Omaha daily bee., 1883-03-27
THE VANDERBILT BALL..
The Most Brilliant Affair Ever
Witnessed in New York.
The Nabobs Of Gotham Gorge
ously Arrayed in Fancy
Costumes.
While Their Jewelled Partners
Sparkle in the Dlec-
trio Glare.
The Magnificent Toilets Of the
Ladies and Gentlemen
Described.
! Graphic Scotch Of the Interior
Decorations Of the
Mansion.
The Curious 0uadrilles and the
Lsaders Therein.
The Grand Opening.

LEADERS Therein.
Tho Grand Opening.
pecial Dispatch 10 Thu BHs
NEW YORK, March 27.-The fancy
ball given last night by Mr.. and Mira.
VIM. K. Vanderbilt In their new house
was uuquestionable the most brilliant
and picturesque entertainment ever
given In New York. The house itself,
seen as it was seen last night, under a
blaze of light and kindled into splen.
dor everywhere by moses and flowers,
and a moving throng of the most
varied and magnificent costumes, was
the most fitting framework an artist
could have asked for a succession of
pictures SO heterogeneous, so incongru-
Gus In detail, and yet In
their general effect so dazzling
and SO attractive. Lots were drawn
Saturday last by the ladies' in charge
of the quadrllles to decide the order
In which they should be danced, 1t
being previously agreed that the ball
should be opened by the "Hobby
Horse" quadrille, Fantastic set, under
the leadership Of Mrs. s.. s. How.
land and Mr.. Jas. v. Parker. The
first place among the more picturesque
quadrilles was drawn by "Mother
Goose" qusdrille, under the leader
ship of Mrs. Lawrence Perkins. AT
a little after IL, to the strains Of Gill
more's band, six quadrilles comprising
in all nearly one hundred ladies and
gentlemen were formed In order in
the gymnasium and began to
IN GATHERING PROCESSION
down stairways and through the halls,
winding through q motley crowd OF
princes, monks, cavaliers, Highland
ers, queens, kings, dairymaids, bull.
fighters, knights, brigands and mobiles.
The procession passed down the grand
stairway, through the hall into the
room on the front of the house In the
style of Francois first. Vast carved
cabIaess and an immense deep 6ve.
place gave an air of antique grandeur
to this room. From this the procession
passed Into the bright charming sailor
Of the style Of Louis XIV. On thu
walls hung three French goblin tapes
tries o century old, but In the bril-
liancy and freshness of their c~olorinf
seemingly a work of yesterday. Ovel
the chimney piece hangs a superb por
trait of Mrs. Vanderbilt by Madrago
II of spirit, character and grace
Thence the procession swept on Int
. THE GRAND DINING HALL
converted into o ball room. In tn,
"Hobby Horse Qaadrille" the bal
began. The horses we're the mos
wonderful things of the kind ever con
structed In this country. The work.
men wore two months In fnishin,
them. They were of life size, covere'
with genuine hides, and large, brlgh
eyes and h)wing names and tails, bu
were light enough to be easily and com
fortably attached to the waists of tn
wearera, whose feet were concealed b.
richly embroidsd hangings. Falls
legs represented on tho outside o.
the blankets, 80 tho deception was quit
perfect. The costumes vera red hunt
Ing coats, white hats, satin vest, vel
low satin knee brooches, and whit
satin stockings. The ladies wore re-
hunting coats aud white satin skirts
elegantly embroidered. all dresses fl
the style of Louis XIV. This quad.
rifle was organized by Mrs. Hnwlan'
with the help of Mrs. Richard Irvine
Mrs Robert and Mrs. James V. Pal
ker.
II OPENING oUADRILLE
of the ball, however, was 18Th
Mother Goose" quadrille, led by Mr.
Lawrence Perkins as Mother Coos
and MI. Oliver H.. Northcote as WI!
ard. Perhaps the most brillisr
q. qusdrille of the evening was til
5Opera Bouffe," organized by FeI
nando and Yznsga, sisters of Mrs. "
K. Vanderbilt. In this qusdrille a.
pssred Mis- Smith, another sister
Mrs. W. X. Vanderbilt. Anoth'
striking qusdrille was the "Ssar qua
rifle" organized by Mrs. WIN. Asto
The ladies were arrayed as twin 81
ters in four colors yellow, blu
mauve and white. The gentleme
were in costumes of Henri Dsu.
Still another was the old "Dresde
quadrille," led by Mrs. J~amesHStron
Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt organized
lively SEQ As You Please quadrllle
THE COSTUMES.
Among the hundreds of striking
uniq ae costumes but few can possib
be noted. These, however, will CO
vey some idea of the scene az 1t pi
serted itself at midnight, when t
hall, the grand stairway and spaciO
apartments were all thronged wi
q. animated groups enjoying the dout
pleasure OF seeing and being seen.
Mrs. Vanderbllt's i~rreproachal
taste was seen to perfection In h
costume Of the Venetian Prince
taken from a picture By Csban'
The undsrskirt was of white and y
low broeade, shading from the deepI
orange to the highest canary; figul
of flowers and leaves were outlined
gold, white and irsdesoeut beads; lie
blue satin train, embroidered mSgnI
Gently In gold and lined vi
Roman red. Almost the emit