Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-29
NOT GOING TO THE BALL.
The Deposed Leader of the Four Hum
dred Talks About the Celebration.

Naru McAIllSter the dethroned king of the
centennial ball. has found time to visit Wash
ington at most opportune time. He arrived
Saturday evening and went at once to Worm
leys. where he was given a charming suite of
rooms on the third floor at the northeast cor
ner. This morning a STAR reporter sent up
his card to the leader of the four hundred,
half expecting it to return. But in a few min
utes he was escorted to Mr. McAllister's room.
He was seated on a sofa, surrounded by news
papers when the reporter entered. With a
sweep of his hand he Strengthened the papers
into pile and arose. greeting his visitor very
cordially.
What can l tell you?" he asked. speaking
in his usually rapid way. ''The newspapers
have got all about it, every thing there is to
tell. But sit down.
How long are you going to remain here?"
asked the reporter.
Il don't know. 1t depends on circumstances,
don't you know. l may get away by the last
tram tonight, or possibly not until tomorrow.
am not going to the ball, don't you know. No,
l m not going to the ball" Mr.. McAllister said
this without a change of tone with his ewes
fastened on the Morton flats. with something of
a thoughtful expression in his gaze. Il am
here on business, you understand, and the con-
dition of a sick person will govern my move
ments to some extent.
But IN NOT GOING TO THE BALL.
You can say that the ball is going to be
grand success, the grandest affair ever known
in this country, don't you know. In fact that
was my aim, to make this the grandest ball ever
given here. ] have worked for year on its
details, and it ought to carry itself through sue
cessfully, You understand.
Mr.. McAllister said a good deal about the
ball arrangements. He talked about the sup
banunat
feature in fact. But as he talked rapidly on
he sklllfully avoided any reference to the re-
cent unpleasantness between himself and the
ball committee. The STAR reporter made two
or three attempts to turn him in that direction.
but Mr.. McAllister always slipped around the
query into another channel.
THE SUPPER To-NIGHT.
He said that the supper tonight will be very
grand; he had confidence that Stokes, the
caterer, would make it great success. ''IIe
ought to be able TO, YOU know. He is to be paid
an enormous sum; larger than he would get at
any private affair. He is to receive S12 head
for the supper without wines. and $3.50 for
every bottle drunk. There will be great
quantities of wine used. and he will make a
good thing out of it. The fact is, you under
stand, that he was the only man who would
take the contract"
HE WANTED A CoTILLoN.
about the dancing at the ball. Il wanted to
have a contillon," he said, "a grand cotiIlon,
in which every one on the floor could take part
A cotillon is the feature of every great ball in
Europe, and it would be a grand affair here,
don you know. ANY one can dance with any
one else, and it would be an event in the lives
of every one there. But they left the cOtillOn
out, don't you know. But they have adopted
my idea about the quadrille. There
will be no side couples. I pro-
posed this in order to save time.
That idea of having the President ushered in
by heralds was suggested to me by Mrs. Wander
bilt, who had seen it at Queen Victoria's fetes
you know. He will be met at the carriage by
four fellows with long horns, you understand
and they will give three blasts, three blasts
you understand Then an usher q great big
fellow i'll Continental costume. will announce
"fhe President 1t will be very grand. Ny
idea was to have this ball an immensely cerc-
monlous affair, to be always remembered, don't
you know.
THE MALLISTER PLANS.
MY plans are generally going to be carried
out, you understand. In fact, they could not
help themselves. had made contracts for the
supper. l had imported the cigars for them
had arranged for the music and the details Of
the decorations, and all there was 20 do was to
carry out my ideas. The committee wanted to
stepped aside" This was nearing the vital
point, but before The STAR man could push
question forward Mr.. McAllister had launched
INTO SERMON on WINES,
and did not cease until he had told which
wines were, in his estimation, worthy to be
called the best. He said that New Workers
were gradually acquiring the proper taste in
champagnes. The only champagne drank in
London was the fruit without swee tening
1t was an acquired taste, but when you once
achieved it you never went back on it, A New
York lady. he said, will not drink anything but
fruit wine.
when man sits down to a table he calls
for terrapin and pate-de-fois-gras. If you give
him good terrapin. good champagne, and good
pate, you understand YOU please him best.
That forms the backbone of the dinner That
is what we aim to do in New York, you know.
THEY MAY BE HARD TO MANAGE.
''The trouble will be that most of the folks
will go to the luncheon that is to be served at
the Equitable this afternoon, and they will
drink much wine that they will be hard to
manage tonight don't you know. The cham
pagne will have had time to take effect you
understand. If they are able, at the ball. to
manage the crowd, it is found to be success,
don't you know"
When the conversation had progressed for
about three-quarters of an hour Mr.. McAllster
became little restless and arose, going over to
the table and picking up the New York papers.
The reporter could but take this delicate hint.
and moved toward the door. Before he went,
however, he made one more attack upon
Mr.. MALLIsTER's CITADEL.
"Have you anything to say about that trouble
between yourself and the committee?" he said,
going straight to the point.
'No! no. no!' was the nervous reply as Mr..
McAllister dropped the papers and, putting his
hands in his pockets, walked over to the win
dow.
THAT has been told over and over again in
the papers, and there is nothing more to say
about it. I'd prefer to say nothing about it.
It's an unpleasant subject don't you know and
l really have nothing to say about it. I'm sat
istied. The committee are carrying out my
ideas, and the ball will be, as had hoped to
make it, grand success. That satisfies me,
don't you know. Any ill-feeling between us,
you say? None on my part. I'm satisfied
don't you know. l have no feeling about the
matter"
There was but one course LETT for the re-
porter-through the door toward which Mr.
with hearty goodbye from the header of the
400 he took ais leave.
Didn't Know the President Had Conc.
There were just about two hundred people at
the White House to-day, and at least half of
them were SO far behind the events of the pc
riod-so deeply buried in ignorance-as not to
know that the President had gone away to New
York to be present when the -four hundred