The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1874-04-08
The French Republican Court.

LetSyTupt WIlteS uuueE udle Vi Oahuai
81:
"The second grand ball at the Elysee has
been an even greater success than the last.
Since the halcyon days when the Emperor
used to receive at the Tuileries, such run
after tickets and such a crush within the
temple of Terpsichore have certainly
never been seen.
IA ball at a Continental Court in ordin-
airy periods excites but little attention
among the foreign population; it is, in
fact, barely noticed. Not so here. Early
this morning it was evident to the least
practised observer that something extraor-
binary was about to take place. Livery
servants from the different dressmakers
were rushing about with huge band-boxes
on their backs the hower-shops were full
of enormous bouquets. Special patrols of
policemen marched down to the Champs
Elysees and Faubourg St. Honore; the
glove shops were besieged by custom
ers. 'Ah! if the example set by the Mar
shall would only be followed by all the
rich and great of Paris, how soon would
the city recover its commercial prosperi-
typ was the remark which the patron of
one of these establishments made to me
to-day.
In the evening there was brilliant
illumination. doubt whether on the oc-
casion of the imperial marriage at st. Pc
tersburg anything more effective was pro-
duced. The low Moorish wall which
encloses the Court of Honor of the Palace
was blazing with treble fringe of gas
jets. The whole front of the building
was studded at close intervals with gay
devices; pyramids and stars of fire lit up
with CHASTITY glare the neighboring
houses and their inhabitants. For the
latter were all at their windows as if it
were broad daylight and some pageant
were about to pass by. By nine o'clock
the spacious rooms and temporary build
ings of the Elysee were comfortably full.
By ten o'clock it was evident that the
space which could be disposed of had been
very neatly calculated. From that time
till the supper hour-that is, two o'clock
the Palace was full of muslin, satin,
tulle, lace, diamonds, epaulets, orders, and
black coats. The Marshal looked uncom-
monty well, and exchanged many a hearty
greeting with his brother officers, who
came in shoals. Madame MacMahon, be-
tween nine and twelve, made four thou
sand bows to her guests, and the last bend
was as graceful as the first
"The conspicuous feature in the ball
was the presence of number of the Or
leanist princes, who were the observed of
all observers The Due de Chartres, so
strikingly like his ancestor Henry ~, in
generals uniform, had quite small
court round him. The Queen of Spain
was, however, the most important guest.
She was ushered in by a major domo, who
looked for all the world like a church !
beadle. The dancing was kept up until
four o'clock. All the refreshments were
of the best kind, and a capital supper was
provided All the historical rooms of the
palace were visited by the guests with
great curiosity, and some of the sanctums
were filed with Bonapartists, most of
whom seem to have come to the Elysee
very much as they would have gone to a
One of the characteristic
features of these fetes is the long gallery
which leads into the temporary ballroom.
Politicians, whatever be their denomina-
ton, do not, as rule, care to dance; but
as they come in great numbers to pay
their respects to the Marshal and inter
pellate each other, the host and hostess
have provided special lounge for these
diplomats and deputies. 1t is a very ar
tistic and comfortable lobby, carpeted
with red, springy Aubusson. Lined with
cherry and gold arm-chairs and voluptu-
BUS sofas, adorned with seven chandeliers,
which shed tremulous glow of light, this !
luxurious promenade runs parallel to all
The salons and the sales de BAL One of {
5he happiest ideas which have ever struck
l ball manager has been carried out here
with brilliant effect In order the better {
% disguise the temporary character of
his enchanted hall the ingenious architect ,
las taken off their hinges eleven large
windows which intervene between the t
'dlons and the annexe, and covered the i
white stone walls with the folds of rich |
5obelin tapestry. Those who have never /
zen the interior of the palace before will S
lot believe that the annexe thus trans e
ormed does not form part of the original O
building. The windows and shutters G
ave been replaced by wreaths of costly f
lowers and bushes of Oriental plants, s
through which those who stroll up and 3,
lown the gallery can see what is going
n in the salons. There is a dramatic 7
ouch abOut this innovation which fo-