The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-23

cheaper rate Of admission and in halls OF lower
| category, some disorderly elements will COCA
sionally Introduce Themselves but at the two
balls which had an opportunity OF seeing Uast
years Liederkranz and this years French BATH,
did not see anything which would Justify the
aDprehensiOus Of the guardians OF peace and
order. The payment Of ten and fifteen dollars
admission If In Itself guarantee that particu-
larry rough elements are eliminated from the
assemblagc. At all events, on neither occasion
was there a eight, or any disturbance and al
though several thousand persons were congtc-
gated. police officer, Of whom inquired. was
unable to give me more than one instance Of
stolen watch. Under such circumstances, the
exuberance OF legislative and regulatve zeal OF
the Police Commissioners comes clearly within
the limits Of what Herbert Spencer calls over
legislation.
The discredt thrown upon all masquerados in
this country has made Of the fashionable Euro
pean entertainment something very nearly ap-
pro ching dsreputable spree. Though large
number of women attend them, but verv few
ladies ever venture TO see masked ball even
from a private box. On Thursday night the
proscenium boxes we're all occupied bv men.
There was one full OF Wall street brokers,
one fun Of Union Club fellows. one fun
OF local politicians, aud one more full
OF Spaniards; but the ladies who were
now and then to be seen in these boxes
were mere casual visitors. Nearly all the rest OF
the numerous boxes OF the circle we're empty.
The can-can Of the hired dancers was just g
loose as 1t Is n any city OF Europe 90 similar
occasions while the fun and merriment OF the
crowd were incomparably less genuine.
Upon the whole, neither the Liederkranz nor
the Cerce dc l'IIarmonle balls can bear any COM
parson whatever with the lrst-cass masked balls
ofParis, Vienna, or st. Petersburg. The costumes
are clumsy and shabby. There were not more
than half dozen elegant or tasteful domlnoes
In the whole gathering of Thursday last, and not
one fancy costume that could have been called
handsome The music was very good, and the
amiable managers evidently did their best both
to preserve order and to render the entertain
ment attractive; but they proved unable to Oh
tain anything better than poor imitation OF the
popular masqueradcs Of Chdtelet, patronized
chiefly by minors, washerwomen, students,
and small clerks.
II there was any fun at all to he seen, It was
in the basement, transformed on that occasion
into gigantic wine room. There a large num-
Der Of tame lions OF Wall street and Fifth ave-
nue. could be seen exhibiting lively illustration
OF the fact that with the American citizen Of
even the polished classes the word "spree" or
bdmbOche means not occasional indulgence
In lively merry escapade, but solely the prac-
tice of getting drunk on bad champagne,
and as soon after midnight as is in any way
possible.
fancy that on Friday morning largo number
OF these elegant gentlemen experienced consid-
cradle hair pulling (mdl dir cherctr, as the
French call ~. for the champagne, supplied by
firm particularly patronized by the ball au-
thorities, was OF a decidedly beadachy nature.