Evening journal., 1889-12-03
BEAUTY IN TIE DANCE.
SUCCESSFUL OPENING OF THE
klRMESS OF NATIONS.

| Ihs DetcThueus
The Opera House curtain rose last
evening on a tableau that was probably
the most varied and beautiful that was
ever presented on the stage it screens.
Two hundred young men and women,
mostly the latter, dressed In the
beautiful and characteristic costumes of
a dozen different nations, were grouped
in a scene of color and grace that bewil-
dered the eye with its beauty and defed
the power of description.
The stage was set in an out door scene,
with rocks at the background, castle
porch at the right and cottage at the
left. On each side were the booths Of
different nations, each decorated with its
own national colors. These booths ex-
tended out on the extended portion Of
the stage, and made long deep vista Of
color and beauty Large flags of all
nations, with their variety of design and
color, hung from the balcony rail
down toward the auditorium.
The stars and stripes had the place Of
honor in the centre. The audience filled
the house. 1t was representative Of
Wilmington's most intelligent and re-
fined society. Large numbers Of ladies
and gentlemen were in evening dress and
the opening of the kirmess was an event
of social and society interest, that will in
all probability not be surpassed for some
time.
| Prominent in the foreground of the
| tableau stood Charles NJ. Curtis, Esq,
dressed in the beautiful satin costume Of
a lester of the medimval French court,
with pointed shoes aud horned cap, posed
in an attitude appropriate TO the costume.
1 an, "a n rtg
of japanese maids, while be-
hind them were the representatives
of other nationallties On the rocks in
the background stood three ladies dressed
in continental costumes of brilliant
national colors, with cockade hats. Still
higher up were two more patriotic maid
ems, one Of whom held a national ensign.
at the sound of the music of the Opera
House orchestra, stationed in the left
wing the court jester promoted down
the stage and at the wave Of his staff the
Japanese sprang to their feet and the
grand march began. Mr.. and Mrs.
Willard Hall Porter led the march, as
the leaders of the ladies and gentlemen
of the French court. The procession cir.
cled the stage, doubled on itself and as it
marched and countermarched presented a
view Of beautiful faces and handsome
costumes that those who saw will not
soon forget.
At the end of the march the stage was
cleared and a Tyrolean trumpeter ap-
peared and sounded call. In answer
ten couples OF his nationality appeared on
the stage and with quick and graceful
step danced an intricate series of move
ments that brought continued applause
from the audience. Towards the latter
part of the dance Miss Lille jackson
came forward and sang a Tyrolean song.
The Tyrolean dancers were as follows
Misses Mable Jackson, Katherine Pyle
Natalie Simpson, Lille jackson, Nellie
Johnson, Knowles, Wales, Dorsey, Nc
/ | Alpine and Sellers. Latimer Tatnall, n
w. Davis, Ralph Stone, Frank Carpenter
4 E. R. Cochran, and Messrs. Bailey, Bird
!. Palmer Dorsey and kobbe.
One-half of the ladies wore red skirt
with green satin aprons and the othe
half wore green skirts with red aprons
All wore grey bodices trimmed with rec
and white fuckers. Their hats had higl
crowns and were trimmed with red rib
= bons The gentlemen wore gray knicker
t bockers, blue coats and gray stockings
y all trimmed with red braid. Their hat
> resembled those worn by the ladies.
The Swiss maidens, sixteen in number
came on the stage in couples, with thei
arms akimbo, and dancing lively TRIP
J. ping step. This dance had the advantag
;. of all its participants being ladies', whic
Z to the masculine mind made it NOR
u attractive than the one before. n
2 dance could be more full of gracefu
ie movements and steps The ladie
's who took part were Mrs. Joh
/
4 Pyle, Mrs. Henry, Misses virgi
u Wooley, Mary Gillespie, Bessie Gillespie
u Mary Peoples, Matte Perkins and Misse
8 Gano, Mahoney, Townsend, Kendall
= Ware, Collision and Mccullough. The
% costumes are fowered skirts of white
= light blue, yellow and green. Yello'
= aprons, black velvet girdle and whit
= bodice, with pulled sleeves and blac
10 velvet yoke. Large silver buttons wit
7 chains Of silver beads threw OFF rays O
: light as they danced. THE hats were Ia
- and pointed, of iowered material, an
- floating from them were long light wells
u There was prolonged applause whe
the eight couples of the minuet appeared
y All wore the magnificent costumes OF til
DD French court of the sixteenth centur,
:. Some Of the dresses worn by the ladis
= were heirlooms of priceless valul
- Rich silks and satins and velvets, wit
- rare laces and diamonds and powere
Y hair, set off to advantage the faces o
the dancers. The gentlemen wore hanC
some, rich minuet costumes, from Va
Horne of Philadelphia, with lare
u powdered wigs. The dance was yer
~ slow and somewhat tiresome, but til
movements and bows were exceedingl
y graceful Those who took part wei
Mrs. Willard Hall Porter, Mr.
Austin Harrington, Mrs. Oth
Z Nowland, Mrs Charles G Rumford, Mr.
y Candy, Misses johnson, Lewis and Cant
and Messrs Willard Hall Porter, JOSEF
A. Richardson, Otho Nowland, George
Elliott, George Lodge, E. ]. Dallett an
@@ 80 Messrs Thompson aud Lee.
4 Fourteen young ladies in evenir
al dress, cut round in the neck and with /
q sleeves, danced the flower dance. A
"a were dressed to represent diiferel
II flowers, true to color. Each wore
NV wreath of the flowers she represented {
~ her head and carried a bouquet Of Il
Ia same in her hand. All are beautif
al girls and splendid dancers, and the
. dance was the very poetry of grace 81
= motion. Those who took par
~ and the flowers they represente
60 are as follows: Mrs f. B. Sadtler al
y Miss Bringhurst, daisies; Misses Jenn
~ Lindsay and Fannie Bocllius, sunhower
&c Miss Kendall and Miss Emily Warne
"a poppies; Miss May Belts and Miss Hic
man, pink roses; Misses Bessie Bockil