Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-01-27
THE BAL MAsoUE.
Ninth Annual Masked Ball Of the Eureka
Social Club.

/ on his coat, surveyed his Wofk anu pro
ropncad Is done. The committees glse
fully rubbsd their hands with satisfaction
and congratulated Boyne, and then turned
from the brilliancy of the decorations to re,
ca;ve the great crowd of quests that began tc
nonr through the Pavilion doors at an early
hour last evening, to witness and to take part
I in the ninth annual masquerade Of the Eu.
reka Social Club. The Pavilion never looked
better; the decorations were never finer; the
spectacle was one of brilliaucy and Of charm.
| ing effect. The hoor of the great hall was
canvasej, and from the plane of its white
surface on either side rose half way up the
walls terraced seats, clad in snowy drapery,
against which the gaudy and varied colors,
the gold and silver leaf, the flaming stream
era, the mammoth caricature sketches, as
against contrasting background, stood
out with augmented brilliancy. The
general tone of the decoration was on a
high KEY, If transposed into melody it
world have been that for the wild and exhil-
arating whirl of the dance. The style was q
strange interm:ngling of designs in bric-a-
brac, tropical luxury, Egyptian architecture,
oriental imagery, fairy grotto and cave-hke
glamour and dazzling glitter, all comingled,
and with the whole, strangely lntermlxej.
the staid but graceful sweep OF the dignIhed
banners OF great nations, with here and there
sprinkliug of the grotesque from burlesque
onsra and the scenic improbabilities of the
| staqe-in short. it was bric-a-b brac, and with
A vengeance. the strangest. widest and most
| fauciful mixing.up of things unlike lmagina-
BILE; but exactly in keeping with the revel
and carouse Of the night, the mysterious
masking and outre costunling and grotesque
grouping, to say nothing OF the marvellous
! exhibition Of strange faucies, as made mani
fest BIZ some Of the creations OF the
evening. The side walls each bore seven
mammoth cartoons, separated by panels IN
red and gold, with hourished and scroll like
ornamentation, and hanked by antique col
umus with bric-a, brac angular bands, and
Canned by PLAQUES of like design in black and
cold and red and gold. Above these ran a
| deep friezs and cornice combined, made up of
pay banners, bannerets, national colors.
streamers. etc. The ceiling, from wall to
wall. was hung with lines of banners bearing
the coats of arms of all the nations of the
plobe. From the center numerous broad
streamers depended, and were caught up at
distant points, thus forming huge canopy.
below which swung many large baskets of
artificial Fl lwers. The windows and open
arches of the walls were closed by tie folds
of many very large American fiags. At the
head of the hall, the south end, the
decoration consisted of an imitation of
masonry-wall in white, broken into three
terraces, with an alcove for the band in the
lower one, and beneath which was the main
entrance to the hall. The trimmings were
red and white and gold below, and gold and
black above. The upper terrace bore simili-
tude to an ancient castle wall, with OIL
famine and other devices, and was crowned
with five towers. The middle terrace bore a
gold and silver and scarlet lambrequin, or
edging. The face OF these walls bore panels
and designs Of brie-a-brac character some
extravagant. some very graceful and
delicate, ali surrounded by festoons of
dark red drapery. But at the north cad It, the
triumph of the decorators art was seen. The
false wall here cut off some fifteen feet OF the
depth of the hail. Frst from the floor
came to view the design representing crys-
tai cave. such as the Naiad Queen was sup.
