Lloyd Aspnwall, box No. 81;
Mrs. W ham w. appoT Sox No. Ss charles
Pryde; Meyerbeer; e. P. Marsh, box No. 104; ]. r..
Boyd, box No. 1906; A. Mellen, ST., box No. II;
McGinnis box No. 10; Mrs. Buckley. box No. 10;
Mr.. SchreGeler, box No. n D. Kimgsland, box No.
Mr.. Y. Guerin, box No. Is; Mrs Afford, box No. a;
Mr.. Tappan, box Nc: Al; W. H. Bogert. box No. l16;
Mr.. Appleby, box No. III; Mr. +. Lockwood bex
L; Delnonte proscenium box S. The Floor Com
mittee consisted OF the General Committee Of Man
ayers, including about three hundred lies and
gentlemen. The members in charge were Arthur
Leary President; Vice Presidents, General Lloyd
%am Snisr 4 xsau VIII
liam T. Garner, william p. Douglass, John ii.
Draper, J; p. Girard Foster, General Hancock,
WA ltnVH Have nannr DufrI vrSv lie
Henry Leavitt, General George h. Mcclellan, Henry
J. Nicholas d. Kingsland, L. P. Morton, J. F. Stone
man, A. B. stockweI, L. Turnure, Augustus schell
John Whippe , Treasurer, Henry Clews; Score.
taries, Newton Dexter and Cornelius Du Bots, Jr.
THE DECORATIONS.
Chaste and simple were the embellishments, not
dissimar to those we had occasion to describe
infant Asylum bali. The bird cages and general
blazonry which have 80 frequently been brought
into play were discarded, and every touch OF art
was sub0rdnated to neatness and simplicity.
new scene, painted expressly for the occasion by
Minard Lewis, was set at the extreme rear OF the
its treatment something Of the same traits which
were observable in the "Gardens OF Versailles"
painted for the Infant Asylum festival. large and
graceful arch (dimly suggestive OF the Arc de Tri
Omphe In Paris) occupied the centre OF the paint
ing with smaller structures on either side. Behind
and between these erections immense masses Of
duced with vastly more skill than IL commonly
used in productions Of this order. Both sides Of
edges OF the proscenium boxes to the extreme
rear Of the stage were concealed by canvas, Gun.
ningly painted to represent LEAKAGE. Upon these
and upon the beautiful scene in the background
light fell from half dozen chandeliers. The effect
was at once brilliant, subdued and soft, especially
when contemplated from the audience part Of the
house. Over the centre OF the stage the word
"Charty" was uttered in the language Of gas jets
a pleasing Illustration Of "wOrds that burnn
When we add that large vases filled with natural
flowers were arranged at various intervals through
out the building we have completed our account OF
the accessories.
THE MUSIC AND DANCING.
The music was furnished by J. N. Lander and @.
s. Grafula-names which have so long been
familiar with elegant entertainments or this de-
scriptiOn as to need no further reference. 1t Is no
difficult thing to give fair idea OF the programme
At about ten O'Clock the strains Of the overture to
Sporatnis la vestalen were heard followed by
selections from Verdis "ArOldi' and K0nski's
nrse ewn % the 5ne
to whom, however, we had due contributions from
beer, Wiegand, Beethoven, Thomas, Konski, Sulli-
van, Schubert, Lortzing, Mendelssohn, Niebig,
traflla. First came quadriie, Strauss aPilger'
THE SUPPER.
panage to a ball. even charity one; but It is ex.
pecting too much OF a mortal journalist to ask him
to say ANYTHING new on such theme, even sup
posing him to be full OF his subject. oysters were
there in all their inexhaustible American variety,
and chicken croquettes appetizingly proclaimed
flet OF beef and jardinere dressings Doned turkey
ebowed game pie: capon presented its claims sim
uItaneously with quail; partridge was contrasted
with grouse, ham with tongue, and sand
wches with chicken and lobster salads. The
dessert was equally palatable. Vanilla cream
jostled Neapoltan and tutti frutu hobnobbed with
biscuit gace. Meringues, lemon ice, Charlotte
Russo and wine jelly offered their destinations In
the same breath with bonbons, notices, fancy
cakes and fruits glace. Delmonice was, Of course,
the presiding genius OF Nilsson Hall, where the
supper was had, and, rising to the OCCASION this
celebrated caterer was great In wines. George
Couet and Heidsieck, Mumm's extra dry and Meet
and Chandon, dry Monopole and Napoleon exhil-
aratingly rivuetcd down the more solid refresh
ments, and were aided in this task by some OF Mr..
Delmonico's own vintages.
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND DRESSES.
We approach point concerning which great
difference OF opinion exists. But IL Is worth asking
the question whether anybody ever spends thou
sands of dollars on costume without being willing
that II should be described in the next mornings
papers We think not, and therefore, present
summary OF q lew costumes worn by distinguished