Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-30
The Colonial bail was q dream-like pic

The Colonial ball was q dream-lke pic
ture.
out Of the long ago came men and women
in the costumes of their day and genera
ton. For some hours of the night these
worthless walked and waltzed this nine
teenth century stage of life, and with the
dawn Of day disappeared.
They came in august state and in great
good humor. interchanged the greetings of
polite life, were presented to Governor Nc
Kinney and wife, were numbered either
with the dancers or the spectators. ate
thor supper with worldly relish, gossipped
and chatted with neighbors, made new
friends. grew loving and cordial with old
ones. and then put their wraps about them
and vanished.
BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL.
It was gay and gallant throng?
Well may it be doubted if ever the orgi-
nal court at Williamsburg. superb as 1t
was, reached such "a maximum of personal
beauty and richness of dress.
Cooked hats, queues. ruiiied shirts, vel
vet coats. knee-breeches, and buckles aed
swords were worn by the men; while the
women in their powdered hair, laces,
Jewels, silks, and brocades; their tlounces,
frilis. and furbelows. were irresistibly arch
and sweet. While arTaying themselves not
quite as simply, but certainly more fasci-
natingiy, than the lilies of the valley, it
was their unavoidable province to show
nat tho extravagance of fashion prevailed,
N snything, more largely century ago
than now. True. the olden-time style
took q more picturesque turn, and had the
mert, too, Of revealing and not concealing
grBoe.
In Virginia jamestown and Williams
burg enjoyed the monopoly of vice-regal
splendor. In the days of the latter as the
capital the Colonial Court reached its
greatest height for then the colony had
become quite populous and prosperous;
ROyOl Governors sought station here and
the fleets of commerce going out from
Norfolk. jamestown, Yorktown. and Frede-
ricksburg brought TO our shores the best
Of European goods and the latest foreign
fashions. Tho c0ionists kept In constant
communication with their old homes, and
il was their delight TO reproduce as fur as
practicable at Williamsburg the ceremoni-
ais OF the British Court.
PEEsTo CHANGE.
The capital was changed from Williams
burg 10 Richmond in n whiffy during the
Revolution. II was no time for pomp. 1t
was period of privation and republican
simplicity prevailed.
Upon the return of peace. however,
there we're many famous balls at Virginia's
new capital.
Mordecai in Richmond in By-Gone
DAYS. recalls some OF them.
TIE LAFAYETTE BALL.
Perhaps the most famous ball in Richmond
history was that given IN honor of Lafay
cite in 1924. II took place at the Eagle
Tavern, which stood on the south side OF
Main street between Twelfth and Thir-
teerth. and 10 make ample room for the
occasion great court was rooted over and
AooTed.
To this imposing entertainment iDhonor
of Marauis de Lafayette came a great
many celebrities, and the fashionable peo-
ple hocked TO it from Gil the countieSot the
State.
ola folks never ceased talking about it
until the war Of 1861, when balls of another
fort came TO be more discussed, ana NH
nitely more dreaded.
RECENT GREAT BALLS.
February 20. 1876, for the benefit OF the
Mt Vernon Fund. u Colonial Court was
held at the Theatre.
Never before were there more beautiful
women assembled here, and the programme
OF exercises was charming.
In October. 1881, the Yorktown monu-
ment was unveiled. 1t was the centennial
erniversary OF the surrender of Cornwallis.
and upon the invitation of our various
governments hithsr came representatives
o. the French and German peoples.
A Fart of their entertainment in Rich
mond was ball at the Allan house, at the
southeast corner of Main and Fifth streets.
The co.nmodiOus old mansion was then
Vacant and 4 was secured and fitted up for
the bah and reception and servedits pur-
poses well.
When Fitz Lee was inaugurated Gov
ernor his friends here would have ball
for him. IL took place January l. 1885, at
the Armory, and the supper was spread IN
Sanger Hall: the two buildings having for
this occasion been connected with bridge.
No expense was spared for music and deco
rations, &c, &C., and il was splendid af-
fair and drew O noble crowd.
HIS xxcELLEScY.
When CAPTAIN Mckinney was elected
Governor an Inauguration Dau was pro-
posed by tho citizens of Richmond, but he
was found TO be rather ayerse 10 IL, ana the
movement was thereupon dropped. lie,
however, promised TO find means 10 meet
the public in another way. Bearing this
tion Of Virginia Antiquities when they re;
solved TO have ball to raise money TO MI
their treasury secured the Governors ac-
ooptance Of an invitation with the under
standing that feature of 1T should DO
reoeptIon-the introduction of the Cover
nor and his wife to the people-and at the
head of the Committee OF Reception was
placed Mrs. Philip Haxall, a lady OF regal
beauty and endowed with every grace and
charm the ideal queen should have.
LAST sIoHr's wxATHEs.
The day was clear and bright. though
windy; but as night approached clouds
gathered. and at o'clock ram was coming
down-siowly, bat persistently, and this
brought into roquisition every hack and
every cab in Richmond. Some OF them
made az many as half dozen trips. and
tach was the Jam Of vehicles At the Theatre
door many Of the ladies had to De landed
ct a distance from the awning. which was
stretched from tho doors to the curbing.
Some gorgeous dresses got uihe sprln-
HE'D. but no great damage was done.
oun EETEEPRIsx-
Tho ball was such thing OF beauty az
viii be Joy forever 10 those present WHO
were in the mind to see all that WAS good
aud bright and hsppy. and who could over
look tho discomfort and the snconsenience
ot jam and rush.
1hs Theatre sfauo bad been almost