New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-27
THE VANDERBILT BALL.

The house of Mr.. and Mrs. Nllliam N Nahue'pii'
at the northwest corner of Fifth-ave. and fH'y-
second-st, was thronged with brilliant company
last evening, at the first fashionable fancy-dress
hall which has been given in New-York for num-
her of years. The ball probably equa1ed,
IL IL did not excel, in beauty aud gen.
eral attractlveness any similar entertainment
ever given in this city Any dreams
of splendor by passer-by would nave
been more than realized could he have caught
glimpse of the rooms inside whore beautiful women
and distinguished men promenaded through 'no
halls formed groups in the various rooms. nauo
charming pictures on the stairway or mingled IN tue
waltz, quadrllle or minuet Louis Quinze and mary
Queen of Scots might almost have tet az
home in the company, unless they happeheu
TO run across too correct copies u
themselves. courtier might be seen
walking with marchioness, or duke with
Venetian lady, and indeed the combinations OF I'M
itated rank and beauty were endless where SO many
powdered wigs were graciously bowling. so many
pairs of bright eyes flashing in rivalry OF the Jew"
els of their owners and so much talking dancing
and promenading were enjoyed.
There was no excessive floral decora-
ton to meet the eyes OF guests as they
passed in at the Fifthave. entrance under the TWO
watchdogs carved in low relief, and through the
double doors The long, wide hall was set with
palms. and in the sitting-room on the left were
some handsome bouquets The parIor IN the south
west corner and the dining-room running
along the west side of the house were used for
dancing, the hardwood floors being In excellent
condition. These rooms were not extensively dec
grated. screen canopy OF smilax, ferns ana
plants Obscured the orchestra balcony, nearly all
the rooms on the second floor were thrown open
for retirng-rooms and for promenading, and were
set with banks aud bouquets of flowers. IL
was in the dming-room that the HORST was
given place to exercise his best skill. The walls
clear to the high ceiling. were densely covered
with masses of evergreen, closely matched,
including holly. hemock branches laurel ana
other plants. In the centre was large group OF
palms. plants and bouganvillea flowers The effect
on entering the room was very cool ana pleasing as
if one had stepped ont of the ballroom INTO an
evergreen forest The hall and rooms adjoining
were also used for refreshments rooms when supper
was served between ~ and a. IN.
Mrs w K Vanderbilt was assisted in receiving
the company by her sister, Mrs. Fernando Yznaga'
and Lady Vaudeville, formerly Miss Iznaga
Dancing began at about 11:30 D. m, and was kept
ND until late hour. From 600 to 800 people were
present, but owing to the large rooms there was
little discomfort from crowding. The dancing was
begun with the quadrles, the participants In
which gathered in the gymnasium, and marched
down the broad winding stairway, making lovely
effect in their various costumes.
THE GATHERING OF THE GUESTS.
Except in the immediate vicinity of the Wander
bilt mansion Fifth-ave. did not change its woned
appearance until within an hour of midnight when
| il was thrown into connection by the hurrying OF
hundreds of guests to the scene Of the merry
making. Stately walls and drawn curtains had hid
den all the pretty utteriogs which IL is safe to as
sumo accompanied the preparations for ball, and
! the avenue in the early part Of the night seemed
more than ordinarily quiet and demure, as IL still
vrapped in Lenten meditations. At Fiftysecond st.
| there was different picture. great multitude OF
persons TO whom, plainly, tho habits OF high-class
society were unknown, began TO gather
in front OF Mr. VaDdcrbilts house soon
after nightfall. The crowd was good
deal mixed in It's composition; there
were Young men and old, giddy girls and sedatc
matrons widows in weeds and babies in arms.
The number from o'clock till IL was certainly
400. and without the slightest bosterousness they
stood mon the sidewalk and waited in patient
expectation hour after hour for the arrival OF the
carriages Their curiosity was boundess They
stood in front of the house and watched the
erection Of the awning which extendedfrom the
vestibule TO the curb and at the side peered into
every opening that let ont twInklIng ray from the
! flood of light within. Very slight was the reward
for their efforts. few inches of gorgeous tapestry
| pmtses Of glittering candelabrum, graceful
| shadow-fictures of ferns and palms, as sharply
defined as shouettes, projected upon the drawn
| window -curtans-tbis was all that the most
prying pepper could see. The front of the
house was almost gloomy, but in the rear won
derful glow Of Kaleidoscope colors came from the
great stained glass Window yet this vision had few
! SPECTATORS. The majority of the crowd being
women they were most intent on seeing what tho
| guests were wearing, and no side picture could
distract their attention. little after 10 O'Clock
the light from two calcium lamps
was directed against the window from the outside.
and the colors faded to the outside view In order
that they might appear the more respondent to
those within.
squad of policemen under Sergeant Woodruff
preserved narrow passages through the crowd and
kept the sight-seers within the bounds marked for
| them. All the advantageous places were
| held by women who maintained their rights to
the acquired territory frequently by caustlc speech
and open defiance of the representatives OF the law
At times when trifing incident occurred TO in
crease curiosity the crowd would sway from side to
side and the sidewalk would be blockaded. Then
there would be big gggle and little scream,
| and a bury policeman would elbow his way
through the crowd and open another path for pedes-
TRANS The work of erecting the awnings con-
tinued until nearly 10 O'Clock, ana
before il was finished il became noticeable that
there was growing activity in the street Every
five minutes carriage would pass. Sometimes
the coachman would look intently at the
house as he passed, and once or twice
a carriage stopped while the coachman exchanged a
| word with somebody at the entrance OF the covered
walk that led TO the vestibule. The ant
nation was contributed TO by the crowd ;
women became more determined to
force themselves into the front ranks, and IN
their eagerness many left the sidewalk and gath
cred in the street. BY and by the rattle OF
wheels became more distinct, and few investi-
gators found that some of the carriages contained
bevigeed and bepowdered gentlemen oil
the olden time, who cast inquisitye looks
through the windows as they rolled
past. At twenty minutes past 10 the irst carriage