Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-03-02
Our Now York Letter.
New York, Feb 25th, 1876.
Starting the Centennial = The
Biggest Tea-Party on
Record.

and the ball may now be consider
ed opened. WashingtonS birth
day was the time, and the occa-
sion referred to was what was
called grand Centennial Tea
Party, but Which, in reality, was
nothing more nor less than mon
ster bali with a tea-party attach.
ment." The scene was the group
ot halls on Fourteenth street and
Irving Place, all three Of which
were connected for the evening"
The tickets were great steel en-
cravings something less than a
foot square, filled with scenes and
enbiems a century ago. Most of
this mammoth ''paste, board"
whose size beftted the scale upon
which the whole affair was plann-
| cd, was intended to be kept by
/ the holder as a souvenir, the real
card Of admission being a narrow
( perforated coupon bearing the
/ password Of the year with which
we are all getting familiar by de-
greeo | won't repeat il here, but
will just hint that it commences
with & and ends with y. The
Academy OF Music, which is the
largest auditorium in the city, was
the main hall, and this was con-
uectt d on one side with Nilsson
Hall, appropriately draped and
used rs a supper-room, and on the
other, by a temporary enclosed
bridge thrown across the street.
with Irving Hall used for a tea
room, and for the display of revo-
Iutiouary relics. Early in the
evening the guests began to choke
| the main entrance, and for more
than two ho3rs continued to pour
into the place, until it looked very
much as though all the carriages
north Of Mason and Dixon's line
were congregated in the streets
leading to the center of attraction.
The order Of exercises was quite
| elab rate. At ten o'clock the Cur
taiu Of tn. Academy rose, diSclo-
sing large chorus and orchestra,
which at once commenced the per
Torrance of a hymn written fer
the occasion. This ended, the
singers dispersed, and a dozen
couple, attired after the most COR
geous fashion of the last century,
slowly advanced upon the par
quette, which was hpored over e
ven with the stage, and danced
the stately minuet of that period
with the utmost grace. This O.
yer, there followed the grand en-
tree, one procession being headed
by Rear admiral Rowan and Mrs.
John c. Fremont, and the other
by Gov. Tilden and the Mayor of
New York. When these process,
SONS were over, the acres Of pol
ished floor were speedily filled
with guests and the danci 6 COM
menced.
In addition TO the distinguished
personages above-named, there
were present a large number of
other prominent soldiers and CT
villains. Mr.. Frank Leslie, with
his beautiful wife. one of the most
elegant ladies' in New York socie,
ty, occupied proscenium box and
was surrounded by IA brilliant cote
RE Of ladies and literary persona
PES. the bright particular star be-
ing Mr.. Joaquin Miller. As no
ticed in a previous letter, these
gentlemen have recently assumed
the relation Of author and publish,
er Mr.. Miller, by bis new novel,
"The Pink Countess" having con-
tributed in no small degree TO the
phenomenal success of the "Popu.
lar Monthly" which was, perhaps,
the boldest, most daring literary
enterprise, not only in Mr.. Leslie's
career, but in the whole history of
American publishing. 1t remains
mystery, even to the trade, how
a magazine of l2S pages and 100
illustrations, GIN be afforded for
twenty cents, especially when a
portion of the contents costs as
much as this new novel. The
exact sum paid for "The Pink
Countess" is not divulged, but it
is known to be very large. Only
two numbers of the "Monthly"I
have appeared so far, and yet there
are today over a hundred thou
sand readers impatiently. waitingI
the coming issue with its mine Of
miscellaneous treasures, and the
continuation of the graphic and
romantic tale just mentioned. :
No small proportion of the inter
est which attaches to this romance,
arises from the conviction which
the opening chapters carried that
the poets own secret life is but
thinly yelled in the experiences
of his hero. RADIX.