Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-07
THE MASKED BALL.
An Entertainment That Was In
dulged in by Our Ancestors
NOW RARELY ATTEMPTED.
Gayeties That Used to Flourish in Alexandria
In the Long Room Of the City Tavern Over
Century Ago-washington and David
Burns Used to Dance.
written for The Evening Star.

costume and danced the old colonial dances 10
| the tune Of the old colonial music. Did IL ever
occur to Washingtonians that they live in the
immediate neighborhood Of place that used
to be one Of the gayest of all others In colonial
days? A colonial ball might be given here in
| an historic old hall on historic ground, and the
largo membership of the two revolutionary so
cieties suggests that it might be given by the
descendants Of historic men.
| In the olden times when men wore gold-laced
coats and long silk stockings and pumps, with
silver buckles, and cues and powder; when
women wore taffeta and Lutte string and wide
pulled skirts; when men bowed low With the
three-cornered hat pressed against the heart.
and the women dropped deep courtssies-in
the old days of laziness and politeness and
high-fown compliment, our good neighbor
across the river, Alexandria. was one Of the
proudest centers Of wealth and fashion in all
the broad land Of America. II was very good
market, it was a very busy shipping place, but
that 10 not the thing that interests MS now. 1t
was the place where the long room Of the city
tavern was, and where those glorious old birth
night balls used to be held.
THE EXPIRING SEASON.
The expiring moments Of the season in Wash
ington are at hand, for. alas, soon comes the
gloomy period Of Lent. But the death Of gay
season is not lingering one There is story
written by Frenchmnn which Is called "Mou
Oncle Benjamin" where the death of certain
jolly old man lie described. Knowing he should
die on Monday he invited all his boon COM
panions to feast on Sunday evening and made
merry with them, until Monday morning, when
ried to his last resting place by his guests, Who
by his expressed command, wore gay bouquets
In their button holes. 1t is 80 with the passing
away of the season" 1t dies with glass in
hand, merrily laughing and dancing. Now
that its life for the winter Of 1S9O-91 ia ap-
preaching its end we may look back upon its
career and wonder how 1t compares with other
seasons that have preceded it. II has been
prolific Of teas and dancing parties and there
have been u number OF grand balls. More
than ever before have there been hundreds Of
magnificent dinner parties. and more than ever
before has Washington society been O mixture
of all people in America who love to live with
pleasant surroundings There have been sew
eral fancy dress balls, but where, oh. where, is
the masked ball? One or two have been given,
but they were small and not elaborate.
MASKED BALLS IN ALEXANDRIA.
Yet Alexandria many, many years ago was where
these splendid affairs fourished. 1t was on these
occasions especially that the grand bellies and
beaux forgot their dignity in the certainty of
their disguise. Sir Roger de Coverly at Vaux-
hall Gardens. Mortified because a masked lady
tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to
drink bottle Of mead with her, would have
been shocked beyond measure if he could have
been in the long room in the city tavern when
grand masked ball was in progress. Might
not q lady tap gentleman upon the shoulder
nay, upon the cheek even--wjth her fan, when
be, poor soul. knew not who she was? And
might not a gentleman whisper in the ear Of
another unknown words Of ardent love
and un alterable devotion, seeing that
she knew not from whose lips the
vows came? There was always little
unfairness practiced at these balls, for two peo-
pie, having particular penchant for one an
other, were apt to identify each other by covert
signals and then would begin such fierce love
making as only our ancestors were capable Of.
Why have they not bequeathed to us their arts Of
Irritation? Not one society man out Of thousand
pliments or make love so gracefully as could
our ancestors who made merry in Alexandra
over one hundred years ago. When the masked
balls occurred 1t may be depended upon there
were many vows Of eternal fidelity given and
received
1t ia pity that we. degenerate descendants
of the old maskers. should have allowed the
masked ball to become such an unusual occur
renee. Nothing can be jollier. There can be
no formality, there can be no introductions.
there can be no snubbing. The fun becomes
greater and greater until the hour for unmssk-
ing arrives and then introductions become
necessary, because, peradyenture, you have
been having most enjoyable time little
while before with somebody you did not know.
There is only one disagreeahle thing about
masked ball. 1. is almost unbearably hot.
The face Ia the one part Of us that we hardly
ever cover up, but on this occasion you keep
ii hidden behind silk or pastsboard or wax for
hours, and you dance and excite yourself be-
sides. In former generations, when the wax
mask was generally worn, it used absolutely to
melt from the heat Of the face, and sometimes,
too, fair lady would faint.
DAVID BURNS PRETTY DAUGHTER.
But it was not alone in Alexandria tina. they
had masked balls Has anybody ever heard
of David Burns? There are few citizens Of the
District who do not know his little cottage at
the foot of 18th street. There are few who do
| not know about his daughter, the beautiful
Maria Burns, the heress Of Washington. In
1902 the Congress Of the United States met for
| the first time at the federal city and ons menu
Der of Congress who came never returned to
his native haunts in New York save as visitor.
John Peter Van Ness was the name Of this man
and he and Maria Burns, it may be de-
pended upon, met frequently at the
masked balls that were given by the
few rich residents who came TO Washington
| to spend the season. Well may it be imagined
that he penetrated the sweet Maria's disguise
and whispered to her all sorts Of gallant
| speeches. Obstinate old David Burns might sit
and rail against modern times and curse his
fortune-he was the only man on earth who
was made rich despite his earnest disapprovsl-
but the dashlng Van Ness and Burns sweet
daughter, Maria, were going miles through
mud and mire to meet each other at all the
parties There were no masked balls for Burns.
That was not his style--at least that il not the
impression that he has left upon posterity.
WHY HE Is CONSIDERED CROSS.
Perhaps posterity is unjust to the old mans
memory, but, perhaps for slight reason orig
inally, he is generally associated in our minds
with ideas of i'll hnmor and crabbedness-a sort
| of Thomas Carlyle of the distant past. Yet,
the only tangible reason for this supposition Is
that he il said to have spoken disagreeabls
words to the founder Of the federal city, Gen.
Washington. Il suppose, Mr.. Washington"
| he once exclaimed, or is said to have sx-
claimed, 81 suppose you think people here are
going to take every grist FROM you a. pure
| grain; but what would you have been il you
hadn't married the widow Custis!"
This is all there Is against old David Burns
There is nothing to show that he objected to
Maria's attending masked balls or that he dis
| liked the promising young Congressman, Van
Ness. Maybe Burns went to parties himself
when he was young. But for one slight speech
] to our idol he has been put into q niche Of the
temple Of fame labeled Gross Old David
| Burns"
The father Of his country danced all around
| the city that bears his name, but il Is doubtful
| il he ever attended masked bali in Washing
| ton. The city tavern, which has been spoken
| Of. was the scene Of most of his dancing There
| Is letter Of his written so late as November L.
| 1899. only q short time before he was gathered
10 his fathers, in which he declines an In
| vitation to attend the assemblies that were to
be held there the ensuing winter. He and