National Republican., 1888-02-19
THE CHINESE MINISTER'S BALL
A NOTABLE ENTERTAINMENT AND SOME
REFLECTIONS THEREON
Rooms of Elegance and Oriental Spicndor
The Realm OF Enchantmcnt Known
Only to Imagination-The Social Event
of the Season.

All who were fortunate enough to bc pres
ent at the ball given at the Chinese Legation
last Monday night unite in the opinion that
II was one of the most brilliant and we'll
conducted affairs of the kind ever seen in
Washington or In the country. Certain oc-
CurrcnCCS ut similar entertainment given ut
the same Legation last year dctraCtcd from
its complete success, and left Il cloud of dis
credit upon a number of persons who grossly
abused their privileges as guests In AR
ranging for his ball last year the Chinese
Minister no doubt went upon the assump-
tion that those who might avail themselves
of the hospitalitics Of the Legation would
know how to conduct themselves according
to the ordinary rules of common civility,
they belonging to Il country that makes n
business ofsupplying missionaries to teach
the elements of civilization to the sO-callcd
heather nations of the earth one of which
is rcckoncd the Chinese Empire. While the
Minister was rudcy awakened from certain
dcusuns into which he had fallen touching
the universally of culture and good bchu-
vior in this country, he did not slackcn his
efforts to provide even more brilliant en-
tcrtainmcnt for this year proiiting by the
experience gained, however, tu the extent of
guarding most effectively against the rullians
of Washington society, which he has learned
are hardly more mcritoriOuS than the ruilians
| in the society of any considerable city in his
own Celestial Empire.
The ball of Monday evening was Il notable
achievement in the art of refined and gracious
entertainment In the first place the build
t,.ar .tN.l n.t
| known as Castle StCwaLt, offers every facility
in the way of the finest dancing room in
Washington, the most spacious and clc-
gantly appointed reception room, wide,
broad, and richly adorned hallway. and
other apartments of corresponding beauty
and dimensions. The first floor of Castle
Stewart is prnCcly in all its arrangements
for great ball, and the Chinese Minister
availcd himself most successfully of all the
convcnicnccs ut his command The special
decorations for the occasion were prepared
with consummate good taste, and seldom, il
ever, had the eyes of the more than five
hundred guests who attended fallen upon Il
scene of more exquisite and enhancing
beauty. The prottision of flowers of the
rarcst description, the bands of ferns and
other delicate plants that hid from view the
orchestra and soitcncd its tones, the many
colOrcd lights that turned the interior into Il
scene of oriental spcndOr, the rich and brill.
liant costumes Of the Minister and his numcr.
Gus suite, as they stood to receive thciI
guests took one out of the real world and
transported him into one heretofore known
only to the Imagination in its most pleasing
flights of fancy.
The presence of the Cabinet, members OF
the Supreme Court, Senators, and of II vast
cOncOurSe of other distinguished men. both
in civil and official life anda throng of beau
titul women in handsome and striking cos
tunes, gave evidence in which the Chinese
4 a.
leading elements of the American public
The spectacle of this stream of notable per
sOnagcS coming to greet the official rcprcsen'
tativc of the Chinese Empire and partakc oi
his hospitality was more than spectacle
il was Il lesson of profound interest to all
who have watched the growth of intercourse
and Cordiality between this country and Il
nation against which Americans have enter
tanned unjust and irrational prciudiccs. The
attendance at the Chinese Minister'S ball wa,
not an empty compliment of curiosity clover,
but Il sincere mark of respect to the reprcscn
tativeS of II great nation. and through then
to the nation itself The Chinese embassy
has received Il strong hold upon the respcC
and good will of the Washington public
Their intelligence, their courteous bearing
toward all whom they meet, their refinement
in all the ways Of polite intercourse, thcil
concern for the comfort and convenience ~
any guest that may happen to be under thcil
roof, their good taste i'll providing enter
tainmcnts and their desire to acquire fD
their country every element of progress anC
development, have given them Il leading an,
most influential position, not only in the of
fetal circles of Washington, but among til,
masses of the people as well. China spend
more money in her American Legation thar
any other country in the world Their build
: ing is the finest one occupied by any foreign
embassy in this city. The Minister has
more numerous suite than any other foreigl
Minister, and the ball he has just given illus
tratcs the success to which he has attained il
the social life of the American Capitol.