New-York tribune., 1881-03-28
FASHIONABLE. LIFE IN FLORENCE.
NovEI, sCENEs AT A BAIL.

NOVEL SCENES AT A BALL.
,Ap,rs IN TEE SMOKING RoOM-NOT GOING HOME
TILL MORNING. AND AFTER BREAKFAST AT THAT.
TFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRiBuNE'
FuoRKNcE, Italy. March 4.-To the stranger IN
Italian society. a fashionable ball in this city of
beauty and art presents many phases OF social ell
opett, mt once novel and picturesque. The invita-
tion consists of an ordinary card. with At Home "
written or printed in one corner. with the hour,
probably o or 10 O'clock. On the guests arrival.
even as late as O'CLOCK ne is handed No. 2, for
his carriage Ladies' and gentlemen are alike
nsbered into q great hall or antecbamber, sOn'e-
times ON the ground floor. sometimes on the first,
and are waited on by the same attendants. and the
Aeecy delicate wraps of the iadies are ranged be-
aide the rougher garments of the sterneI sex.
There IL SELDOM mirror before which belle can
nose and exasperate her escort by OBTAINING him IN
the drauahts of the corridor TO take the chances OF
catching sey ere cold. Next. ascent Is made by an
immensely wide. carpeted stairway, Dordereh oh
e;ther aide by q wall of blooming azalea AMI
iapouica trees, such are only seen elsewhere NJ
the great balls In Paris, to the drawing-room door,
W here the bost and hostess are always IN waiting
to welcome their guests. who, on being received.
nass alons to explore tue line of brilliantly lighted
salons before the crowd fills them' or seat thein
ae,v,, in feminine row against the wall, 60 OBJ
aud CRITICIZE tH0 RuCotS an th'J hii'O' ANS"
svraps cakes, and tea aud sandwiches are dis
penSsd from a table bunet in the dining room
until snpper is served by a throng of gayly-hv-
cried laekeys and refreshments are never expected
tn be furnished beyond the dining groom door. In
some very large houses have found as many rs
dozen small tables provided, besides one extending
the entire length of the enormous dining room 30
that at least a hundred guests were comfortably
seated mt a time. hottie oi champagne II placed
at each plate as was the custom at the Tuerles AT
those gJand entertainments given by Napoleon ILL.,
A smoking rom IL open the entire evening, and as
Inueh freaue nted by ladies rs gentlemen. When
first saw this it nearly took my breath away
don't mesn the smoke. which was dense, however ;
but was appalled, at q cnstoIr that has become TOO
familiar In Europe to create surprise except among
strangers. One English lady of high social rank
even brought her cigarette out into the drawing
room and puffed away among the dancers, entirely
at ease and exciting comment whatever.
The belles of Florence have great beauty and
fascination aud certainly our own countryw women
and many Of the EngIsh ale as much admired.
Everybody seems to dress well, but the display OF
family jewels among the Italian aristOcIacy 10
something fabulous. They are always lnileIiteu oS
the eldest son, whose wife has particularly gOod
time displaying them rs long as she lives. and then
alas they are to ilunine the shoulders OF the ever
dreaded daughter-in. law. After the supper ana
during cotllOn refreshments are passed around ana
partaken of freely and at or later IN the morning
n hot breakfast Tefreshes the guests, whose car
rages have been ordered at TO- OF IN some cases not
until noon | know an instance OF gentleman
who lett his wife at o'clock TO dance, went nome
10 bed and caue back to breakfast with her at D
o'clock on hot coffee, chops, green peas and otaer
deicaces OF the season You VIII hardly reallze
such state Of social excess. but il is an entirely
true picture and given ms by the LADY who herself
gave the ENTERTAINMENT referred TO. The women
who give themselves up 10 this life OF s0-called
pleasure night after night expect to sleep all day
until time To dress and lunch and dine, and make
few late calls btst before o'clock dinner, aiter
another midnight carousal. married belle has
usually live admirers who contract TO 1ce with
no one bu herself and her dancing steps aie equally
crcurnscribed There are enough men. however.
who's feet are free to fly around with the young
maidens OF other married ladies who wish to give
or receive only general attention.