The Portland daily press., 1884-02-20
THE FANCY DRESS BALL.
A Brillian, sceno in Gin, ,xall

City Hall presented q charming sight yester-
day afternoon. The spacious apartment has
witnessed many handsome parties but none
that from every point of view, has SO en-
tranced the eye az the children's fancy dress
party. The shades were drawn, the gas light
cd, and, later in the day, the electric lights
were turned on, which7softened by the gas,
brought out the bright and varied colors of the
costumes with magical effect From the stage
Chandler's orchestra played with more than
usual skill, and displayed taste in the selec-
ton of their music that was generally com.
mented upon.
at three O'clock the grand march COM
menced under the supervision of Mr.. Gilbert,
who 10 an fat in matters Of this sort, and who
had attired himself In medieval dress to do
honor to the occasion. There were sixty
seven couples marched into the hall, and
t~1ned and intertwin@d, marched ana counter
marched. displaying the richest and daintiest
of costumes, and the prettiest and most
animated faces. Where can be found more
charming pictures than sre exhibited in the
bright happy faces, and the pretty figures Of
childhood becomingly attired?
Bat harkl the music sou. ds the dance! the dancel
The brilliant throngs in giittering ines advance.
The brieand starting from the restless tide
Leads In the merry reel his blooming bride.
The "a Castan and tn italian maid
Fly through the waltz or down the gallopade.
SPANS naughty grandee teeks the Cyl sy Girl,
And Greek and Moslem Join the airy whirl.
B'yhood's strength aud girlhood's grace
Are here, in all their pride
And brighter 10 each sparkling eye
And on each check deeper dye
AS rolls the living tide.
The Characters we're happily chosen and the
dresses were, many Of them, exquisite in design
and flush. There was charming Sunfower
whose skirts formed, in points, the yellow
leaves of suD1ower, the bodice of dark
brown. like the heart, and deep collar of the
yellow leaves again. The costume was finish
ed with yellow cap like sunfiower. Then
there was another whose skirt was most artisti-
cslly hand-painted. Phyllis and Strephon
looked as if the characters had just stepped
from the performance of "Iolanthe" on to the
dancing floor. and Strephon was the perfection
of grace in his movements. Peasants of all
nations captured the eye, especially beautiful
l t le Rus-isn Mother Goose was on hand
with her family of Mother Hubbard, Little
Bo-Peep, Little Boy Blue, the Old Woman
who Swept the Cobwebs from the Sky, and
Jack and Gill. The infant princes, who were
murdered in the Tower, looked like true
descendants of the unfortunate Henry. There
was a very pretty Huntress with her rifle
slung at her back, q most winsome Fish
Maiden, demure little Quakeress with
roguish eye, pretty Vivandiere, a very hand
some lad in salmon-silk cap, jacket and knee
breeches, the latter laced at the sides with
blue ribbon, two sailor lads, and number of
Follys, Snowfakes, Shepherdesses, Kate
Greenaways and Cavahirs.
The floor was managed With the dignity and
ease, that usually comes only with long ex-
perience, by Eliot Mitchell, Philip B. Hunt,
John G. Brown, George Deake and Alfred
johnson, and the Kate Greenaway orders
were very pretty.