The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-02-23
BROADBRIM'S n. Y. LETTER.

Every year as we approach the season of
fasting and prayer, society seems to lei
itself loose IS IL to make amends for their
prospective spiritual castigation. Ameri-
can balls, German balls, Irish balls, French
balls, Russian balls, balls BY Jews. Chris
tians, Turks and Chinese; and by the way
let me not forget that large and intelligent
constituency represented BY my colored
brother and sister who, during the past
week, haye treated US TO that delightful en-.
tertainment known as q "Cake walk
Now there may be some distance between
cake walk led by Brudder Augustus Thorn
soc, an artist in kalsomime and lime, ami
Miss Jerusha Simmons, artistic lsundress
Of Sullivan street, and the fancy dress ball
for the Society OF Decorative Art, wheri
Henry Clews led the "Sir Roger de Coverly"
and the Vanderbits and Astors we're in the
German, but when 1t comes down to hard,
square, solid enjoyment, where YOU gel
your dollars worth for dollar, give me
the ''oake walk" every time. 1t has been
q busy week with the dancers and revelerr.
It 10 considerable of q tumble from boned
turkey covered with jelly, pate de tois
oras, quail on toast. ices, creams. por
punch. sherry and champagne, TO red her
rings, soup maigre, weak tea and cold water,
and this is what Lent means to many of
the fasters.
Society had come down from its high horse
at the Charity ball, but society did not go
to the Charity ball for enjo ment, it went
there exclusively for charity; then society
did not wear It's best clothes when 1t did go.
oh, no; Mr.. Klopstein from the Bowery
and Hon. Paddy Diver from the Sixth
ward might possibly touch elbows with Mrs.
Astor or Mrs. Vanderbilt In the crowd, but
Mrs. AstoI or Mrs. Vanderbilt, as l said
before, had taken in that possibility, and
although very well dressed had not put on
their best toggery. But 1t was quite another
thing when the elite four hundred met en-
familLe last week. There no outsiders got
peep within the sacred portals; they tried
20 keep out the wicked reporter, but the
wicked reporter got In all the same, and
now Ward MeAllister and Arthur O'Learv
are cudgeling .hsir brains to find out who
the wicked reporter 10. Broadbrim knows.
but he won't tell; only can say this much
without betraying confidence, that the re-
porter did not wear pants.
believe there 10 . barbaric strain in our
blood coming down from the dusty centu
ries, which neither time nor circumstances
has been able to purify. A strain which
delights in gaudy colors and semi barbaric
bedeckment; where the wire ring in the
moss and the iron bracelet On the ankle is
exchanged for the golden hoop upon the
S.,A h. a.. Id b
On the heor there were grand old bankers.
srudite professors, great lawyers stuffed full
Of Blackstone and Story, rigged out as kings
and dukes and clowns, and apparently As
happy as schoolboys after the first snow. In
the throng were old dowagers covered with
pomade and diamonds who have at.
tended every society reception sinoe-since
no, won't l tell you how long. but very
long time ago. There we're many beautiful
women there, and many more who onl,
made their ugliness more conspicuous by
their lavish adornment. The display ol
diamonds and jewels was wonderful Mrs
AstoT wore dress that for costliness and
bsaut, is matched by that of no crowned
head In Europe. and II was estimated thai
her diamonds worn on that occasion were
worth not less than million of dollars.
The ball Of the Circle FTancaise always
sets New York b, the ears, IL generally
starts in with great flourish of trumpets
and invariably winds up in disappointment
and growh. Young men about town who
expect to see reproduction of the Mabi IL
or the Chateau Rouge pay five or ten dollars
for the privilege and are mad as hops be
cause the ball Is not as bad as they expected
II is safe to say that the only reason an
Americans attend at all is that they expect
tO be shocked. This has got to be SO vel
understood that the police are always on
In heavy force and they generally have theil
long night lOcusts within reach. The aver
age Frenchman who delights In the ball Oi
the Circle Frsncaise is a red hot Republican
mean French Republican, and he does
not like his liberty TO be curlailed at hi,
fAVerite ball. either in high kicking or cham
payne. New all sales of whiskey or any
thing else that man could get respeclabl
drank on steps at one O'Clock A. NJ, and
until one o'clock nobod expects to set
much fun at the French ball. Very pretty
magnihcentlY dressed. but very naughty art
some Of the syrens that glld this fest i've
occasion. They are OF a class hat does moi
usually attend society balls in New York
but al the Circle Erancaise there is no un
pleasan. hunting for pedigrees. AT one
o'clock the police shut down on the wine
room. then there was weeping and wailing
and gnasbiDG of teeth. Though the floor,
anu EeCcptiOu tOOus SWdImou WIN pOllCt
and detectives there was some very high
; kicking a. IL approached the wee hours. and
no man or woman went TO bed thirsty II
they had the money 10 pay.
The LeiderkTanE and the Arion are tn,
lwo great society balls of our German pop
ulati0n, and are among the jolliest anc
MOsl popular balls given here during III,
season. Nothing delights the German hear
more than = masquerade, and on certain
occasions a. high A. one thousand dollars
have been paid by ambitious individuals fol
the privilege Of being king Of the festival
Though the company attending these ball
10 always large and SIMPLE latitude is allow
cd for miIth and enjoyment and all classes
Of respectable people are admitted. Gloss
scrutiny is kept upon all who attend, 80 tha
Whlie they have lots Of roaring fun and 1
good time generally, It ls that kind Of 1
good time where the most respectable anC
sireamspsct Gsrmaa feels perfectly safe IL