Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-31
THE AsToR BALL.
A Description of the House in which
Mrs. William Astor viii Receive Her
CHESTS

Mem York World.
The favorite topic of conversation among
society people is the number of large pri-
rate balls announced for the first month
of the new year. While several of these
will, it is thought, be handsome affairs, it
is generally expected that the ball to be
given by Mrs. William Astor on January
q will outshine them all.
1t has been stated that this entertain
ment was to celebrate the centennial an
niversary of the arrival of the first Astor
in this country, but this report is denied,
as the anniversal alluded to has long
since passed.
That all the details of this grand ball
will be perfect will readily be guessed by
all those who know Mrs. Astor's good
taste. Preparations for it have even now
been begun. That the house corner of
Fifth avenue and Thirty-fourth street is
particularly we'll fitted for a ball, all
those who have enjoyed Mrs. Astor's hos
pitality well know, and can easily form
an idea of the beauty of the scene as it
will appear when the lights of a myriad
of gas jets will fall through sOftly-shadeae
globes on the fair faces and gay dressed
of ladies, for which the black coats will
form an effective background as they
wander about amid the tall palm trees in
the richly furnished apartments.
by many to be the finest in the country,
and it certainly is one of the brightest and
most pleasant, being all in deep blue and
white. The floor is of white marble, and
is wide and spacious. On the right side
as one enters is the celebrated fireplace
in blue and white china, finished in brass,
and on either side of it are tall candela-
bras to correspond, and which attracteds
so much admiration at the Philadelphia
Centennial Exhibition.
Here, too, are Oriental rugs and china
stools of dark blue. The fine portrait of
Mr.. John AstOr hangs further back on the
other side, just beyond the niche in which
a marble statue stands, and where the
marble stairway begins. These stairs
will be ornamented with palms and gutta-
percha trees, and the dark green of their
foliage will form striking contrast to the
white stone.
The first door to the left opens on the re-
ception room, which is charmingly fitted
up and decorated with a profusion of
dainty bric-a-brac, while on the walls are
a number of fine paintings.
The door opposite is seldom used. except
in case of an entertainment, but the
drawing room on which it opens is really
beautiful in decoration and coloring, all
of which is in the lighter shades, even the
tapestries partaking of the delicate color
ing.
The second room, which opens off this,
is finished in crimson and ebony. The
mantel in this room, instead of being on
one side after the usual fashion, fills a
corner. Beyond this is the room generally
used by the family as a sitting-room and
which is furnished in rich dark cOlors,
while opening from it is the long dining
room, the walls of which are hung with
tapestries and from which wide folding
doors lead TO the DiptUrp gallery
This gallery is where the dancing will
take place, and was built some time after
the rest of the house.
The beauty OF the pictures which adorn
the walls is well known, but on this occa-
sion the spaces between them are to be
filled with flowers and greens, while a
screen of eXOtics will hide the musicians.
Pinard is to serve the supper, but what
the menu will be he can not be induced to
tell, but that great variety of game will
be served is known. The table will be
very handsome. In the centre plateau
will be placed, in the silver railing of
which a number of candles will burn,
while from the centre will rise
the great silver basket as large
as usual parlor centre table, and which
is to be filled with flowers. On each side
of it will rise the silver candelabras about
five feet high filled with candles. The
service to be used is made en- ntirely
of solid silver and gold, and is of the
beaten work with repOusse design of
flowers and fruits. Even the platters are
of these precious metals, the entire din
ner set having been made by Kirk, of Bal
timOre.
The invitations have not yet been
issued, but it is thought that 700 of those
society people of whom Mrs. Astor is an
acknowledged leader will be there, includ-
ing most of those who appeared at the
Patriarch's ball last week at Delmonico's.