St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-03-03
Our New York Letter.

GEST TEA-PARTY ON RECORD ,0Ot
DANCERs-THE DEFUNCT COUNCIL
BOWEN BOLTS.
New YORK, Feb. 25th. 1876.
To the Editor Of the CdiedOnian
The past week has witnessed the frs
great Centennial occasion of the hi.
Centennial year, and the ball may now
be considered opened. Washington.
birthday was the time, and the occasion
referred to was what was called IL grand
Centennial Tca-PartN, but which, il
reality, was nothing more or less than
IL monster ball with II tea-party '';ittach-
ment." The scene was the group oi
halls on Fourteenth street and Irving
Place, all three of which were connected
for the evening. The tickets were great
steel engIavingS something less than
IL foot square. filled with scenes and
emhlenIS of century ago. Most of this
mammoth ''pasteboard." whose size be
fitted the scale upon which the whole
affair WAS planned, VAS intended to he
real card of admission being il narrow
perforated coupon hearing the password
of the year. with which we are all get
ting familiar by degrees. q won't re
peat ii here. but will just hint that it
commences with & and ends with ~
The Academy of Music. which is the
largest auditorium in the city. was the
main hall. and this WIS connected on
one side with Nilsson Hall. appropriate
~ dlaped and used ;I> Il >uppcr-room.
and on the other. 10y Il temporary en-
closed bridge thrown across the street,
with Irving Hall used tor Il tt;I-IoouI.
and tor the display ct revolutionary
lrlic>. Early in the evening the guests
began to choke the main entrance. and
for more than two hours continued To
pour into the place. until it looked very
much ~ though all the carriages north
of Mason and DiNoiI'> line were rnHgTc-
gated in the streets leading to the cen
tire of attraction. The order of t\cI-
ci>r> WAS quite clah"ratc. At ten o'clock
the curtain of thu, Academy rose. dis
which At once commenced the perform
ancr OF Il Ii mn written tor the occasion.
| It- ..p,I..I I.. ii anal
IL dozen couple. attircd after the most
gorgeous fashion OF the last century.
slowly advanced upon the parJucttr.
which was fiourcd over even with the
stage. and danced the Statel, mimuct OF
that period with the utmost grace.
This over. there followed the grand
cnfytr. one PROGRESSION being headed 10y
Rear admiral Rowan, and Mrs. John &.
Fremont. and the other 10y Gov. Tilden
and the Mayor of New York. When
these PROFESSIONS We're over. the acres
of polished floor were speedily filled
with guests and the dancing commence
ed.
Ia addition to the distinguished per
above named. there were pres
rnt Il laIgr number of other prominent
soldiers and civilians. Nh Frank Les
lie. with his beautiful wife. one of the
most elegant ladies in New York sucIc-
IH. occupied II pl">cenium box and Was
10y Il brilliant cuteIie of
ladies' and literary prrsonages. the bright
particular star being joaquin Miller
rs noticed III Il previous letter. these
gentlemen have recently assumed the
relation of author and publisher Mr.
Miller, by his new novel, The Pink
'omnteSs,' having contributed in 10
:mlll degree t" the phenomenal success
If the ''P"pnlar Monthly" which was
perhaps. the boldest. most daring lit
.rary enterprise. not only in Mr. LeSlir's
'areer. but i'll the whole history of
american publishing. 1t remains Il mys-
cry, even to the trade. how il magazine
If l2s pages and 100 illustrations. can
~
When Il portion of the contents costs us
much as this new novel. The exact sum
Iaid the author for 1.-The Pink Coun-
ess' is not divulged, but it is known to
,e very large. Only two numbers of
he "Monthly" have appeared 50 far.
md vet there are to-day over Il hundred
thousand readers impatirntly waiting
he coming issue with its mine of mis-
ellaneous treasures, and the continual !
ion of the graphic and romantic tale |
ust mentioned. No small proportion
If the interest which attaches to this !
omancc, rises from the conviction which
he opening chapters CARRIED that the |
POETS own secret life is but thinly veil !
'd in the experiences of his hero.
But to return to the festivities. The |
number present by midnight could not
rave been less than 5000, and the scene
was gorgeous in the extreme.
he floor. boxes, corridors. and adjacent
lallS were one mass of brilliancv and
beauty. Your correspondent was never
much of "JcnkinS :" IN fact he is the
'hject of much snubbing from his fe-
male relatives on account of his uncer-
ainty as to whether any particular
rticle of feminine apparel WAS tiounccd
even or eight times, or whether il WAS
Mt bias or trimmed end-wiSe bnt il
lid not require the practiced eye of
ociety reporter to appreciate the be-
enhancement of fair women's |
harms which the sumptuous costumes
Itf'"rded. 1t looked far more like a
Il. 4 II. N,..l... IL