The New York herald., 1879-12-13
THE MILLAIS WEDDING.
A WEDDING BALL INSTEAD OF BREAK
FAsT-BEAUTIEs AND cELEBRITrrs.

INNOVATION IN ENGLISH MARRIAGE CUSTOMS.
WEDDING BALL INSTEAD OF A BREAK
FAsT-BEAUTIEs AND cELEBRITrEs.
From the London World. Dec. 81
Viewed simply as a marriage. the marriage of Miss
Millais and "Willie' James in st. Peters, South
Kensington. on Friday morning last was, to quote
the comment of feminine spectator. go very pretty
MARRIAGE" The sacred edifce charmingly dec-
Grated with flowers. the dresses smart. the
bride at once beautiful and happy. the brides
maids were oomely, and all concerned kept their
heads in q most sensible and unaffected manner.
The bridegroom, having arrived with an early
promptness that betokened his eagerness for the
silken chain. took up attitude Of military alert
ness In front of the altar. or. nautical person
in the crowd termed it. eat the break Of the
poop" The crowd in the church was simply
unique. The whole gamut of the notsbilities
OF this island exhausted; soldiers and
artists, novelists and beauties poets of either
interpreted among peers, iehtingmen fresh from
Zululand dotted among Indies whose laurels have
bcen quite other lists. Scarcely face but it
WAS the keynote to some memorable association.
Among the minor episodes OF the wedding ceremony
were the unaccountable modesty Of Mr. William
Black and the somewhat indecorous, not to say ILL
mannered character of the notice bestowed on. and
not wholly enjoyed by. Mrs. Langtry Mr.. Black IL
% the q he %
fortune, rather than his fault perhaps that he has
been guilty OF some novels; and altogether there
seemed adequate reason for his herculean efforts
to plunge himself into obscurity.
WEDDING BALLS BREAKFAsTs
live now In hope to witness the early discom.
future Of that ghastly and spasmodic nfction. the
wedding breakfast. The Millais have courageously
laid the to the root OF that preposterous tree
which trust Will speedily utterly cumber
our social ground. 1t was a charming substitute
they rendered for it-a ball that sparkled with Q
brllisucy Of quito exceptional radiance II was o
feld night OF what has come to be called 'pro-
fessional beauties" All the rival queens were in
the arena aud some dispassonatey critical and im-
partial observers had ample confirmation OF the
view they have consistently held that there exists
much greater and sweeter beauty outside than in.
side tho pale of the conventional and accepted
beauties. Prcttier roses lurk under the foliage Of
private life than the blooms that faunt the
sun, aud challenge admiration IL It
their right Still tho universally recognized beau
ties charming. Mrs. Langtry, in paiest pos-
sible pink, trimmed with black looked Immensely
well; Mrs. G. West with bouquet like five o'clock
tea table. quite the biggest ever Mrs. Wheeler
Mrs. Macintosh aud Lady Walter Campbell. perhaps
the handsomest of all. Mr.. Mlais' studio was
turned into q ballroom, and II must be admitted
that beautiful studio makes delightful ballroom.
Till long after midnight the rooms were too crowded
for much dancing: but. indeed, In throng SO
varied composed of notabilities OF every Kind SO
brilliantly Kaleidoscope In its many-s sided pic
turesqueness IL must have been felt by most that IL
WAS q waste of time to dance. You may oance any
night. Not twice in . lifetime will you sec SO nots
worthy an asscmblage as that which thronged Mrs.
raceptou rooms the night OF Friday last