Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-12
perfect outline Of charming woman that the
poet has drawn.


"And now let us go back again to the Washing
ton of 1926. At the public ball of which have
spoken saw the waltz introduced into society
for the first time. The conspicuous performer
| was Baron Staekelburg. the minister from
| Sweden. who whirled through its mazes with a
huge pair of Dragon spurs bound to his heels.
| The danger of interfering with the other
| dancers. which seemed always imminent, was
carefully avoided by the baron. who received
murmur of appreciative applause as he led his
partner to her seat. The question of the deco
rum OF this strange dance was distinctly raised
! upon lts hrSt appearance. and 1t was nearly
! twenty-five years later before circumstances
ceased to be heard
AT THE FRENCH MINISTER'S.
II find in my journal an account of ball at
the house of Baron Durand de Mareuil. the
French minister. The decorations were very
elegant and displayed the perfection of French
| taste. mention talking with Miss Morphin of
kentucky, Miss Tayloe and other Young ladies'
also my Introduction to Mrs. A and Miss (for
these initials will do to represent them). the
! first being beautiful creature bound to a
great clumsy fellow of husband: the latter
very pretty. but Ignorant OF everything except
accomplishments and vain and susceptible of
fattery TO any amount. 1t is thus that our
falr sisters are sometimes entered in the pri-
yate records Of young gentlemen.
| But THE FINEST BALL
l attended was given by Mr.. Vaughan (Sir
Charles NanShan), the English minister Here
! the dancing was in large room on the second
floor i'll order that the lower hall might be
given up to the supper. A table of liberal
dimensions. proiusely laden and constantly re-
/ pienshed. the feature of tho evening.
Another ball at Mr.. Obregon's the Mexican
minister s. given under the patronage of Mrs.
and Miss Livingston. is duly recorded, as well
as many lesser parties by persons holding no
! oIlclal position. The society was exclusive and
a proper introduction was vigorously re-
CURED The enormous increase of
wealth without labor which had come to
fortunate spectators since the peace OF 1915
seemed to make the invocation of chance
/ almost a legitimate business
AMONG THE NOTABLE NATIONS
whom met in Washington perhaps the first
place must be accorded to Mrs. Peter of George
town. She was the granddaughter of Mrs
Washington. an intelligent and ardent federal
LIST. anu from the heights OF Tudor place looked
GoWh upon the democratic administrations of
Jefferson and his Successors i'll IL spirit of scorn-
Iul protest. She was accustomed TO speak of
them as our present rulers This patriotic
lady had named her three daughters America
Columbia and Britannia, the latter. il was said
as slSnlhcant rebuke to the Gallic proclivi-
ties OF the third President"
VERY HANDSOME WOMAN
The Mrs Florida White spoken of by Mr..
Quincy reigned as leader in fashionable life
for many years. Tyrone Power in 1885 de.
scrlbes fancy ball given by this lady, and 1
can recall her some years after that. She was
very handsome woman and after Incoming n
widow returned to Washington and snent n
winter with her sister. Mrs. BENJAMIN F.
fleasants, whose daughter, equally as hand
some as her mother and aunt married the Rev
Mason Noble. While at school somewhere
III tne north Mrs. Noble met and was courted
by President Franklin Pierce. whom She re-
FUSED. II was sad. The Baron StaekelbUrp
mentioned by MIR. Quincy as the first Walter
mere was very conspicuous parsonage at that
period and for several years thereafter. On
MS return to Sweden Mr. Christopher Hughes
OF baltimore was our representative at Sweden
ana the baron was full of praise of Mr. John
quincy Adams, who. lie said was the most per-
Iect gentleman he had met Ill America. for he
would meet me my way home at a very
early hour OF the morning and never recos-
nlZe me-"
INTRODUCTION OF THE POLKA.
About 1912 Col Korpony, a Hungarian ref
ugee, introduced the polka and gave dancing
lessons. That dance met with as much oppo-
silion as the waltz. 1t was more elaborate as
taught by him than it became when American
lzed. Only two OF his pupils survive think
Ar. ashton White ana myseif-but, alas. our
dancing days are over. \ friend an old MEM
Der OF the Blues Mr.. J. A. Anderson-who
shared the discomforts of the Baltimore en-
campment OF 1872 and the danger of the canal
trip TO the Winchester Clay convention of 1874
writes me from Los Angeles and seriously asks
DO you waltz now He has not seen me for
forty years, and don't realize that age and its
concomitants have made me ''scant OF breath
He tells me that Prot. Hewett. who died only a
short while ago at ninety years of age was a
major III the United States army, promoted on
the held for gallant conduct in the seminole
war.
NOTED ACTORS.
Mr.. Quincy speaks very admringy of Mr.
Cooper, whom he saw play in Philadelphia and
in Washington. He played Mark Anthony
and Romeo" and he relates the enthusiasm
with which he was greeted. He also describes
Mean iamlet' and Jclferson's (the grand
laAer OF the present JofcrsUn) "Dogberry
OF which he says: 1T was Il revelation Of the
power OF comic acting. 1t was magnificent
could not get rid OF that superb ia roma &c
OF Goodman EerBes and OF the onstro as in
natIon OF the rich fellow enough who knew the
law and had had LOSSES
AT THE CAPITOL.
Mr.. Quincy speaks of the eloquence which in
those days found attentive audiences in the
Senate and the House of Representatives. He
says: The gallery of the old House OF Repre-
sehtatlves was, III fact. gallery at ALL it being
simply platform raised a foot or two above
The moor or the hall. which gave the honorable
MEMBERS an excellent opportunity of attending
IL III.
MEETING Mr.. CARROLL.
Mr.. Quincy left Washington at o clock a m.
OF the 4th of March, 1926. for Baltimore in n
hearse-Ikc conveyance with Il dvzen pas-
sengers, and after eight hours riding reached
Eai timore. There he met the venerable Charles
Carroll of Carroiiton. then in his niuetieth
year, who carried himself as il thirty wears
younger than his contemporary John Adams
ne says: Il have never seen an Old man SO alb
soiuteiy unconscious OF his age. On tcrninat
ing my first call upon this very active patriarch
ne started rom his chair, ran down stairs he
fore me and opened the front door Aghast Mt
this unexpected procecdin, / began to mur-
muir my regrets AID mortIicatiou in causing
him the eXertlon. 'Exertion' exclaimed Nv
Carroll, why. what do yor take me for? have
Ridden sixteen miles on horselaci, thfs morn
ing and am good for as much more this after
noon II there 10 any OCCASION
GA leaving the house Gen. Stuart told me
that Mr.. Carroll made ii u point of etionette To
sec every guest well over his threshold .But
You should see him when there are ladies he
added. The old gentleman will then run into
the street and throw down the steps of the car
rlage before the footman has Il chance to resrb
them.
MIR. Quincy dined with Mr.. Carroll and AIbert
Ga!iatIn lat Mr.. Cations, where the service
though the most elegant | had ever secn j.,
nowlse eelpsod the coHversation." The i,dias
OF the iamliy-Mrs. Cation and Mrs lavish
lmotAer and sister. as my journal is careful tn
mention. to the Marc hionay, nf IVolI.SI--l W