National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-30

delight anticipation In catering 10 then
friends and fraters they are ambitious and aux
ious too1er an entertainment complete in all id
details, rejecting eredt: on themselves and then
.Ceuzandery. It is szot astonishing, therefore
that tais Order in giving levees makes the ex
peuSe a subject Of secondary consideration. .EIs
EaDee and refinement, select and social Assem-
bIags, provided with comfort and pleasures, are
the chief motives tbEJ actuate the knights Temp
lar when profIeFng ball 10 the puelic and solicit
ing their attendance. While it is at all times
necessary to exercise caution IN bringing together
20 many members OF the community in one hall Il
see that improper parties are excluded and there
nv avoiding unpleasant scenes, still the Templ0I
leypes heretofore given in this city have been so
,Derfectly conducted as TO reEder this vigilanee
Almost unBecessGE-, and the cOndHct of the en-
tire gathering last evening was not an exceP
tiOnaI case, but slowed that it was easy "a
bring together the wealthy and prominent citi
zeBs as to collect a mixed Rssemblage.
TN the l4th Of last January, Washington Com
msndery No. !, Knights Templar, OF the District
eTColumbia, celebrated its semi-centennial ami
Versary. At that time, and more particularly to
make the occasion ever memorable in the minds
Of its nembe adOuble entertainment was given.
In the carly part of the evening interesting ad-
dresses were delivered in the asylum; to the Ira
tiers, by Past Eminent Commanders Dr. Charles
]. Stansbury and A. Il. Mackey, which was fol
lowed by a royal banquet at the Imperial hotel.
While some Of the members lent their presence
and encouraged tie form OF celebration, still ii
was not the most acceptable performance in their
opinion that could have been protered, and they
suggested
NI-CENCETNIAL TENPLAR LEvEE,
where the presence Of the ladies could be secured
aud thereby give the wives, daughters and lady
friends Of the Sir knights an opportunity for an
evening enjoyment and assist in cele brating the
LcmmanGeTy's fftieth year of existence. The
proposition was agttated, met with considerable
favor and finally gained zach progress that the
following committee was appointed to take the
matter into consideration and report on the FEAST
bnHy Of the suggestion:
TIE COMMITTEE.
& Il Bennett Eminent Commander; Sirs R. H.
Graham, W. Scott Smith, Jos. ). Davis. W. ].
Stephenson, A. NJ. NuZZy, Jos. Gawler, Allison
Major, Jr, Geo. H. Plant, Jr, H. d. BOteler and
T. e. Bourne.
If the Eminent Commander had been posted
concerning the opinions Of the committee he Sc
Iected he could Tot have made more judiciOls
choice. Ihey were not only favorable TO the
PROJECT, bKt believed in giving levee that wOTld
hereafter reflect with hOLor on the Commandery
and add another to the many laurels already won
by Washington, No. l. That she has stood fore
District ever since obtaining her charter dou bt
is expressed. Being composed Of the most prom
ineIt, wealthy and philanthrOpie citizens OF this
community, she is able TO dispense charity, re-
lieve the sick and aid the suffering with DOun-
teOus hands, and when the fraters, weary pill
Rrims from afar, appear within the confines OF
her precinct she stretches out a cordial hand of
welcome, and in her noble spirit OF generosity iu-
Tites them to her banquet hall to there partake
at the festSl board OF her unlimited hospitality.
II is needless to say that men of such hi gh char
acter and worth are appreciated by the people
among whom they live, and 1t is not stran &c,
therefore, that when they, representing a Chris
tian BODY decide to proffer an entertainment to
their relatives, lraIers and friends, it should
be extensively patronized.
The hTst work Of the committee was 20 prepare
TICKETS AND INVITATIONS.
The cards of admission, being for one nights SER
vice. were perfectly plain The ladies' invitations
were picture Of neatness and beauty. At the
top we're the letters *. T., in MONOGRAM, while
beneath was the name of the Cemmandery and
ne nTrfa nT7rn mil al In he
angular-shaped shield, on which rests the cross
and crown, and above and below the SQUARE and
compass and other Masonic emblems. On the
upper side OF the Triangle resting above the cross
and crown, the wiser OF the Templar, and beneath
the emblematic words, an hoe SiqnO vfnceS "
while at the sides are two drawn swords, pointing
upward.
The committee o. arrangements after mapping
out the work and getting matters we'll under way
toWSrds being prepared for the ball, subdiyided
the labOTs Of the Easter Monday night levee with
Two other committees, designated as reception
ard floor committees.
THE DECORATIONS
were fntrusted to Sirs NaiIor, Browne Davis
Plant and Hogan, and the beautiful sight the
hall presented gave evidence that the gentlemen
were not only tasteful in their ideas but had per-
formed faithfully the duty intrusted TO their care
and a consequence the scene was one Of beauty,
winning the admiration OF all behOlders and the
recipient Of repeated and fHtterlng compliments.
