The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-02
A BALL AT DELMONlC0'S


tional CONFUSION had reached their cul-
mnnung point. Tue hush Of horor the
agony of suspense. which at the first out
break held the nation brcathleSs, had sub
sided. ana reaction had set IN. lh9 war
was accepted ~ fact; its chances. victo
res, and defeats had become - matter of
speculation. new field for prof. little
more.
new element has risen to the SURFACE
Of society-uot the shdody aristotrncy' o.
whom so much was said but very httlr
really seen, but an nristocracy OF wall
street.-The bulls and the bears-inen who
speculntcd on the fortunes OF the war.
and whom single day made beggais or
millonaires. Never was the gambling
spirit so frlghtfully prevalent. Women,
as well as men, had caught the Infection;
aud the Fifth Avenue Hotel ut night re-
Elected 10 late hour the scenes enacted In
Wall and Broad streets during the day.
Nor was this reckless spirit without its
reflection In the gay world. There, rs
elsewhere, was found the lux effrene
which Is one of the worst symptoms of de
cadence. Those land their name was lie
gionj who felt that they were to-day roll
lug in wealth while the morrow might
sweep their every possession into the gulf,
took an insane pleasure In astounding the
world by the splendor OF their entertain
ments. the reckleSsncss of their lives, and
their disregard OF everything beyond the
present moment. Never were the balls
more numerous. more splendid, and more
throngcd; never was society more bril-
liant, more heartless, more hollow.
With the decay OF principle which un-
derlay all this had grown up the wing
for the OLD and the exceptional. 1t was
not enough that the toilet OF n reigning
belle should surpass all Others in costli-
ness and beauty; 1t was nothing IL not
oOnspicously eccentric The fashions of
the last century were revlved-powder,
patches and the various accessories; only
the powder was OF gold and silver and the
head tire perhaps series of gas jets blaz-
Ing on the head OF the wearer. In word
society had become fast-fast In dress. fast
III manners, fast In tastc-terribly fast in
its firtauons; for the moral tone kept
even pace with the general social demon
alzation.
In those days society In New York
changes so rapidly, and IN so many re-
spects has changed, we hope for the bet
Ter, since that period, that we may speak
in these terms even OF so recent a date
society had ITS queens-sovereigns Of
day, whose reiglls, though necessarily
brief (tor some sudden reverse in fortune,
or some novel deN elopnent OF eccentricity
III the person Of "a rival, usually eXtiu-
giisf ed their career before the close of
second season., " ere, so long as they last
ed, despotc.
The queen of society in the winter Of
1863 was Augusta DE Lancey. Eight-and
twenty years of age. she had been six
years widow; aud this, the second season
of her temperance in the gay world,
found her welding "A dominant social IN
fiuence.
1t would be difficult TO convey by de-
ecIiptiOu the idea OF q person whose prln-
ciple fascination consisted in the indetina-
BILE charm which some women exert with
out apparent CONSCIOUSNESS, and which tie
fees ANALYSIS, a dethroned queen, whom
Mrs. DE Iancey had supplanted, malici-
ously described her rs "A small person
with insignificant features, and altogether
TOO much hair and eyes"
Although this description was literally
correct, 1t altogether fuiled in its point
for there was that in Mrs. De Laucey
which went beyond form or feature. AL
though rather below the middle stature,
She produced the fleet of height; the fea-
lures, which were III themselves not re-
Inarkable, became striking from their
constant play, aud 4 ON the perpetual
variety produced IN them 10y the different
arrangement o her wealth OF dark brown
hartman which was never even in color
the same for ten days in succession,
thanks 10 the capricious variety OF pow
ders which the iilsliOn of the tunes al
lowed.
But the great charm OF Augusta De Ian
COY was IN her manner-a charm which
was felt and recognized even by her own
sex. When she entered ball room every
eve was directed to her. Young girls
paused IN Their dancing. married women
n thpir nirfnflOn6. Wull n few
ouvred TO be in the hall when she arrived,
to study the device of the outer wrap
pings, which She wore with coquettish
grace which rendered them even more IL
Tesistible than the rich fabrics they were
Intended to protect
Mrs. DE Lancey understood perfectly the
world with which she had to deal. VIII {
fascinating everybody with the gracious
ness of her manner, having winning
emile and pleasant word for all. she new
Ell allowed Lersef the dangerous luxury
OF II female friend.
Neither did she aspire to tho perilous pO-
Eiton OF wit. Although few cleverer
women existed IN The sphere TO which she
belonged. she well understood that the
perfection OF art was 10 conceal art there
1lre shr seldom INDUCED her natural love
of repartee. With her own sex she con-
fued herself TO studied commOnplaces,
but commonplace which cen,ed TO appear
such when uttered by her
The one eCcentrlcIty i'm which she in
here again she understood the secret OF
stimulating the interest of those around
her by never fulhluug theIr expectations
If she had dazZled one evening by a toilet
OF peculiar bnlliancy, assured OF calling
forth n dozen limitations, on the next oc-
casion II was probable that she would ap-
pear III q costume of such ravlshlng SIM
plicity AS TO tempt every beloider TO for
swear thenceIorth all richness or display
in dress.
In u word. Augusta De Lancey was az
artist, and, like all artlsts, never forgot
the theatre on which she was TO 10 appear
or the audience which IL was her province
a. subdue.
Much interest had been felt and express
ell as to how Mrs De Lancey would appear
Nj the grand subscription ball at Delnoni-
co.'s which was 10 be the crown
ing event of the season. Delmonico',
balls were at that time novelty
People sun crowded their dear Ave
hundred friends into houses not large
enough to hold half the number, anu
expected them 10 lind enjoyment I'm d
glare OF gasllght, IL din OF music, ana an
inter imposslbllity OF locomotIou except
Tor the lew Young and vigorous dAnceir
VINO held undlsputed possession of the
door.