Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-31
TIE DISSIPATION OF LUXURY.

The telegraph has furnished an &C
count of fancy dress ball given at the
residence of Mrs. w. Il. Vanderbilt, cor.
ner of Fifty-second street and Fifth ave.
nue., New York, on Monday night. The
account is in the " jenkins style of re-
porting, and INDUCES in descriptions of
dress details, of toilet effects, of orna-
ments, and accounts of jewels, all quite
replete with indammatory appeals to the
love of snowy display and brilliant pageant.
rY. The personality of the affair is not
omitted, even to the very minute detail
that in one of the quadrilles Mrs. Wander.
bits sister took part. The affair appears
to have been quite unique in many of its
features. 1t appears also to have been un.
usually efortful in the way of displaying
the possession of great wealth. As an
effort in this direction the ball of Monday
night appears to have been success. All
over the country on Tuesday morning the
brilliant pageant scintillates with change
able irridescence through columns of ad.
iectives for the edifcation of our fifty
millions of people. Mr.. Vanderbilt's resi-
dence would not admit the whole nation
as spectators, but the ball was really given
in the presence of the world, because
the press could confer the august presence
which the limited accommodations of the
mansion denied. This occasion supplies
a new and higher standard CT extrava-
gance. The wasp" of Mrs. -, with
purple and black, gold gauze with horizon.
tai stripes of yellow and black, and gold
tissue overdress square cap with anten-
nae of diamonds, or Mrs. IS comet, :"
with black and yellew satin, embroidered
with gold stars gold thread flowing in
profusion, and diamond head, furnish
quite study in the great art of prodi-
gality, and should supply new standard
of extravaganza in costly costuming.
Hereafter the things we have been ac-
customed to look upon as princely in the
way of costliness will retain but a beggarly
place in popular estimation. In the great
social "see-saw" the pauper descends by
comparison as the princes end of the
board rises, and poverty seeks deeper
seundings of squalor as wealth rises to
higher attitudes of opulence. The press
ministers to the vanity of pampered riches
by reproducing this glittering revelry. To
what end is all this What lesson of good
to mankind does it teach To what noble
purpose does it appeal What great ex-
ample of human duty does it set before the
world ? In brief, what of it if in the very
lust of search for methods of realizing to
themselves and displaying to the world the
possession of riches these people lavish
millions in gsudy attire Should the press
become the servitor of all this vanity, and
spread discomfort by giving emphasis to
the disparity between poverty and riches !?
But if the gorgeousness Of the apparel
fails to be instructive the accounts of the
quadrilles may supply the lesson of really
great social event. The telegraph says /:
1.-THE ball opened with the hobby horse
quadrille. The horses were the most won
derful things ever constructed in this
country. The workmen were more than
two months in finishing them. They were
of life size, covered with genuine hides,
and supplied with flowing names and tailr,
and had large, bright eyes, but were light
enough to be attached to the waists of the
warriors whose feet were concealed by