The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-01-22
THE INAUGURAL BALL A
GRAND SUCCESS LAST
NIGHT.
THE CAPITAL A BLAZE OF LIGHT.
A Gathering of the Representative
Society People of the State--In-
element Weather With
out--Music and Good
Cheer within.


Last night the capitol building wa
one glittering sheet of light an,
within its portals were assembled tn
beauty and chivalry of the Lone Sta
State. Texas did herself all homo
yesterday and Austin added a fresl
jewel to her crown of glory last night
The occasion was one that has beef
looked forward TO for months past b.
the society people of the state. Beins
the inaugural ball extensive prepare
tions had been made by the citizens o
Austin and that their efforts had been
crowned with success it took but a
glance to reveal. 1t was grand affair
amongst the greatest in the history Of
Texas society.
Hardly person that could get there
by hook or crook but what was there
. and awaited themselves of the
privilege OF adding their voices
to the silvery jubilee that resounded
from every nook and corner of the
brilliantly illuminated building. They
all came and brought their wives,
daughters and sweethearts, met OLD
friends and acquaintanees and said
they were glad they were living.
From the ground floor to the dome,
from the hall of representatives. to the
senate chamber, from the committee
rooms to the banquet hall, from the
east staircase to the west, there was
constantly moving stream of the
swelldom of the state. The man ex-
periencing it was we'll worth seeing.
He could, standing at the door and
take in what the amatuer reporter is
prone to call the tout ensemble but
. once inside and he vas lost.
Dignifed matrons, gay young girls
befrizzled old men and rising young
men, pressed their way through en-
bankments of silks, satins, decollette
gowns and broad white shirt fronts,
for hours and tried to talk j Dove the
blasts of the bands thaM SB filling
every nook aud coner JXVs anmens'
building with delicious-s--9iF .. ..
A MAGNIFICENT SCENE.
In the hall of representatives was
gathered the lovers of "the Terpsicho.
rean art" Circling round this spaci-
- shall were not less than q
4 - Sand dancers and the wealth OF
z color and the prismatic splendor of the
rich jewels, so lavishly displayed, all
formed a scene Of brilliancy that will
long be remembered by those
} who were fortunate enough to be pres
ent. The intoxicating music re-
sounded through the hall, waited itself
through the corridors and sighed out
its existence in the dizzy heights OF
4 the dome. Everyone OF any celebrity;
everyone of wouldbe celebrity and
everyone VINO desired to be classed
among the "upper one hundred" were
/, there. The ball, with all its wealth Of
color and brilliancy, was pleasant, in
spring and eminently sociable.
THE BANQUET.
Since the days OF Lucullus of old
there have been banquets where wine
and wit and eloquence have flowed
INCREASINGLY; where brains and beauty
threw dull care to the four winds ant
gave themselves up completely to thu
( enioyments of the moment, but none
of them have surpassed the banquet o
last night, rendered by the hospitabl'
AID generous citizens of Austin to thu
incoming and outgoing state admin.
istrations and to the strangers with
in the city's gates.
Entering this brilliantly illuminated
J banquet hall, dazzling display of thu
artistic and beautiful met the eye il
all directions. The ornamentation
on the tables were in exquisite taste
The too-usual OVERRIDING of a thin!
was nowhere apparent, and we
nothing seemed lacking to beauty ant
y symmetry in the general effect. Th'
hall was illuminated by what nigh
he termed a new departure in Chimes
lantern art-an electric light replac
I ing the customary illumination.
Rich tropical plants were among
the pleasing decorations, and so ar
tistically distributed as to add great!
IN the attractiveness of the hall. Oh
the right and left of the entrance wer
noted the portraits OF all the govern
ors of Texas, about whom cluster 81
many "reminiscences of the trials AM
J sorrows, joys and triumphs of the Lon
Star state. A study of these is stud
of Texas history, heroism and patriot
ism rarely if ever equaled.
The decorating committee deserve
instituted praise for their most ex
client work, and the reporter regret
exceedingly that he could not obtall
ALI the names of the committee. TIL
4 following, however, were secured
Mrs. Rosine Ryan, Mrs. R. M. Thorn
son. Mrs. Ed House, Mrs. w. +