The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-25
THE GRAND OPERA BALL.

I: was ball OF great expectations. It was to
eclipse the Cercle de pHarmonie, the Arion, the
LederKranz, and, like thing Of beauty, 1t was to
be JOY forever. Third avenue. as far away from
the Academy OF Music as Twentieth street, was
lined with hackney carriages full OF great expec-
tations. The drivers fell asleep and dreamed they
were taking home in the morning lords aud ladies
all gay and rolllcking and full OF money as bed.
tick Is full Of feathers.
There we're great expectations on all sides. The
waters. the caterers, the policemen, the man In
the hat room and the chestnut.c olored lady who
took charge oil the female CLOAK department., had
ecstatlc visions OF fortune. There never was an
entertainment conceived In sucl beatlfc hope aud
so exating IN the prospect
A calcium light Cleaned from Fourteenth street
athwart the main entrance to the Academy on
Irving place. and lighted up the faces Of whole
platoon OF police, under Captain Gunner, besides
tbroaHa the og vet we're in OF great eT
pectat0ns as to the ball. They were there to
see kings and queens, warriors and clowns,
tastic fnery, besides the great expected multitude
OF grandly bedlzened masqueraders. A thousand
glasses were set out on the counter OF the upstairs
saloon In the Academy. where beer Is the iavorIte
beverage. thousand mouths were looked for
and $1,000 was the lowest ejaculation OF the net
profits. Sadly enough the great expec lions in
beer were disappointed; out there was man, q
young man OF bright, seraphlc eyes who framed
hundred 0,uquetS oil natural MOWERS. and the
heavens wcpt when that yonnR man, more hopeful
and buoyant than Casabanca, retired with the
perishabie conservatory under ms arm, not a
petal touched and not penny taken. 1t was the
' THE LAW OF 1929 ENFORCED.
or course, everybody thought the ball was 10 be
masked AFFAIR and nothing else. and the aston
lshment was quite great when those who went
there found at every turn sucn notices, in large
type, "No masks permitted" The story told in
Mayor wickham issued orders to the police, in con.
ormity with an old law OF 1929 ioibiddlng masks
Academy body IOuQd tacallv dlSnQured.
The weather coNld hardly have been said to be
against the success Of the ENTERTAINMENT and rs
for The season OF Lent IL could nave had only the
least appreciaole influence in sucn cosmopolitan
community
out and the ball, alter midnight was LARRY
patronized, but the great expectations remained
1t was quite amusing to see the nalf dozen ticket
takers at the entrance running upstairs alter
every lady who happened TO pass the barrier with
THE SCENE AT THE DOOR.
AS the intending participants Of the Dall came
to the portal wnereat stood the gray bearded gen.
rleman. with nose OF Tyrlan hue, their steps we're
bounding and It was all "great expectations" But
ny M into the
den by door were stationed Sergeant Watson,
and joviai ofiicer Doan. ootn with mirtn pro-
Sergeant Watson and the door were line OF
newspaper men and police officials, the last OF
named gentleman had his lace masked with
bouquet. AS each lady and her cavalier passed
the portal Omcer Doan, being the frst official
reached. remarked, "MasS OF, madame.u
which saying sergeant Watson echoed, and
which, II the lady hesltated. Superin.
tendent walling enforced IN very sweet
manner. but inconsistent considering his
own lace was masked, by saying Eyes. madame.
you must unmask." Usually madame tossed her
mead, tapped the moor with her loot 10 angry
doubt. and then took on her mask Numerous
couples lett at the entrance, the ladies' prelerrlng
10 f0regO amusement rather tnan permit their
faces 10 be seen. There were about !, 500 persons
at the ball, oil which number there might have
been counted $50 women VINO, to evade the law,
wore wells instead OF masks.