Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-11-30
A BABYLONIAN TEA.
NOVEL METHOD OF SPENDING a
SUMNER EVENING IN TOWN.

Interesting Story Told by Youthful Limb
of Fashion-How q Philadelphia Hostes.
Filled Her Guests with Amusement and
| Delight.
A suave youth, Of small fortune, but large
social pretensions, who is kept in town by bis
duties as bank clerk-$15 week-was a
triae mystifed few days ago by the receipt
from fashionable married woman of q
visiting card, on which was written, "Friday
evening, 8 to 10, Tea Babylonian."
"Tea Babylonian! Tea Babylonianln he
read again and again. ''What new wrinkle
may that be, wonder"
It required about four seconds for him to
Gee that his engagement book was virgin.
He made up his mind to GO. in space of time
70 small that he had no method of calculat.
ing. For, remember you, diversions that
promise anything worth speaking of to a
city bound swell do not come every dav in
August.
The next morning, warm as it was, the
youthful limb of fashion was swinging down
Chestnut street to his desk in the banking
house as clipper as boy with new watch.
"Well," said I, "why so blithesome this
mornings"
sit was the tea, the Babylonian tea," said
he. ~ tell you it was sumner"
"And what is Babylonian teas"
He was so full Of it that he must have re.
garded the opportunity to talk as favor.
This is the story he told:
"When received the bid," he explained,
81 had no more notion than the dead what a
Babylonian tea might be. However, as you
see, went. The house-a charming one in
a fashionable STREETS the scene of many a
pleasant dinner and dance in the winter, at
which one is sure to meet lot of agreeable
people, had read in the ssassiety' column
of newspaper that the host and hostess
were in town for a few days on their way
from some Virginia springs to Bar Harbor.
II was not at all surprised, therefore, to
find the front stoop swept and trim as be-
came the habitation of Christian even in
midsummer, nor was amazed to observe the
door standing Hospitality open. There was
something not quite ineligible, however, in
the circumstance that the only light to be
observed was furnished by a single gas jet in
the hallway. A man servant, however,
standing near the doorway mechanically
drawled out: sGentlemen's dressing room
third story back; ladies' front parlor.' As
stumbled up the stairs through semi-dark-
ness, | saw that the door to the drawing
room was open, and, glancing in, observed
what appeared to be women's wraps on the
chairs and sofas, which, however, were COW
cred with white linen, as when the house was
first put in summer order
"'A queer basket Of chips thought I. If
this is the Babylonian tea I shant want
much of it, and where are the Babyloniansg
~ was in the third story back by this
time, when another servant politely took my
hat and placed it with other hats and coats
He then opened a door at his leftand passed
down a gloomy passageway into another half
lighted room.
Gas looked blindly round he asked my
name. l gave it him. He turned, and
simultaneously calling out my name brushed
aside a curtain of some dark, heavy stuff.
and passed into Babylonia.
II found myself standing in an Illuminated
garden. Glowing Chinese lanterns were
strung in fantastic designs along the edge
and drawn to a common point over the head
line in the center suggested a great canopy
of light. Here and there among the branched
palms and the spreading fern varied hued
fairy lamps burned with mild light. Small
tables were set out on the grass and illumin-
ated by tapers burning in heavy silver can
delabra. The edge of the garden, on three
sides, was marked by light balustrade. On
the fourth the garden ended abruptly against
the wall of the house. Looking beyond the
halustrade could make out the tops of trees
gently waving in the wind. felt upon my
cheek also a breath Of cool air, and upon my
mind flashed at once the truth-I was stand.
ing on housetop. People in evening dress
were seated at the little tables or moving
about looking at everything curiously. MY
host and hostess were standing near the cur
tanned entrance, which, as looked again, I
saw was not doorway, but low window.
I made my regards and they laughed
merrily as they observed my very observable
look of surprise.
1t is the same with every one,' chirruped
my hostess. 'Amazement, then, if may be
permitted to say it, delight. Pardon me,
but really Inever had the pleasure of gather
ing my friends at any entertainment that
afforded so much fun as this Babylonian tea
is giving
"'But the idea,' said I, where did you get
itY
'sThen she was good enough to explain that
her husband, who is member of the ire
mendously rich Manufacturers club had
casually mentioned that feature of the
clubs new house, which is now being built,
will be a summer garden on the roof. She
caught at the remark as containing the sug-
gestion for something altogether unique in
the way of entertainments The develop
ment Of the idea was manifested in the tea,
called Babylonian, of course, for a reason
that is clear to you witt. your recollection CT
the celebrated hanging gardens. The roo.
on which we stood was that of the back
building, which was story OF so lower in
height than the front. The grass was in
sods, bordered in long shallow boxes, neatly
concealed by the green The palms and ferns
and other exotics were of course in tubs, all
from the stock of florist. A servant had
strung up the lamps, and carpenter, with
out much ado, had put up the balustrade
against the possibility Of anybody's stepping
of the roof and tumbling into the back yard.
"Asour hostess finished her little story soft
music of strings came floating on the air
from some invisible quarter. I determined
for myself that the orchestra was placed in
q room just off the garden out Of sight, but
near enough to be heard in degree that was
/