The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-27
A GREAT SOCIETY EVENT.
Che Magnificent Entertainment. Given
by the Vanderbilts.


the most brilliant and picturesque entertain
ment ever given in New York. The house
itself, seen as it was last night, under a blaze
of light and kindled into splendor by masses
of flowers and a throng of most varied and
magnificent costumes, was the most fitting
framework an artist could have asked for; a
succession of pictures so heterogeneous and
so ~incongruous in detail, yet in their general
effect SO dazzling and so attractive. Lots
were drawn ON Saturday last by the ladies in
charge of the quadrilles to decide the order
IN which they should be danced. it
being previously agreed that the ball
should be opened by the "Hobby-
horse quadrille," a fantastic set, under
the leadership of Mrs. S, S. Rowland and
Mr.. James V, Parker, to which, by common
consent, the privilege was assigned OF filling
the scene for five minutes, and no more.
The first place among the more picturesque
quadrilles was drawn by Mother Goose
quadrille," under the leadership of Mrs.
Lawrence Perkins.
At a little after II o'clock, to the strains
OF Gilmore's band, six quadrilles, comprising
in all nearly one hundred ladies and gentle
men, were formed in order in the gym
nasium, and began to move in a glitlering
professional pageant down the grand stair
way and through the hall, winding through
a molly crowd of princes, monks, cavaliers,
highlanders, kings, queens, ~dairymaids, bull-
gghters, knights, brigands, and mobiles. The
procession passed down the grand stairway
and through the hall into a noble room in
the front of the house, in the
style of Francois Premier. Vast
carved cabinets and immense deep fire.
places gave an air of antique grandeur to the
room, from which the procession passed into
a bright and charming salon of the style of
Louis XIV, on the walls being three French
gobelin tapestries a century old, but in the
brilliance and freshness of their ~coloring
seemingly the work of yesterday; over the
chimney piece hangs a superb portrait of
Mrs. Vanderbilt, by Madrazo, full of spirit,
character and grace. Thence the procession
swept on into the grand dining-hall, con-
verified last night into q ballroom.
In the Hobby horse quadrille," with
which the ball began, the horses were the
most wonderful things of the kind ever con-
structed in this country. The workmen were
two months in finishing them; they were of
life size, covered with genuine hides, had
large bright eyes, and flowing names and
tails, but were light enough to be easy and
comfortably attached to the waists of
the wearers, whose Ieet were concealed by
richly-embroidered hangings. False legs
were represented on the outside of the
blankets, SO the deception was really quite
perfect. The costumes were red hunting
coats, white satin vests, yellow satin knee
breeches and white satin stockings. The
ladies wore red hunting coats and white
satin skirts, elegantly embroidered; all the
dresses we're in the style of Louis XIV. This
quadrille was organized by Mrs. Rowland,
with the help of Mrs. Richard Irvine, Miss
Robert and Mr.. James V. Parker. The OPEN
ing quadrille of the ball, however, really
was the Mother Goose quadrille," led
by Mrs. Lawrence Perkins as Mother Goose
and Mr.. Oliver II. Narthcote as
Wizard. Perhaps the most brilliant quadrille
of the evening was the Opera Bouffe,"
organized by Mrs. Fernando Yznaga. sister
of Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt. In this quadr1lle
appeared Miss Smith, another sister of Mrs.
w. K. Vanderbilt Another striking
quadrille was the Star quadrille," organized
by Mrs. VIM. Astor. TIE ladies were ar
rayed as twin stars in four different colors.
yellow, blue, mauve and white; the gentle
men were in costumes of Henry Deux. Still
another was the old Dresden ouadrille."
led by Mrs. Jas. Strong. Mrs. Cornelius
Vanderbilt organized a lively "Go-as-you-
please quadrille."
THE COSTUMES.
Among the hundreds of striking and
unique costumes but few can possibly be
noted. These, however, will convey some
idea of the scene as it presented itself at
midnight, when the hall, grand stairway and
spacious apartments were all thronged with
animated groups enjoying the double pleas
ure of seeing and being seen. Mrs. Wander
bits irreproachable taste was seen to perfee-
ton in her costume as a Venetian princess,
taken from a picture by Cabanet. The un-
derskirt was OF white and yellow brocade,
shading from the deepest orange to
the lightest canary, the only high lights
being white; the figures of flowers and leaves
we're outlined in gold, white and iridescent
beads, light blue satin trail, embroidered
magnifcently in gold and lined with Roman
red. Almost the entire length of the train
was caught up at one side. forming a large
puff; the waist was of blue satin, covered
square in the neck, and the flowing
sleeves were of transparent gold tissue,
She wore a Venetian cap covered with mag
nihcent jewels, the most noticeable of these
being a superb peacock in many colored
gems.
Lady Vaudeville, who received the guests
with Mrs. Vanderbilt, wore a costume in
most fortunate contrast with the toilette of
Mrs. Vanderbilt. Her dress was copied from
a picture by Van Dyke of the Princess De
Croy. The petticoat was black satin,
embroidered IN jet; the body and
train were of black velvet, orna-
mented with. heavy jet embroidery;
the dress had large pulled vandyke sleeves,
an immense stand-up collar of Venetian lace,
sleeves being turned up with the same lace;
the whole was crowned with a black vandyke
hat and dropping plumes turned up at one
side, and blazing with jewels. Nothing
could have been more becoming to Lady
Mandeville's blonde beauty than this mag
nlieent dress.
w. X. Vanderbilt appeared as the Duke De
Guise, wearing yellow silk tights, yellow and