The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-06
THE MYSTIC cREWE BALL.
The Usual Motley Concourse Of Toughs
and Toughesses.

The Usual Motley Concourse OF Toughs
and Toughesses.
Mask balls in Memphis are usually
conducted on the free trade theory, or,
in other words, for revenue only. The
price OF ticket is the only title to adj
mission, and the owner OF dollar can
readily secure access to its privileges.
This fee is exacted with rigid inn
Partially from both sexes, and, as
no questions are asked at the door,
the company is not usually Of the charac-
ter insisted on in the case OF Cesar's wife.
The men usually 60 unaccompanied, trust
ing to the fortunes OF the evening TO catch
on to some unattached female OF uncon-
vcntional views and sportive tendencies.
As this class OF females abounds at balls
the men who 90 there adventurously in
clined are confronted with an "Embarras
dc richesses" before they have fairly crossed
the threshold. 1t is not necessary
in majority OF cases TO stand upon the
formality Of an introduction. Only here
and there some young debutante in the
deni-monde with the instincts OF fast
departing refinement still clinging to her,
refuses TO mingle with the madding crowd,
and surrounded by select circle OF COURT
iers distributes her terpsichorean favors
with naughty impartiality.
The ball last night was remarkable for IFS
business like Indifference TO any attempt
at originality or gorgeousness OF costume.
Common cambria dominoes or tunics
aud trunks OF the same material with
ordinary cotton hose, formed the staple of
the texture used by the maskers in getting
up their forgery. Here aud there was an
abortive attemptin black lace or blue satin
TO rise above the dead level Of tawdriness,
but the effect was only TO highten the
general air OF fustian that hung thick in
the atmosphere. The demi monde was
there in force but not in such numbers rs
has been the case in previous years There
is a sense Of propriety even in certain dcmi-
monde circles that turns up its nose at
the inherent yulgarty at these mask
balls. last nights ball was the
selection OF the fttcst turned backwards.
Only the lower strata OF the demi-moude
honored the occasion with their presence.
One shocking feature was the presence
OF a very large number OF girls OF tender
age, girls either Just lowering over the
threshold Of life of shame, or worse still,
with one foot boldly planted on the
other side. Some covered their bushes
behind masks which hardened libertines
and professional Washers tried in vain to
peer through, others. stimulated doubtless
by liberal potntions Of beer, .reckcssly
threw discretion ~ the dogs and stared
with b lzen defiance al all who came.
These girls are OF tho genus known
by the specific name OF 'chippics," and II
is n startling fact that every cheap ball or
cheap picnic reveals an amazing number OF
willing recruits. What does Il mean? Is
this one Of the penalties attaching TO great
t'ns.
The mon were the usual habiiues oil
surn places. Here man about town at
tracted by curiosity increasing his exper-
fence Of the seamy side Of life by gazing
upon i1ie scene from the edge OF the crowd,
forming Ms II were fringe that might es-
cape the general contamination. There
young scapcgrace, bent upon
| having n good time and being
ranked with the bloods Here a blasc
roue, stated with vice in liz ordinary form,
anl seeking In this rare market some fresh
stimulus 10 his jaded fancy. And there
all over the room and pcrmeating II like
| the breath Of beer that exhaled from thciI
mouths, gang OF toughs, loaicrs, dead
beats, the scum OF the town. Such was
the Mystic Grove ball. Such are all balls
OF the description usually given at the
Natalorum, slimulanls 10 vice aud degra-
dation aud pitfalls in the path OF giddy
girls and frivolous women.