Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-02-26
Delightful Society Affair
The Gillespie Leap Year Party {
GIittering Success.

The grand leap year ball at the Gil.
lespie, heralded by many a roseate an
ticipation, has ghded by, leaving in its
train the pleasant memories Of the
enthusiastic participants. Leap year
balls are not always pleasant; they
are not always beautifed with the
graces of refinement, so blended as to
lend a charm to everything said or
done, stripped Of the superauous tog-
gerry of technical etiquette and draped
in the flowing toga of good-fellowship.
Yet such was the Gillespie ball. No
stiff-necked people were there to criti-
else and carp, but as happy-hearted,
nimble-limbed and enthusiastic an
assemblage Of grace and beauty as
often gathers in any country to pay
tribute to the art and hospitality of a
hostess sang the praises Of that hostess
par excellence, Mrs. Gillespie.
The decorative art of the orient, with
its highly-colored plaques and fans,
flowers and feathers, and interlacing
of graceful draperies, lent an air of
refinement and elegance to the recep-
tion parlors, while number of fair
haired pages, ,bright-eyed and of nimble
foot, conducted the guests to their re-
spective dressing rooms. The chandel-
iers were draped in soft-tlnted silks,
while the incandescent globes were
clothed in tissue paper Of varied colors
through which the white lights shone
in mellow waves upon rich costumes
and happy faces.
At nine o'clock the grand march be-
gan at the parlors, whence it proceeded
to the ball room, the entrance of which
was an archway, formed by the deep
blue folds of heavy chenille curtains.
Here the smiling hostess, charmingly
assisted by Miss Matte Spangler, dis
tributed the dainty programs, destined
soon to be the judgment books of the
ladies, filled with their dancing DEGREES.
The ball room had not been neglect.
ed by the artists hand, which with a
lavish but tasteful arrangement of
decoration had made of it a place in
harmonious accord with the youth and
beauty entering upon Its threshold.
Che eliminating work of the thought
fulness Of the hostess was soon discoy-
cred by some of the ladies in the small
ordinary, separated from the ball
room by only half parted curtains,
which in their pendent folds seemd to
smile a welcome to the guests.
The dancing con tinued unit. eleven
o'clock, when refreshments were served
in the inimitable style for which Mrs.
Gillespieis noted-quickly and elegant.
ly-and sixty couple were soon won
dering whence it had all come so, sud-
denly, and whither.- 1t had gone. 1t
was at this moment that "Uncle Dad''
Nicholson threw the gentlemen into
CONSERVATION by appearing upon the
scene with Washington" cake, in
which was said to be concealed a ring of
certain occult virtues, the cake being
cut into numerous pieces. The gentle-
man so fortunate as to secure the ring
was to place the same upon the finger
of the prettiest young lady present.
Unfortunately for the young lady,
however, and fortunately for the
gentleman who should have so decided.
the name Washington" was a misno.
mer, as the ring was not found. Re-
freshments consisted of.
Hot Rolls. Coffee.
Cold Turkey, Chicken Salad.
Celery. Pickles.
Burned Almonds, Sailed.
Cheese. Ice Cream.
Assorted Cakes.
I. Fruit.
Without doubt the ball was the
greatest success Of the kind to which
the people of our young city have ever
been treated, and has been surpassed
by very few, if any, in this part Of
the country. Guests from a distance
were charmed and delighted, and loud
in their praises Of which was a genuine
leap year ball.
The affair was of full dress, and
each costume, beautiful of itself, was
doubly more SO under the soft tinted
lights amidst the mosaic setting formed
by the ever.changing costumes of its
sisters,