Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-21
BLUE RIDGE BEAUTIES
IN THE GREAT FANCY BALL.
The Event OF he season at the Blue hidsc
sprinRs-A Scene OF Gayety The Characters
and Costumes.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch
BLUE RIDGE SPRINGS,
August 90. 1885.

There was n sound Of rivalry by night.
Yes, and not only the sound, but the
sight Of gay and merry and care-forget-
ting life was everywhere from the long
porches of the hotel to the most Sc
cluded moon-lit hooks on the lawn rang
out happy voices and shouts Of laugh
ter.
The stars shone their brightest, and
the many lamps on the lawn and
bridge cast subdued light over rustic
seats and shaded corners, and by the
flicker that "half concesls, half dis
Closes" revealed many picturesque |
group worthy Of a pencil, for a pen rs
worthless to describe them.
But while we linger on the bridge,
watching the coming and the going of
the thrOng, the first heavy sustained
notes Of the grand march reach us.
We hasten to the ballroom, and are
Just in time to witness the entree of the
participants Of the coming festivities.
Lords and ladies, princes and peasants,
monks and fower-girls, in curiOusly-
mixed order. They march twice around
the ballroom. and then take their stand.
forming brilliant background Of
beauty and color to the four couples
who now enter and take their places
for the minuet.
Tho music changes TO sort Of weird
strange melody, and to its measured
numbers enter the ancient d dames and
gentlemen who are to dance the minuet
to its dreamy harmony.
Enter LOrd-Goyernor and Lady
Spotswood. Mr.. William III. lnglesby,
of Charleston, S. c., and Miss Foley,
of New Orleans Lord and Lady Dim
widdie, Mr.. r. f. Darlington, of Rich
mond. and Miss Kelly, of New Orleans
Lord and Lady Botetourt, Mr.. Paul
Pope. Of Richmond, and Miss Lily
Leigh. Of Norfolk Lord and Lady
Dunmore, Mr.. Patrick Foley, of New
Orleans, and Miss Eliza Potter. of Will
mington, y. c.
The slow and dignifed movement,
the quiet and courtly grace, the grave
faces Of gentlemen in wigs and court
dress, and of ladies in brocaded trains
and powdered hair, whose beauty IS
enhanced by patches and powder,
make, as they glide through the intri-
cate figures Of the dance, a strange
half-delined tableaux yiyant OF what
We have all heard our grandma theirs
tell.
But it is like a spell upon us, and
when the last long quiyeriug strain o.
the music ceases we almost hold ON
breath. and seem to waken from ON
dream of the past only to behold
fitting before us in the waltz people @
all climes and countries, Of all nations
and times. The programme Of th'
ball furnishes every variety Of squar'
and round dances, and the scene be
fore US is a gay and beautiful one.
/ Then follow the fireworks from tn
= lawn. and after they had been enjoyed
, most refreshing collation. Of ices anC
= cake. given by Mr.. Brown.
. Now, late as it is, comes the german
and all the young people are happy.
1t is more than usually brilliant. a
the variety Of coStumed gives colo
s and life to it that ordinary german
l lack.
G Hamlet certainly does not look as
= he was to utter his soliloquy. Th
4 monks have quite forgotten their urns
a and are flirting outrageOusly with pref
t ty flower girls. Prlncesses condescen
t to dance with peasants, and earls an
t dukes lead shepherdesses and yillag
0 maidens right merrily through tn
1 dance.
3. | give some of the characters an
costumes.
. CHARACTERS.
d Marguerite, Miss Strother, Rict
mond; Faust, Mr.. Lee COnger, Ne'
Orleans Aurora, Hiss Wrenn, MOI
r. folk, Va; Spanish Prince, Mr.. IIenn'
l. berry; French Peasant Girl, Mis-
e IIamill; Earl of Essex, lIr. Pender
Child of the Regiment, Miss s. Pottel
e Wilmington, n. c.; Polish Prince, Ma
g ter Henry Sutton, Surry county, Va.
10 Grecian Lady, Mis-. Maud Taylor, p
d tersburg Hamlet, Mr.. Augustine
1t Richmond; Court Lady Of Louis XIV
Mrs. McCance, Richmond; Figaro, n
Andrews, Mississippi; Prince Charm
ing, George T.. Scott, Petersburg; Spar
is ish Lady, Mrs. Walter Grant, Richmond
=. Soubrette " of Madra.a, Mrs. Charl'
Carroll, Baltimore Sunfiower, Mr.
Pope, Richmond ; Italian Flover-Gir
es Miss Edner Andrews George VAS
ID ington, Mr.. Douglass Andrews
ne Swedish Peasant Boy, Master Charl
le Carroll, Baltimore Sailor Bo
10 Master Henry Carroll, Baltimore
le Fairy Queen and atteDdants-Ellza SuI
e' lett, of st. Louis; Virgis Gordon,
Norfolk Jennie Wrenn, Of Norfolk
, Annie Grant, of Richmond; She
le herdess. Miss Fannie Tilgeman, Of No
folk King Alfonso, Mr.. Lusk, Of Ne
II. Orleans; Queen of Daisies, Miss BE
70 sic Chamberlain, of Norfolk; Mon
+. Mr.. William Foley, of New Orlean
no Flouer-Girl. Miss Clarke, Of August
r. Ga. French Peasant, Miss Thomas,
p Richmond, Va. =; Princess de Lamball
Miss Mary Mcdonald, Of Richmon'
Monk, Mr.. Robert Kelly, Of Ne
n. Orleans Highland Lassie, Miss Hell
h. Imboden. Of Virginia; Gipsy Girl, Nj
v. Celeste Allen, Of Augusta, Ga. ; Lit
Mss Mofft, Miss Rebecca Gordon,
Richmond Italian Peasant Girl, NJ
as Annie Gordon, Of Richmond; XII
Charles H., Master Humes, KnOxyil
Tenn. English Princess, Miss HC
rietta Humes, Knoxville, Tenn.
I'm COSTUMES OF RICHMOND LADIES
'l Mrs. DR.. Wellford, black velv
oe dress, with train, duchssse lace, a
y" diamonds.
Mrs. b. Randolph Wexford, VIII
lace dress handsome jewels.
Miss Wexford, handsome event
dress Of white satin, with silver fro
'er square neck, and long train, trimm
with Duchesse lace; pearl ornament
:: lovely fresh flowers.
V, Mrs. A. Pope-Sunfower-A Wo
=" costume Of old-gold silk, with bead