The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-29
THE MALLISTER BALL.
ALL NEW YORK AWAITING THE
GREAT SOCIAL EVENT.

-
The "Four Hundred" to CspituIsta az
the Metropolitan Opera House, When
Twelve Hundred VIII Dance in e
Floral Fsiryland-The Greatest Ban
on Record to Insugurete New Or
der of Society = The Decorations
How the Supper Will be served-One
Thousand Quarts OF Champagne
Picturesque Dances, and Who VIII
Take Part in Them
(copyriqAt)
NEW YORK, Dec. 2S-Over New York
there is passing Just now a wild wave of
excitement. Upper Tendon is agitated
beyond expression, and the rnaidens and
matrols Of Murray Hill and the Avenus
are in condition verging on hysteria.
There are thousands Of others, too, who can
hardly tell whether they are on their heads
or on their heels, nor will they be able to
say exactly which until after next Thurs
day evening. II Is all on account of the
New Years ball, which takes place on that
eventful night at the Metropolitan opera
house.
Ordinarily a ball, even at New Years
arouSes ouly passing interest in Gotham.
SO may take place during the season that
one Of more or less magnidcence makes
little difference. But this is to be no common
ball, but the finest ever given in this coun-
try, and the most remarkable since the
colonial days, when the high-born danes
danced side by side with toe wives and
daughters Of the honest burghers. But
what distinguishes it above all other balls is
the fact that it will mark the graceful sur
render of the gilded Four Hundred, who
so long have lorded it over New York, and
who have consented that Ward McAllister
should throw wide open the gate and allow
thousand or so of Gotham's most approved
citizens to come in, enter the charmed
circle and enjoy its privileges aud felicitieS,
like any of the aristocrats themselves
So it is that, for " eeks past, this ball has
been the topic on verybody's lips. The
loveliest women in town have been driving
their dressmakers to distraction preparing
for it, and even the art of the London and
Partisan modistes has been enlisted at short
notice in getting up dreams and rainbows
in silk, satin, tulle and laees, for the ball.
The young ladies of fashion are rejoicing
over the prospects of a hveler season than
ever before, and those maidens who have
been sbungering for social recognition
are fairly dancing with delight in
anticipation of approaching triumphs.
Many a quiet little private fandango
in during the week; for, if there is
anything a woman sets at higher value
than her social triumphs it has yet TO be
discovered. But the girls are not the only
ones interested. Matchmaking mammas,
rich papas and impecunious young fellows,
who are looking for prizes in the matri-
monial market, and who have very decided
objections to any more American heireSses
throwing themselves away on spendthrifts
and broken down foreign noblemen, are
breathlessly awaiting the event that is to
usher in the new order of things social. and
to open wider fields of activity and promise.
kBWhen Ward McAllister, in whose active
brain this New Years pantomime and
transformation scene first originated, men
toned his idea TO some of the leaders of the
Four Hundred, it was secuted as imprac-
ticable at the outset But it did not require
a prophet to forsee that, sooner or later, it
must come about just as he had planned.
During the score of years of his leadership,
he had seen the innumerable attempts of
ambitious outsiders TO scale society'S walls,
and how they were baffled. Very few. in
deed. had succeeded, and these only by
the grace of his chosen band. In his little
back room, at No. 16 West Thirty sixth
street, he sat and smiled grimly beneath his
iron-gray mustache, as he denied hundreds
of sucn petitions But all things have an
end The assembly balls had produced
rivals; even the patriarchs and matriarchs
no longer held together. The family dane
ing class-that fanciful creation Of the
ultra-exclusives-had become monotonous,
and threatened to go to pieces. In word,
the Four Hundred threatened 10 collapse,
from sheer ennui, and the only thing to
save it was the speedy infusion Of fresh
blood and plenty of it.
1t was last summer, at Newport, that he
first spoke about his project to Mrs. w. K:
Vanderbilt. That lady, having in mind
probably the struggle of years which her
own family had endured before securing
social recognition from the De Puysters,
the Rhinelanders, the Astors, and the Van
Rensselaers, approved the plan. Once back
in town, he submitted it to Mr.. John Jacob
Aston, w. K. Vanderbilt, and one or two
others. It struck them at first as being
of too revolutionary a character; but
he urged them to think it over
and discuss it with their wives and
daughters. In a weeks time, they stretched
their legs under McAllister's mahogany,
drank the purest Jobannesberger, and
nibbled at the most delicate canvas-backs
while they talked over the matter. There
were few unimportant corrections in the
list, and the whole matter was leftln Meal
listers hands, and that talented gentleman
went ahead in his own way. 1t did not
take him long to make out list of IA
names representing all that is good and
strong in the gilded circles of Murray Hill.
McAllister waited upon all these gentlemen.
explained the situation, and asked each to
subscribe 800 at once, as his share of the
expense of the entertainment, and $50 more
per person, if necessary. About $4,000
was collected. There was no difficulty,
either, in &setting it. Those who were
in society paid it willingly, and those
who were to be admitted would
gladly hava paid ten times as
much, If NECESSARY. Each subscriber
was allotted twelve tickets, but these, it was
understood, were to be given only to the best
people, The cards are printed so that the
name of the person who accepts appears as
prominently as that of the giver OF the in
vitation, and if by any chance any person
should seek the hall who was not eminently
proper, the responsibility could be quickly
placed In fact, as McAllister put it, 1t was
his intention, and also that OF the sub
sciibers, to DO as particular about their
guests as one is in making up private
dinner party.
For what is it after ALL" said the great
social Napoleon, shut big private bail!
It's nothing else, and it is only held IN tne
opera house because there is no private
residence in New York big enough 70 ac-
commodate it."
No ball was ever more carefully guaroe1
from obnoxious features. 1t must De az
mitted that portion, ct least, OF Mr.