The picture was intended, as near as possible, to
reject paTlOr scene, thus giving TO the hall
sOciable and hOme-like appearance. The large
windows were draped with rich, heavy curtains,
topped off with gilt cornIce. On the panels, be-
tween the windows, were wide, lengthy mirrors
extending almost from floor to ceiling These
&C ed to double advantage. They not only save
many ladies the necessity OF repairing to the
dressing room TO TeaTrRnge a misplaced flower or
ribbon, but gave persons on one side Of the hall
an opportunity to see who might be on the oppo-
site. In the WINDOWS and other available spaces
pot plants in bloom were supplied, and thus lent
additional beauty and charm to the sight. At
the east end Of the hall was q raised platform,
sufficient in size to hold the chairs of the three
hrst officers Of the COmmandeTy; above the centre
one was suspended the Maltese cross, a blaze Of
light from innumerable burning gas Jets, and
in mediately above, in letters of rP was the word
welcome" To the right and left Of the officers
chairs were the banners Of the Communicates
well displayed. At tie opposite end of the ball
was handsome passion cross, emitting a red
light by means Of colored glass cups, arranged in
ne form Of cr9citx; The gallery was draPed
me portrait Of the late b. Il. French.
THE RECEPTION COMMITTEE,
consisting of Sirs &. W. Bennett En-. Com. F
q. Davis, Gen'I; Robert Boyd, Capt. GenI; Uhas
+. StaDsbury, r. E. G.; Edwin Baldwin, p. Z.
e; z. D. Gilman, P. E. C.; ]. B. VIII, P. E c.;
Z. ". tTanzoni, n. +. Shlpman, +. h. Hooe,
Thos. L. Hume, Danl. McFarlsn, ThOs. ]. Lut-
tren, Robert McMurray, J. H. Ingle, W. Z. Nc
lntyIe, J. g. Mcclure, A: q: Powers, SamL.
Bacon, A. H. Stephenson, H. o. Towles, ]. W.
Mckee, L. +. Shaihert, Thomas Russell and NJ
NJ. PoindeXter, were dressed in full regaIia and
appeared early at the hall. In eseorting and at
tending the ladies they found busy field of
operations, for although at nine the arrivals were
few and slow, still half an hour later not mem
Der OF the committee was idle. If mileage was
allowed them for the trips made from the side
walk to the entrance OF the ladies' retiring room
in escorting the fair ones, many of them would
receive a respectable sum of money to-day
W lille this was transpirfng near the main baiJ
tie Templars were assembling in their asylum,
on the fourth floor, and preparing for
TIE GRAND ENTREE TO THE DANCING HALL.
Each Sir Knight was dressed in full regaIIa. and
the brilliant jewels upon a black ground showed
TO excellent advantage. The old black uniform
for which Washington, No l, underwent priya.
tiOns, endured struggles and battled during the
past three years of her existence, lever looked
more handsome, and the admiration 1t received
on every side added another proof to the many
already bestowed on the COmmandery that It
was the Templar uniform par excellence. At g
O'Clock the Sir Knights, under the command Of
their Captain General, Robert Boyd, were
formed into line, and, after consuming little
time in receiving orders and short discipline for
" ward march was ordered and they proceeded to
In an adjoining room, among the Iavited guests,
had arrived Isaac L. johnson, NJ. ". Grand
Grand High Priest for this Jurisdiction; SIrs F.
NJ. Marshall, En-. CON-; +. q. Daniels Gen:
Will A. Short, Capt. Gen, Of Columbia, No. 2
COmmaDdeTy; Sirs J. II. Hood, En- Com; b. s
Hedrick, Gen; J. II. Schultz, Capt Gen, Of
Potomac. No. 8; Sirs J. P. Pearson, En-. Com:
Geo. b. Clark, Gen. NJ. n. Whitney, Capt Gen,
If De MOlay, No. 4, and others.
As they entered the dancing hall a calcium
Zig ut, located in the musicians gallery, threw a
blOOd-red color over every object in the room,
and gave fine effect to the appearance OF the
TemplaTs in regalia and the rich dresses of the
ladies' By the changing OF glasses during the
evening the cOlOTs were changed, and sometimes
1t would appear a soft moonlight scene-a haZy
moTn-and then bright sunset. This was, also,
an innovation on the former leVees, and one that
proved very eceptable
Alter marching and cOunter-marching, saluting
the Eminent Commander and GeneralissimO in
the east, and Showing proficiency in the Com
mandeTy manual, the Sir Knights were drawn
1910 line, and came 70 a present swords as the
guests Of the evening entered, and were con-
ducled to the east end Of the hall where
EMINENT COMMANDER BENNETT.
who had by his side Geueralissimo Z, O. Davis
addressed them as follows: A''''
II anOfQs me great pleasure to welcome the
Right MOrshiptul Grand Master Of the Grand
Lodge, the Most Excellent Grand High Prjest ~
the Grand Royal Arch Chapter, the Eminent
Commanders OF Columh ia, Potomac and De Mo-
lay Communicates Of Knights Templar. with
their omeers ana Knights, to the semi.centennisl
trust you will all pass an agreeable evening with
u.s.
At the conclusion Of his remarks the Emfnent
Commander returned to the Commandery and
made the following cOngratuIatOry speeeh:
SIR KNIGHTS: l congratulate Won uDOn the on-
eurrenee Of this our semi.eentenniaI ieyee, the
happy auspices under which we celebrate III the
harmony which exists in our body and the gen.
raj prosperity OF our Commander Commend 10
POUR especial care the guests ana the ladies and
who nave honored us with their pres
nee, and trust that you will aid me IN making
he evening pleasant and Agreeable 70 them,
He then turned 70 the large assemblage, and