The Portland daily press., 1875-06-15
The Centennial Tea Party.

Portland had its first touch of the genuine
centennial fever last evening For weeks now
preparations have been going on among those
movers in all good work, the ladies, for CEN
tennial tea party after the manner of those
held in Pennsylvania and other sections of the
country. Of an afternoon the sound of fiddle
might be heard in City Hall, and rumor had it
that people were there learning to step with
courtly grace and solemn movement through
the figures of the stately minuet." Report
said that som ething, the like of which had
never been seen by Portland eyes in these liv-
ing generations would be given on the evening
of the fourteenth with all the ceremonial pomp
of the past. Great expectations were thus
raised, and the looked for night brought a
crowd to City Hall. To say that the expecta-
tions were fully met IS but justice. The enter
tainment so ingeniously planned was carried
out satisfactorily even to the minutest DETAIL
and in a manner which must have been very
gratifying to it's projectors.
The halls were decorated under the superln-
tendence of Capt. George E. Brown, and the
decorations gave evidence of excellent taste
and skill. A large circular gas jet burned over
the stage, while at either side were jets forming
the opening and closing years of the century,
1775. 1875. Beneath these hung the portraits
of George and Martha Washington. The stage
was draped in the inevitable bunting, while
festoons of the national colors depended from
ceiling and gallery and chandelier. About
the walls were 'scutcheons biazoned with the
names of thirty-seven states. Reception Hall
ba thOuOl
long tablets bearing the names and the arms OF
the thirteen original states gave different as
pect to the walls, while relics of the colonial
and revolutionary times were hung about.
Conspicuous among these were the commits
sions of the grandfather and great-grandfatner
of Mr.. Harry Bascomb of the Museum, gentle
men who did good service for their country. A
flower booth, tended by young ladies dressed in
the colonial costume, stood on one side of the
main hall, while ON the other was stand at
which the centennial medals and little hatchets
bearing the inscription Il cannot tell lie, were
for sale.
At half-past eight General Washington and
the Gusts children took their places upon the
dais before the stage, and Hon. W. w. Thomas,
Jr., who acted as master of ceremonies, stood
ready to present the visitors. Then the doors
to the ante-room were thrown open and the
beauties and wit of the republican court made
their entrance and their compliments to the
host and hostess, and passed on to the left OF
the hall. The costumes were all striking and
many of them fine. They were almost wholly
of the colonial period, though occasionally
dress suggestive of the French Directory in
truded itself. The ladies with their powdered
hair and antique gowns, lookedve handsome,
and the deep courteses they dropped were Won
derful to see. Some of the men were ill at
ease, and the jerking bows they made little re-
sembled the courteous and graceful obeisances
our ancestors delighted in going through. All
the most noted danes, statesmen, and soldiers
of the revolutionary period were personated,
the number of persons in costume being about
one hundred and fifty.
After the presentation was over the gentle
men handed the ladies about the hall and to
the platform, where a table lighted by many
candles and covered with dishes of antique
pattern, was spread. Here Barmecide feast
was partaken of, much to the amusement of
the audience. Speech, song and toast followed,
the Marquis de Lafayette, Chief Justice Jay
and other dignitaries being called upon. The
speeches were in character, and were both wise
and witty as became the OCCASION
After the supper came the STATELY minuet. p"
We call it STATELY" because by common con-
sent of late the old-time dance has been per-
mitted to monopolize this adjective. The
minuet was what the audience were most de.
sirous of seeing, and the spectators watched
with great interest the courteous movements
and graceful figures of the beautiful old dance.
1t was gone through with admirably, and the
participants are to be complimented for their
proficiency.
One of the most interesting features of the
entertainment was the singing Of the Mar
seillaise by M. Radoux. The old man, past
eighty, chanted in quivering voice but with
all the fervor of youth, the inspiriting words
of the hymn of liberty.