The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-04-21
The Liliputiau Masquerade.

The Liliputian Masquerade.
We are hardly antiquarian enough to go back
to the origin OF masqucrades and tell who III.
vented that species OF amusement; but the IN
yenton is SO old that its use seems to be inner
ent in mans naturc-he wears or at least Tries
to wear, Il mask from the time he deserves MS
first spanking till he drops into the grave.
The masquerade has been fayorltc anuse-
ment for many centuries, and especially during
the fantastic reign of chivalry when the arlstoe-
racy took special delight III masked pageant'
&c. Probably our indoor masqueradcs are
relic Of the once popular Mosques" those
theatrical exhibitions in preparing when LOT the
Court lingo Jones, Ben johnson, and others
showed so much skill. Aud when before the
blaze of such genius as that of Shakespeare and
the other stars OF the Elizabethan Age, the eio-
quence Of Mosques" as Ben johnson styles IL,
like the mist, faded away; yet as it sometimes
happens in the history Of national amusemcnts
that the name survives while the thing itself is
forgotten, would it be too violent stretch Of
probability to assign the "Masque' as the orr
gin of our nasquerades?
However, we suppose not one OF the oo or "
| liliputian maskers at Wlliss academy on Friday
evening, April 18th, cared cookie whether the
Greek, the Ang lo.Saxon or Willis invented the
treat, and their anxious mammas thought less oil
IL than they did,-the only thought OF the little
ones beng to be present and of the mammas or
older sisters to have them look as pretty as pos
sbe, which they certainly did
About o'clock we struggled into the hall, to
find from 200 to 800 other spectators present,
and almost every available seat occupied. In
point of attendance, the entertainment was
fully up to last year; it remained to be seen how
the little ones would appear. Shortly the or
chestra struck up the grand march, and the
doors of the ante-room having been thrown open
out troupcd lads and lasses in
u dresses splendid but fantastical,
Masks OF all times and nations, Turks and Jews
And harequins and clowns with feats gylnnaS.
teal,
I Greek, Romans, Yankeedoodles and Hindoos,
&C.. as Byron hath it, or words to that eflect-a
lovely sight. few rounds of the hall were
made, and they formed neatly and gracefully for
the opening quadrille. And while they are dane
ing, let us look at them. There are scarcely any
4 funny or ridiculous costumes among these Ill
iputian young ladies. However the boys may
think on the subject, few young ladies, or older
ones either, like to make clowns of themselves
even at 4 mas cradc. So the little ladies were
all in pretty costumes. The first to hold our eye
is Nellie Cliff, as Cleaner" or as we prefer tc
= call her. the per5onilcation of Plenty. She is
dressed in black velvet, trimmed with boards Of
wheat, with a sheaf of wheat and sickle hang
ing from the girdle; Mother Hubbard hat Ii
certainly is an exquisite costume,
Next is "a Flower Girl, Mabel Trumbo, in white
with pink ribbons and profusion of flowers
another pretty costume.
And still an other-Summer, in white tarlatan
with long veil and sprays Of flowers, BY top.
pic' Brown.
y Anumber are anticipating young womanhood
( As yet hardly
STANDING with reluctant feet
Where the brook and the river meet"
as in Longfellows exquisite poem, they are zen
Q trancingly arrayed" in the garb of the matureC
belle and wear oil her dignity. There are Flor
< ence Nash--in pink tarlatan, cut en- traiDe with
with the latest Improvements, pink plumes, flow
. ers and pearl jcwery; Birdie Hapeman, IN greer
S satin waist and overskirt, cut en- trains, lac,
trimmings and flowers, hair in puff5; Carrie Til
4 lotsen in blue silk, tarlatan trimmings and flow
0 ers at the neck and in the hair Luie Tozcr il
| black, velvet jacket demi sleeves and heav.
y scarlet sash, hair powdered. All were very pref
II ty and acted their parts splendidly. Then there
: Luie Lynch as Italian Street Musician in RET
; skirt, black velvet jacket, red cap, with minut
balls around the skirt and cap and accordion las
tened to her belt.
n Noble Hull, in white tarlatan as Ballet Girl
:. Martha w. Brown us Summer
r. Josie Rhodes as Girl of the Period
i Maggie Wood, as Skating Girl.
4 Emma Cliff as Queen of Hearts.
II Julia Bushnell us Skating Girl.
e. Hattie Holecker as Spring.
g Carrie Raymond as Autumn.
: Eta Card as Scotch Laddie.
Y Eva Bernhard as Indian Woman.
Evallne Hathaway as Riding Girl.
d Mae Essecks of Philadelphia, in pink domino
. Sarah Cowell as Russian Peasant Girl,
@ Nellie Alschuler as Gypsy
Il Be-, Meigs as Fortune Teller.
q Aulic Miller as Indian Woman.
- Ka.'c McCaleb as Pigrim-in black with rec
- and id crosses and staff. She danced SO so
i emu, while in costume that we thought her il
Z decd pilgrim at heart and as though she wa
;. out # her sphere in so mundane compan,
c though she could /" go through the motions" a
IS gracefully as the best of them.
:. Edna Lewis in a pretty fancy costume.
Edna Mccain as Folly.
Sallie Waltman as Flower Girl in blue owe
dress, white tarlatan trimmings and flowers.
It Fanny Waterman and Eta Raymond as Ffenc
s. Peddler Women.
Annie Hathaway as Mother Hubbard, in re
/ underdress, green tunic, and black velvet boz
e ice; high hat and frillcd cap.