St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-21
REMARKABLE BALLS
The Denomination If 6tsstdrHs III At q
Court FcStirGf. WeiiinOtOn at
brussels,
Newcastle Chronicle.

Newcastle Chronicle.
If we are to place reliance on the noyelists
who have described the secret machinery Of
political events both in France and Italy, il
is plain from very early days down to times
so recent as that of the second French en-
pire, balls and the makingof history are to
be closely associated. There is at least one
ball, however, which has an indisputabe
claim to be regarded as historical We refer
to the tragic festival at which Gustavus III
king Of Sweden, was killed by Capt. Ankar
strom. This gloomy event took place at a
masked ball held in the opera house on March
lG, 1892. The subject is one which has fur
nished materials for the operate librettist.
and two well-knOwn operas, one by Auber,
the other by Verdi, have rendered the public
familiar with the occurrence. II is needless
to observe, however, that history has been a
trihe perverted in order to meet the require
ments OF the lyric stage. Both in ''Gustaver
and the "BAlo in Maschera'' love is made
the pivot on which the tragedy turns, and the
death Of the king is ascribed to the ven
geance of an injured lover and husband. In
Verdis beautiful work we have indeed the
king Of Sweden (under the stupid disgust
as a periured friend and adulterer. Capt
Aukarstrom's wife, on the other hand, or Coube
Rsnato, ss he is named in the opera. figures
as a manly parsonage endowed with every
virtue, whose crime positively appeals to
sympathy. Though, Of course, there IS
nothing in his story to show that Gustavus
III. made love 10 Capt. Aukarstrom's wife,
or that the assassination Of the king was con-
nccted with anything more than political
motives, 1t is certain, nevertheless that An
karstrom showed himself most eager to per
form the foul deed. He was associated with
three other spirators- Ribbings Horn
and Pechlin, aud begged hard that the task
OF putting an end to the kings life might be
committed To him. The rest, however, in
sisted upon lots being drawn, and by re-
markab!e coincidence it fell To the man who
was most anxious for tue work to accompli
II. That AnkArstrOm was animated by some
powerful reason for his hatred is sufficiently
evident from the manner in which be met
his subsequent fate. Though publicly logged
on three successive day $ aud condemned
10 death, be bore his punishment with I'M
iinchiug courage and composure, and
mounted the scatfold rejoicing. A ball less
terrible as regards circumstances connected
with Il, yet quite as well rcmem bered, is that
given by the duchess Of Richmond on the eve
Of the battle OF Waterloo. This gathering
took place at Brussels, in the house In the
Rue Royale nearest TO the old Port de Schaer-
beck, and was attended by the duke of Well
iugtOn. who, though presenting on that oc-
casion cheerful couutenance, knew alone of
the merry thrung assembled that the scene OF
gayetY which be MAS bchoiding would be
speedily changed for one Of fearful carnage
IN
celebrated in verse 5y Byron Is, howev or. so
familiar 10 all that more than the briefest
allusion TO It is unnecessary. In the gossip
ing pages Of the diary Of Samuel Prpvs' ae-
counts Of several remarkable balls are to be
found. On one occasion il seems that the
.'Merry Monarch startled bis eourtiers in
the middle OF their dancing by bundiing Ladv
Gerard. vile OF Charles Lord Gerard Of Bran
don. uut of the room. The LADY. /; appears.
had dispeased the sovereign by speaginr III
Of ''my lady Csstlemaine" 70 the queen. and
provoked il consequence passionate out
burst Of anger on his part, which led to her
forcihie expulsion. Other scandal are also
related by PePys. but they are Of so gross
character shat their reproduction in these
columns would not De decOrous. Il vas at
ball. IL We are not mistaken. that Lord Towns
bend and Sir Robert WslpoIe proceeded TO
personal abuse. and seized each other by the
collar. Macaulay tells Us that ''tbe women
squalied aud the men parted the combaf-
ants By friendly Intervention the scandal
Of duel between cousins, b-OtheFs-iu-lsw
Old friends and colleagues vas prevented.
but Lord Towusheud after this naturally de-
Glued 10 form part Of Walpo.e's ministry.
and retired to reposs among his trees aud
pictures AZ Raiuham- Among balls attended
by out-of-the-wsy circumstances is 20 BE- in
Guided the bal masque givea BY Anderson,
''the wizard, - at Coyeut Garden theater in
1856 Scarcely bad the ball come 20 an end
when the theater xas discovered to be in
flames, and vas few hours later completely
DESTROYED.