posed to occupy. The view was through
twelve arches of glittering stones and shells
and fanciful coral work. and pearl and pre-
cious gems. initiated SO nicely as to make up
one OF the very best Of scenic effects. Behind
each arch were other arches retreating in
perspective, and conveying the idea OF great
depth distance to these grottos. The CEN
tral one. wider than the Others was in reality
twice the depth and the most brilliantly
worked out Of all. Over all these grotto
arches was wall of glistening sea
shells and mother of pearl. with flashing
silver and gold surfaces. In the span
Of each arch swung grotesque and glittering
fishes of the deep sea. Above the whole was
the deep blue of the ocean, on which rode
Cleopatra's royal barge, resplendent in gold
and silver, and rich in all the hues of known
colors-its siken sails filed, its rigging taus,
and the whole scene so set as to give the I'M
preston that the barge was sailing boldly out
toward the spectator. just behind, and on
either side, were the conveys of the royal
vessel. Beyond the blue sea, with its silver
tipped waves, were distant shores on which,
in very handsome design mot painting alonel
arose Egyptian temples and palaces-the
ancient lighthouse, with its ruby
fame two Of the sphynx, resting on heavy
Fovntian scuIptural bases, emblazoned with
hieroelvphics a cluster of pyramids lone
and waving palms here and there, and other
tropical trees; j; a lofty obelisk, and Cleo
patra's Needle; while far to right and lett
nearer shores shelved down to the blue
waters. where grow the papyrus in profusion,
and tropical vegetation IN luxurious plenty.
When. upon all these decorations there was
turned the calcium lights, and the blaze OF
hundreds of gas jets, the effect was fairy-like
and brilliant in a degree that may be i'm.
agined better than described; but it was 10.
tensi6ed when at 10 o'clock there moved
from the central grosto the long line of mask
ers until they filed all the floor, winding
entwining procession that made the great
white space as brilliant as the walls above.
and awakened the whole scene to life and
action.
The procession moved to the music Of Jones,
Beebe l. Grants full orchestra, and was per
hans as attractive one as has signalized the
opening of any masked ball held in this city,
the club having profted by experience, and
In many detail improved upon their former
efforts.
The procession, made up by the usual
variety of maskers and strange characters,
was led bv committee of the club in full
dress. The most prominent figures at the
head of the spectacular line were, Neptune
issuing from his -bedizaned sea caves es-
corting Cleopatra in chariot Intended to
represent her barge, and decorated in keep
ing, with a body guard of gnomes, nymphs,
maids of honor, slaves, water monsters-a
| heterogeneous retinue of strange and fanciful
characters. There were in the line about 275
characters. During the march the moonlight
effect was produced by Mr.. Trueworthy. the
calcium light operator, with success.
The Judges occupied conspicuous position
on the east of the hall, and before them the
entire procession passed in review. The
Judges were Henry Edgerton, A. Heilbron,
| Mrs, G. w. jackson, Albert Hart Mrs. j.
S. Gattmann, G. II. Cummings and Mrs. f.
X Ebner. The prizes for which the maskers
competed were 1st, best dressed gentleman,
Russian leather dressing case; ID, second
best dressed gentleman, gold-headed cane ;
81, best dressed laly, fine painted pair of
iariinieres; 4th, seconl test dressed lady,
plush album, gold mountings; 5tb, best sus-
tanned character by gentleman, gold cameo
sleeve buttons 9Th, second best sustained
character by a gentleman, gold scarf-pin, with
diamond setting : 9TH, best sustained charac-
ter by lady, a plush satin-lined dressing
case S5h, second best sustained character by
a LADY. fine jewel cssket; 9th, best local
character by q gentleman, silver hric-a-bric
match-box 10th, for best local character By
lady. q fine pearl bound opera glass 1lth,
best group of four or more characters, so In
coiu.
From s o'clock until the grand march be-
gan at 10 the orchestra entertained the aud
ieuce with an instrumental concert, embrac-
ing these selections Grand overture-"O One
Morning, Noon and Night in Berlin. Suppe ;
Holiday Street Theater Gallop," Holden ;
LES Sirenes Waltzas, as played by the Vienna
Ladies Orchestra, Waldteufel; medley
How Delightful" Catlia; overture LIE
Chevalier Breton" Herman; hnale to opera
Dannoschen; Francis Polka Holden; Fest
March, Wagner. During the concert Mr..
Kidd played xylophone solo, aud was
warmly encored.
The hat room on this occasion was