The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-21
The Cercle de rHarmOnie Trip the Light
Fantastic at the Academy.
SCENES OF ExUBERANT JoLLITY
Masks and Dominos Whirng in the
Mazes of the Waltz.

which, if at times rather pronounced, had the
merit of life aud sparkle and dash of fun ut all
events Insisting upon it that hard times gone
and an era OF renewed prosperity is come. tho jolly
members the cheerful cercie resolved to make the
ball of 1879 memorable in its annals and tho
feature par erccllence of the dancing season.
Within ten days after the announcement OF
the ball every box sold and tickets were
III demand. Yesterday boxes could not be had for
love or money and tickets were at a premium.
There never has been general an interest In the
bali before, and of the thirteen publications.
that preceded tins approached it in hilarity or
equalled its success.
gnizing the amportant fact that of all fea-
lures the human features thu most interesting
and the most attractive. the committee wisely con-
cludcd dispense with gorgeous hangngs, elaborate
sets and expensive decorations. Gordon, the ma
chinst, and White. the gas man, put their heads
together and evolved the one design Of the enter
tainment--an immense gas pipe Frame from
which, in a round of blazing jets. famed out tn le
gend, "Cercle FRANCHISE de Harmonic 1879" Other
wise. save ten twelve vases filled with rare
exotics and number OF hanging chandeliers, there
was nothing in the preparation of the Academic
interior to tnguish from its customary appear
THE FRENCH IRREGULARITIES.
As the Liederkranz and Arion differ radically from
the Charity and Old Guard balls. does the French
ball rejoc. peculartes that make it generis.
1t alone depends upon the people who attend it for
its success; the others make much Of decorations
and more OF PROFESSIONS.
AS the clock announced the hour of quarter to
eleven 100 musicians. led by NJ Schwab the chef dor
cbestre filed into the upper gallery and opened pro-
ceedings by the stirring overture OF la Muetc de
Portici' which was followed by grand march In
an instant tine floor filled with masked men and
wigged women. to whom very neatly printed order
of dancing distributed by ushers. Enthusiastically
attired.
Although the foor tolerably well filed by the
time the grand march had been played second time
the maskers very backward in going forward.
and some delay occurred in forming the
pie are easily excited and the jolly strains
OF LA Belle Poule started the currents
in their veins, and soon the s saeaidoscopic
tion The CHER set was composed by Mephis-
tophclcs and his companions. who kept the observers
in constant of laughter frequently interrupted
by thunders of applause. Whether the Satan of the
occasion was gymnast by profession or for his own
he OF the features of the occasion and did
more TO open the ball with spirit than all the rest
combined
Another very quaint and picturesque quadre
formed by party of Chinese, or whom the ladies
were particularly and uniquely out1e. They omitted
steps but took every one in the most conscien-
tious manner. Although comparatively early in the
evening" the entire d set Were as Jolly as gss ana
on. And, by the way, the French ball at
the French ball at two in the morning fresh laid
egg IS like hot and steaming omelet. Nothing
could be more decorous than the way in which this
ball was opened In fact, 1t rather more than bor
dered on the grotesquely Puritanic; but after the
ddnse comique the scenes were-but of that The
second dance-a waltz-was accompanied by pecu
liarly sweet and tender melody that not only in
vited the sentimental to turn, but prompted
the hilarious to sport. For the first time public
the new mode of waltzing INDUCED. Standing
face to face, the couples embrace and proceed. AS
the dance progresses the spectacle becomes embar-
rassing and it is difficult to understand how modest
men and sensitive women are willing to permit and
submit to such absurdies at the dictum of fashion,
ktfsf HOY NAV
tolerable as at present it appears ridiculous not to
say outrageous.
As masked balls are never by any chance novel or
in their developments. so it must be recorded
nothing especially strange The old noses,
jugglers. Cinnamon, flower girls. devils. comiques,
Yankees. impossible Indians. harlequins, monkeys
and brigands were on duty in iull force
and as uncomfortable they usually
reny in to on on especially
OF fantastic and grotesque apparel was noticeable
noweyer ,ha we IN, IN, nrenen b
of the rational German they also invested their par
tcipaton with grace OF abandon that made the
scene particularly enjoyable Down to hour OF the
the appearance OF the Caron troupe there not
incident of rudeness or violation of courtesy.
LIES ASTiPoDEs."
The programme announced at the hour of one
donse com,que called Les Antipodes.' Long before
that hour the Academy was packed Gsons supper
room overrun. the boxes filed the
amphitheatre was entirely occupied, sleighing par
sent in their quotas. and the smart young men in
dog collars and an elaborate condition of riz as to
hair were lending their social instincts to the general
gayety. At the conclusion OF the ''Darbe-Ilen" qua
drille danced. by the way with general heartiness
that shook the floor and reminded one of the
unanimity OF old-fashioned camp meeting,
the floor cleared. and led by the chef NJ. Caution,
sixteen grotesques bounded on the floor. In an
instant the apposteDess Of the title was Lies
Antipodes" consist of fantastic costumes. by which
the dancers appear TO be dancing their hands with
their feet in the air
Wen. il ever a few thousand people laughed them
selves hosrse they did itat LES Antipodcs." They
were as agile as apes and as 1.-the serpents. They
Kicked high above each others heads, they turned
like tops they bent backwards like the yielding will
lows They were applanded and encored to the echo.
ana when, exhausted and flushed with their work,
they retired, the cheers and paudits of roaring
At halfpast twelve the floor was more crowded than
at any other time. Delegations from Philadelphia.
Brooklyn and other provincial places added their
sciniillaons TO the general briancy, and IL IT had
not been for the Gisonan attractions of Nilsson
Hall. by which the crowd somewhat dimin-
isled, the pressure would have been unbearabie.
Elegant costumes began to be in the prosccniun
boxes and some of theta the floor. The corridors
were transformed into Irritation corners and the
stairways leading to the boxes-well. they
lm9' mono by young. very young people VINO
eye was on them or not
At O'Clock the ball was a maze OF jumping,
laughing jollihers. As the hour OF two drew
the throng was even denser than ut midnight The
dancing was dclrlous. The dancers were begin.
ming 70 feel the effects OF supper music aud
companionshp. All endeavor 70 keep within
the limits of custom stayed. While there
hOthnnS WnatrNcr AZ WHICH OFFENCE could be taken,
there much that sturdy New England farmers
might call fast and Martha Neutrality-suspicious. would be
likely to call inebriation.
The new secretary Of tho Academy, Mr.. Fowler.
entertained friends in his private Office. and the
Dinsmorc-Ioey set in the large proscenium
box we're oycrrun by jovial masquers. who
gladly accepted their hospitality For a won
der the supper well served. There was
enc notable Improvement Instead Of having In the
supper hall long tables at which and women sit
and fight for food Mr. ellison set the with little
tables az which parties were served decently II not in
order.
At two o'clock the oddities aforementioned
dancsd the quadrc "Equostrc." Each one
mounted his horse plunged rccklessy in tile
dance, and started the ball Ut uproar and
fun The confusion lasted about twenty minutes,
and the scene was indcscribsble medley Of non
sense. grace and dcvitry.
At half-past two the ball at its zenith and Its
zenith the perfection OF jollihcation.
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NA.r RlrspANs IDI EOR SIggAN