Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-29
rLAn TO BE pREsENTED.
THE MILITARY BALL.
Theatre Ablaze with LiSht-A brilliant
Assembly of Brave Men and
Beautiful Women.

The military ball given at the Theatre
last nipht TO the guests of the city and
visiting military by the ladies OF Rich
mond. the Resident Maryland Association,
and the Richmond military Will be remeIn-
bered as one Of the most notable gather
ines that ever honored city.
There have been but few OCCASIONS IN the
history of Commonwealth which nave
BROUGHT together in social intercourse so
maonifcent an assemblage of the brave
men and beautiful women who constitute
State.
Of all the ceremonies that attend on the
unveiliDr Of the monument which CRATE
ul people have erected to perpetuate the
/ likeness of their great chief there VIII DC
none that viii be more Impressive imam
the Gathering of last night, for there the
barrier Of years was broken down ana inc
old South was III tonth with the new
AcRowD o., IHE SIDEWALK.
II was lust $3.50 O'Clock when the doors OF
the Theatre were thrown open. Az IhaI
time the street il rout OF the DullulnB
was overlooking with people-some mercy
/ masters by. Others lookers-on VINO had
c"me 10 mark the arrival of the guests
/ This crowd was a miscellaneous one--soI-
! dicr- bows in their gay uniforms, business;
mon street gamins, and newsboys, ana
/ here and there the iTrepressible darKy'
! As the carriages rolled up and their occu-
pants alighted the crowd would press Ior-
/ ward. and as some noted parsonage was
| discovered the lOokers-on would nno vent
for their enthusiasm in subdued applause.
! But everything was orderly.
THE SCENE IN THE THEATRE.
Inside the Theatre the scene was beauti-
! ful. The powerful arc-lights that swung
/ from the ceiling lit mp every part Oh tne
| house The many-colored bunting. that
| swathcd column and plaster and the
countless array of flags and banners ana
/ the tall plants that stood on the stage
SVcre a rich background 10 the scene. On
/ he STAGE AT the back of the Theatre Mer-
/ c,,Ss ORIGINAL model of the Lee statue on
/ pedestal stood surrounded by waving
/ ferns. ~. - ,oorly
4ul' and the floor was thronged with
nromenaders. Talleyrand once SAID that
the salon of Josephine was more potent
tbon the council chamber of Napoleon.
/ could he have been at tho Theatre last
,;,ht la might have wondered at the de-
feat of the Confederacy. On the. floor
| bronzed and bearded soldiers OF the SOUTH
! many of them SCARED ana manned sur VI:
! yors of hundred battles. statesmen OF
| ante bellun DAYS, distinguished men
whose fame belongs TO the history OF tngy
present day, and above all, the beauti1u,
women of tho South mingled in gay ano
animated converse. The very air wa
nregnant with recollections OF the pas.
The exquisite toilets OF the women ana tns
! brilliant uniforms or evening clothes OF
| the men by their very contras, recalieo
the time when dresses were OF ginghanl
| and uniforms were soiled and ragged.
STRAINS OF MUSIC
From the elevated band-stand sweet
s,ra,ns of music hoated out over the crowo
heard above the hun Of conversation, re,
,ot ;nterrupting il. AS the hand OF .n'
nIoct nassed tho hour OF 8 the plainuY'
Strains OF a Herold overture We're sue
ceeded by a medley OF southern airs, sn.
,sben the band began TO play DIXIE
g,nat cheer hailed the southern sh'nen'
Tue RECEPTION.
7, was 10 o'clock when the reception
commenced. and by that time grea
crowd filed every available men ~ SUI q,
an ,ha floor, so that 1t was impossiDie io
he receiving party 10 stand In the rSgui lA
orSsr which had been designed. Never
theiess, the pretty part Of inc prvs part,
progressed smoothly. lhersoe,slnS ppR n'i,,
syas assisted by Governor ana MT. "a aa
,'sv and Misses Mary aud mildred bee
asyybfers OF General Robert =. Lee; r,e
ssntstions were made by General Vnas'e'