Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-20
IN President Depews private car this
afternoon for Chicago.
MIGHT FESTIVITIES.
-Four Thousand Persons Attended tn.
Grand BAil

were coming 10 rendezvous which will |
be fixed at half past nine. The general
invited guests followed in rapid success
sion. Once within the great auditorium
the first impression was that resulting
from the flood OF light, almost dazzling |
10 unaccustomed eyes and yet it was |
soft, aggregated glowing of incandes- |
cent lamps, myriads OF them. There |
seemed TO be no stress of light In any
quarter OF the great hall, so equally |
were the lamps distributed. The great |
steel fire curtain on the stage had been |
lifted and the stage flooring extended |
over the entire orchestra pit Smooth |
and tempting to the dancers did it APP
pear.
Behind the proscenium arch the
lower tierot boxes had been extended
in a circle around the rear of the stage.
A silken banner of Spanish royalty
was suspended directly over the CEN
ter of the stage. 1t had a cross
in the middle and around that
We're the initials and the coat Of arms
OF Ferdinand and Isabella. On the 9TH
or side, and Immediately over the box
rs, were ten banners in bunting, each
containing the initials OF the king and
queen OF Spain in the time OF Columbus.
The panel in front of the organ and be-
tween the boxes and proscenium arch
were decorated with large United
States shields, surmounted by stands Of
colors, stars and stripes in the
middle and ilanled on either
side by the flags Of all American repub-
lies. The corresponding panel on the
south side bore the shield Of Spain,
also surmounted by Spanish colors. In
fnfa al Hugru f.f Ia,
the old world, the colOrs oilSpain and
Italy being given prominence in the ar
rangement. OF flowers, there were
From way down in Ala
bama wild smilax had been
brought, n carload in all, to festOon
the faces Of the balcony and gallery.
The wild smilax was hung in graceful
festoOns in front OF all the boxes and
along the balcony and gallery, the front
caught up with alternate rosettes Of
red and yellow ribbon and extended
around the boxes on the stage. Above
the panels at either side OF the pros
cenium arch were banks Of palms and
ferns. The center Of the main balcony
was entirely hidden from the view of
guests by the ferns and rother potted
plants,
Sousa's military band furnished the
music.
Two rows OF chairs next TO the dan
cling floor were reserved for lady pat
rons. Soon after the opening of the
doors those responsible for tho affair
came in two's and three's and singly
TO occupy these places. Geo.
NJ. Pullman and Gen. Horace
Porter were among the early
corners and they escorted ladiesstostheir
positions while the gentlemen who
shared the responsibility of functions
| with gold and red bands across their
breasts as insignin, served TO each OF the
Indies huge lunches of flowers tied with
ribbons Of various colors. Gen. Nelson,
A. Miles in full uniform followed soon,
and became the center OF gay chatter
and comment upon the brilliant scene.
Lyman L. Gage and Ferd w. Peck ar
rived moment later. In the mean
time other invited guests were filling
the balcony chairs and the front rows
in the gallery. At 10 o'clock
| the patrons Of the hall escorted
the ladies upon the floor and
ranged themselves with them in long
line down the side of the hall. They
were then in a position TO receive the
official guests. There was rushing
| from corridors in boxes, crowding OF
space in the aisles and general hutter
| OF expectancy Congressman Durbor-
row with Vice President Morton on his
arm entered and proceeded with u
| stately tread towards the head OF the
| waiting line which was TO receive
them. General aud Mrs. Miles were
first to receive the vice-president, who
then passed down the line, being pre-
sented to each OF the ladies and gentle
men by Mr.. Durborrow. Next in
line came justices Of the supreme court
| and members Of the cabinet EN-Presi-
| dent Hayes followed a moment later
and was succeeded by Hon. Lambert
| Tree, ex-minister 20 Russia, who es-
corted the members OF the diplomstic
| corpse, each OF whom arrayed with all
insignia and glitter his official posi-
| ton.
AZ the line Of officials was growing
| thin. n slight figure with an attenuated
| and ascetic face and kindly eye was
seen approaching across the floor. His
| only companion was O dark featured,
black haired man with easy eyes
hut comprehensive glance
| The first wore the scarlet
az a cardinal arch bishop. II was Car
| dinal Gibbons. His companion was
clad in dark robes and vested with the
chain and insignia OF the papal repre-
sentative. He was ambassador Of the
none recently arrived in this country.
| 1rbev were cordially received along the
reception line and afterwards with dig
nitaries OF note occupied boxes border
| ing on the door.
The reception had ended. Down from
balcony gallery and upper boxes the
other quests who had been spectators
thronged upon the floor. The kaleido-
seopie briiliancy Of tho scene was
soon resolved into the order
Of a promenade. The band aloft
broke forth in the stately movement
of march time, and out Of the chaos Of
brigbt COSTUMES and flashing jewels,
two military officers led the way for the
grand march into which the moving
! throng merged Itself; u
six managers OF the affair followed
the military leaders, after whom came
Congressman Durburrow and Vice
| President Morton. Behind these
traiied the official guests and others
n-esent. At the close OF the march the
orohestra9 took up a strain floating
into a auadrille, which set hundreds OF
feat going rhythmically.
The supper rooms werB opened and
the general pleasure Of the ball was
increased BY yiands and delicacies.