Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-13
The reason is obvious it was too cold.

for the gentlemen to wear their hats ana
overcoats in the Lancers, or '-amidst the
may whirls' of the waltz. And that
was precisely what was the matter last
night. A cold-nay icy-ball room,
gaudily decorated though it may be, is
among the last of places to enjoy one
self in, in the world. Fancy yourself
irving to make love with the teeth
chattering in your mouth with cold,
and your fair partners delicate frame
shivering with a chill. D-d-de-light-t-
full. isn-t-t-t it? No, thank you; the
..Blue Danube, " and Swine, Women and
Song" lose their charms under such cir
cumstances (unless the former is hot and
spiced, and next to lecture or comedy
before an empty auditorium. know OF
more cherries or comfortless sight in
the world than half empty ballroom,
with the temperature some degrees be-
low zero.
1t is, however, but just to say, right
here, that for this deplorable state of af-
fairs. no one was to blame, except, per-
haps, the weather bureau. 1t is true
that if the price of tickets had been less
exhorbitant than it was, there might
have been better attendance, nOtwith-
standing the weather; for the splendid
supper, and the opportunity to get q
close view of the President and his
family, would have attracted many who
yesterday stayed away. But fewpeople
can afford to pay twenty dollars for an
evenings pleasure of this character; and
it is believed that if the price of admis-
sion had been only half of that, the at
tendance would have been almost trebled,
without detracting from the exclusive
ness of the affair in any material degree.
Upon this point, only, the committee
made, perhaps, a mistake-as no one
could possibly foresee, or could have
made preparations for, the intense coldon
the day and evening of March 4, one of
the coolest days and nights of the entire
season, if not the coolest.
AS it was, half the space allotted in
the immense building would have been
fully equal to accommodate all the guests
when the ball was at its height, with
room to spare. There was plenty OF space,
and the dancers and promenaders GER
tainly had no reason to complain IN that
respect. Nor was there any cause for
complaint as far as the supper was con-
cerned-on the contrary, it was the most
bountiful and best managed supper / re-
member to have seen on an occasion of
such character. Champagne, of the
choicest brands, and claretpunch, flowed
freely, and all the delicacies in and out
of season were provided in unlimited
abundance. Yet, strange as it may ap-
pear. plain hot tea and coffee and chocO-
late were in greater demand than TIE
sparkling CliquOt and tumblers of punch.
1t was the internal cold that interfered
with everything.
The President arrived about half-past
eleven o'clock, accompanied by his fam
ily and cabinet After a short stay in
their private rooms, they were escorted
to the platform erected at one end of
the hall, by Governor Cooke and Mr..
Alexander r. Shepherd, of the commit
tee, where a leyee took place, quite a
number of the guests present paying
their personal respects to the President
and shaking hands with him. The for
eign ministers were represented in force,
but few Of their ladies were present, on
account of the cold and the delay in the
receipt of the invitations.
The presidential party soon Withdrew
from the platform, which. happening to
be at the north, or cold, end of the hall.
was not a place particularly calculated
to promote comfort The ladies of the
distinguished party nearly all wore their
ermine capes and wraps, and bat little
could be seen of the gorgeous dresses
and jeweied ornaments they were sup
posed to conceal. Happily, all the re-
firing rooms and the Presidents private
apartments were heated by steam coils. /
which it was first proposed TO extend
throughout the building; but alas that
plan was abandoned.
The supper provided for the invited /
guests was all that could be desired, and. /
with the choice wines and Hg1teilrs, seem
ed to be fully appreciated. Shortly after /
the supper, the party retired, without /
any speech-making or toasting having |
been attempted and about three O'Clock /
the ball broke up, and everybody hur- /
ried to their homes to seek under their /
bed-coverings the warmth and comfort /
they had been unable to find in the ball /
room. And thus came to an end the /
ball attending the second inauguration /
of President Grant-the most sumptu- /
GUS and deliberately prepared Inaugural /
ton ball on recOrd-and the coolest
The weather to-day having moderated /
considerably, the prospects are that the /
grand masquerade ball, which viii be /
given tonight in Inauguration Hall. will /
be more of a success, though, probably, /
less distiHg1Le, as the price OF admission
is only five dollars. Should the attend
ance be good, it will, to some extent.
make up for the heavy pecuniarv losses
of the grand ball, which cannot fall
much short of ten, or even fifteen, thou
sand dollars. 1t is also contemplated to
give grand promenade concert to-mor-
row evening, when the last opportunity
will be afforded our citizens and stran-
gers in our city of visiting the gorgeous
ly decorated hall. Early next week. IL
will be torn down, the materials of
which it is made will be used for other
less elated (and less cold, il is to be
hoped and more prosaic PURPOSES; and
Inauguration Hall' of 1878. with iis
millions of raw, fried. escalloped and
picked oysters, its hundredweights of
salmon and boned turkey, and its hogs
heads of claret punch, tea and coffee,
ETC., ETC., and last, but not least, with
its gay anticipatiOns but cold reality,
will be no more foreverl
Last night the avenue was handsome
ly Illuminated by calcium lights. and the
fireworks were on most elaboratescale.
The streets were thronged, for people
to keep comparatively warm
by brisk walking, or trotting, and occa-
sional ''inaugurations" In restaurants
and bar-rooms, all of which were
crowded TO their utmost capacity dur
ing the entire evening and night. This
forenoon, the President reviewed some
OF the visiting military organizations.
most of which will return home tonight
and tomorrow; and with the masquer-
ade tonight, and the promenade concert
tomorrow, the Inauguration festivities
will fairly come to close
In day or two, you will receive my
last ssinanrurafiNnb latter