The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-24
ENGLISH ExTRAvAGANCE.

AMERICANS TAKE HAND-CoL. NICHOLAS
SMITH AND WIFE, MISS GREELEY AND AIDE
LIMA PATTI AT FANCY-DREss BALL.
Conway, the London correspondent of the
Cincinnati Commercial, writes: Among
other distinguished Americans who have
stopped to sip the delights of the London
season, L may mention Col. Walter Schuyler,
of the United States army, who, however,
unites professional with social interests, and
is passing a few days at Alderscott. Col.
Nicholas Smith and bis wife (nee Ida Gree
levi and Miss Gabrielle Greeley are min
Cling with the great social wbirl here as if
they liked it. They were present, few
evenings ego, at charming fancy dress
and his wife, MIR. and Mrs. Bough-
ton, Col. Nicholas Smith hay
ing appeard as a dark, cloud winged
Satan OF the Miltonic type, handsome
enough to make sensation among the
daughters of Eve, while his wife recalled, as
Gretchen, the story OF his brother Mepbis-
topheles's misdeeds. Miss Gabrielle Greeley
wore an ancient Greek costume. But am
not going into description of costumes; it
would require a double barreled jenkins
(enviabie fellowD to do any justice TO the
wondrous dresses-Egyptian, Greek, Per-
sian, Indian. Chinese, Japanese, medieval,
French, German and English. Fancy dress
balls have become the rage in London, but
nothing I have seen or heard of has sur
passed the splendid entertainment at Grove
House. may say however that pretty
compliment was paid by a pretty young
dame who appeared in a costume copied ex-
actly from Bougbtcn's beautiful picture OF
The Path of Roses" now exhibited on the
walls of the Academy. In this picture is
seen
LOVELY MAID IN A ROSE GARDEN,
with cat, which ought to be happy, perched
upon one of her graceful shoulders. She is
clad in white and simple summary robe, ex
quisitely draping, at once concealing and
disclosing the figure, with the old English
infant waist, and the young lady who real
lied the ideal of the picture elected much
admiration. The fairy scene lasted FL
night, and the spirits, demons, witches and
fair shades of bygone ages who had so clev-
erly materialiZed for this occasion vanished
only after the morn had for some time been
scented and the cock crows had become gen.
eral and peremptOry. have said that fancy
dress balls have been much in vogue this
season, but L do not believe that the fashion
can ever be permanent in England. The
ladies and gentlemen are too elaborate in
their pre- partitions for them. The dresses are
too costly .sAt fancy dress ball given few
evenings ago at mansion in Inverness
Terrace, Patti made her appearance
Rebecca (of Ivanhoe), almost clothed in dia-
monds from the waist to the crown OF her
head; and among the two hundred superb
costumes that were scores which can never
be used on an ordinary occasion, that must
each have made deep hole in somebody's
purse. In Paris, Florence, Rome, Vienna
aud otter places. where fancy-dress balls are
the favorite amusement, the pervading idea
is fun and drollery, and the costumes are
light, airy, audacious, but rarely expensive.
Such balls used TO occur in this country also
chiefly public bslls-but they were at
tended with such excuses that they were
assisted by the police to a gradual termina-
ton. Their temperance now in private
houses, masks not being allowed, indicates
a real desideratum in London society, but
they will have to fight against strong stump
tuary considers tons unless some ladies of
fashion shall set the example of less rich
and elaborate costumes.