The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-23
The End OF the Ball Season.


With the entertainment given by the Lied
erkranz on Friday evening the ball season
may be said to have come to an end. We
should say that it had been merry season
did we not believe that we should thereby lay
ourselves open to be called to account For
what is merriuess2 Is there any element of
true happiness in it? And what sort of enjoy
ment is that which feeds upon displays of rich
diamonds and handsome dresses, eats and
drinks at midnight after the stomach has done
all the work that can reasonably be required
of it, and goes to bed, wearied and spiritless,
ct an hour when the mower whets his scythe
and the man of action and ambition is up and
ready for his cold bath? In a certain sense
much of what the newspapers have said in
their reports of the balls of the season is true
People OF fashion, wealth and style were
there-people whose approving nod the stray
glers in society madly covet Money was
there, and art was exhausted, and the latest
inventions in dressmaking were taxed to
the utmost. All that upholsterer, scene
painter, caterer, florist, jeweller and mantua
maker could achieve was absorbed, until
not surplus particle remained. Gilded
youth and silvered age met as usual. The
dancing foor-that marvel of wooden lubric-
ity-was arabesqued with gorgeously cos
tuned women, the divinest expositions Of
society and our New York Worths. The
choicest restaurateurs supplied the bills Of fare,
and Nilsson Hall repeatedly beheld the lively
moral spectacle of ethereal girls gorging them
selves on chicken-salad and accommodating
something like leer from one glass too much
of Moet and Chandon. Blood mounted to
many beautiful, youthful cheek, and sensu-
GUS tremors passed their enervating magnet
isms through the round dance. Ladies'
dresses were described in the morning papers
with technical precision that might have
brought tears Of congratalation to the eyes Of
Madame La Modiste, and the names of distin-
guished guests were printed with all the pain
full accuracy bestowed on the report of Con-
gressional vote Most of our Metropolitan
journals devoted column after column to the
enhancing theme as spontaneously as the
widow gave her mite, and relays Of reporters
crowded the private rooms Of the Academy,
while the entire auditorium was pervaded with
accommodating scouts. And when each fresh
ball was over how we all felt as though gor-
geous storm had passed over our heads, Of
which we could remember nothing but music,
satin, champagne and chandeliers How we
all insisted that each affair was more brilliant
than any of its predecessors secretly conscious
that the whole thing was o sham at heart ;
that our satisfaction was hypocrisy, our
pleasure Fictitious, and the felicity with which
we looked forward to the next entertainment q
hurabug and fraud! And now, here is
society arriving at the close, of the season,
with Lent ct hand, and her prayer-book and
pocket handkerchief piously up to her eyes.
Fasting, instead of fast, is the pending condi-
ton of every girl of the period who respects
herself Fashion prepares to attire herself in
sackcloth with silk lining) and regrets that
her ashes of mourning cannot be ashes OF rose.
Filtration fatters herself that she forsakes the
pride of life When she merely exchanges it for
the vanity of religion.
But it is far from our desire to write Bit
terly. All the world cannot be CONVERSE
clone where scientific wits utter epigrams
which beautiful blue stockings inspire. Balls
will continue to be popular institution so
long as that much-criticised atem. the average