Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-21
A GREAT TEA PARTY.
The Annual Catholic Social Event a
Grand Financial Success.
ABOUT $4,000 FOR THE ORPHANS.
Old Lafayette Hall Again Crowded With
Wealth and Fashion.
DANCING WINDS UP THE FESTIVITIES

| ette Hall during the aIternoon. by
o'clock it was completely transformed from
a plain, unpretentious hall into panorama
of beauty, with everything IN apple pie
order ''upstairs and down, and in the ladies'
chamber"
The dripping rain and unpleasantness Of
the streets served to intensity the warmth,
gaiety and brightness within. The people,
well, they began to appear before O'Clock,
singly and in groups, and by halt after a
continual stream poured in and kept pour
! ing the remainder of the evening. If the
weather kept anyone at home it was very
fortunate occurrence for the capacity of the
hall, galleries and dining-room, was taxed
| to the utmost. Such a brilliant ar
ray of stylishly dressed people
and such bright and happy faces
| are seldom seen. Of course street
costumes predominated, but occasionally
the glimmer of soft silk would be seen
robing a youthful figure and displaying
white neck and arms. Either toilet, how
ever, street or evening, was surmOunted
with an animated face and sunny smiles,
which the weather did not affect in the
! least.
G1ernert's Orchestra occupied the stage in
the early portion of the evening, and the
| sweet strains of popular opera airs played a
pretty accompaniment to the hum of con-
versation and musical laughter that hoated
tn rough the hall.
PICTURESQUE BOOTHS.
Marvels of beauty they were. Oh! for a
list of new adiectives with which to describe
them. The first one upon entering the hall,
by its lemon-colored drapings and tent-like
front of architecture, suggested picnic
lemonade at once, but it wasn't the proverbial
picnic lemonade that was served there,
neither was it Fourth of July lemonade
made in the shade. stirred with spade by
the hand of an old maid. No, in
deed it was the most delicious beverage
and in exquisite punch bowls the sliced
lemons loated around with the conscious
ness that they were in perfect harmony with
their surroundings. Pretty little cut glass
tumblers were used in serving the drink and
retained by the drinkee as souvenir of the
occasion. Handsome portieres in dark
colors were used in. draping the back.
ground of this booth and a large, square
square mirror framed in bronze, with an
elegant bronze newell lamp, containing
three delicately colored globes and wax
candles, gave q subdued light that was very
effective.
The national colors attracted one across
the hall and there was demonstrated the
dulging race. Very unique and pretty were
the drapings there. The outside in red and
white hung in graceful folds, outlining a
very fascinating little booth. On the inside
the red, white and blue formed pretty set
ting for the piles of snowy popcorn, and by
the combined use of the trio of colors q hor-
ribly ugly stove became a massive pillar
of beauty, thereby proving that the
national colors are equal to any emergency.
Adjoining this tantalizing odorous booth
was one in canary color and white, which
was the floral spot of the hall. The interior
presented the daintiest possible appearance,
and was designed to represent room-hung
with the soft white and tufted with the
canary-colored crepe, it was fitting place
for displaying in enormous jars and vases of
rare china the roses, chrysanthemums, or
chids, lilies of the valley and carnations
that were to be seen in such profusion
Rose color and baby blue were used in the
construction of the fancy work booth, and a
distractingly pretty affair it was. There
every thing imaginable that could be manu-
tactured in fancy articles was on exhibition,
and dolls-why the old woman that lived in
the shoe couldn't hold candle to the num-
Der and variety of sizes that were grouped
around there. Exquisite bronzes, mirrors
and vases in all the newest and prettiest de-
signs were shown to advantage there also.
The lighting of all the booths was admirably
arranged, huge silver candelabra held var
ious colored candles under delicately tinted
shades, which softened and tempered the lu-
minance to a most grateful degree.
sUMPTUoUs REPAsr.
The long tables in the dining hall were
triumphs in the art of decorations and
fairly groaned under their load of good
things. The center-pieces of each table
were rare gems of artistic skill, some COM
posed of exquisite vases containing Ameri-
can beauties with stems yard long, others
were of the long-petaled chrysanthemum in
all colors, and one was pyramid of glaces
in fruits. Flowers were everywhere and
the chandeliers were gaily festooned
with smilax. The supper or tea as
it was called included everything that
could be served cold. Turkey, tongue,
salads, ices, fruits, glaces. cakes of every
possible and impossible size, shape and
sort, with delicious cream, real cream, right
from the ice chest. A glimpse into the
provision room revealed so many golden
brown turkeys piled one on the other that
serious doubts are entertained as to forth
coming fowls for the holidays.
The ladies in charge and their aids were
designated by ribbon badges of red, laven-
der, pink, white and blue, and the service
was eACell6uIs 1H6H UcScEN6 b SE6aI zeal OF
credit for the admirable manner in which
the vast number of hungry people were sat-
isfed. The chairmen of the tables were
Mrs. Oxnard, Mrs. John Larkin, Mrs Will
lam Colbert, Miss Sue Lynch, Mrs. Martin
Connolly, Mrs. O'Hanlon, Mrs Murphy,
Mrs. Catteral Mrs Cannon, Mrs. NJ. /.
Malone, Mrs. NJ. Maloney, Misses Cawley
and Coffee. A large number of pretty aids
in lovely little white tea aprons assisted
them.
The booths, floral, were in charge of Mrs.
Gilbert Rafferty, and Miss Carolyn Schmertz,
aided by Misses Flora, Agnes and Jean Ok
nard, Bertha Scully, Alice Rafferty, and
Nellie Mowry.
Mrs j. X. Lanahan, with Misses Kate Nc |
Nulty, Annie Wilt and Sade Bigley as
aids.
Fancy-Misses Mamie O'Connor and |
Blanch Schwarm were assisted by Misses
Alice Mccullough, Jennie Evans, Alice
Seaforth, May Casey and little Misses Edna |
and Edith Schwarm and Blanch SIicker.
Popcorn-Mrs. William Rafferty, and |
Mrs. Piunket, with Misses G. Friday, Agnes
Keane and Annie Grogan.
The crowd in the hall was so large that it |
was not until almost IL o'clock when the |
dancing began. By that time most of the |
old folks had left for their homes, and the
young folks were left to themselves. The
grand march, which was participated in by |
about 400 couples. was led by Albert S.
Totten, assisted by Miss Cecilia Fennessy.
The dancing was continued until o'clock,
when the party broke up.
Among the clergy who were present were
Rt. Rev. Bishop Phelan, Very Rev. S.
Wall, d. D., Fathers Sheedy, Molyneaux
Gallagher, Conway, Graham, KOehier
Ward, Keane, j. Kearney, O'Connell, Gun.
ninpham and others. There were so mon1