Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-03-10
BEAUTY AND FAME.
The Ball In Honor of the New Presi.
dent the Grandest Ever known.

By long custom the inaugural ball has
grown to be almost as much a part of the
ceremonies OF the Inauguration day as
the inaugural address. 1t Is the quadren-
NAL tribute paid by politics to society.
The Pension building presented a brill
liant scene. 1t is the ballroom of the ma
ton and the splendor of the nights event
eclipsed anything of the kind that has
ever been held at the capital.
Fancy a chamber nearly a hundred
yards in length, more than forty yards in
breadth, and fifty yards from floor to cell
ing-for such are the dimensions Of the
great court Of the Pension Office building,
where the ball was held. Eighty feet
from the floor is the framework or the
roof, supported by eight pillars, massive
in size, wrapped round ana round In ar
tistic fashion with bunting and ivy and
smilaX and studded with numerous cleo
trio lights in globes of various colors:
Three broad galleries range on all sides OF
the spacious court, the first twenty feet
or so from the ballroom floor, supported
by many slender columns of polished
granite and the balcony railing capped by
huge vases. But the shining surface OF
the columns and the bronzed coating of
the vases are hidden in the masses OF
floral decoration-the one covered by hang
ing strings of smilax and other similar
pendants; the other filled with growing
palms. glittering with thousands or cleo
trio beams. Similar treatment is accorded
the supports and cappings of the two
upper galleries.
White, gold and red are draped about
the walls of the entire interior. Wherever
the eye wanders these three colors pre-
dominate with just enough of floral green
to make a pleasing effect The ceiling,
$50 feet above the throng, Is mass OF
white and gold. a magnificent piece OF
workmanship that elected admiration
from all beholders. The stars and stripes
court is a fountain OF playing water.
translucent In the rays OF electric lights
Of many colors. Two great floral arches,
each sixty-five feet in hight, are on either
side of the court, while just in front of
and surrounding them are the stands for
the musicians They are the browning
one the magic name~"Cieveland"- blazes
In electricity; from the other Steven
SON. shines.
1t is estimated that 1900 people at
tended the affair, but only a small pro-
portion of these took part in the dancing.
The throng was too great to admit OF
freedom In the waltz and schottische and
polka, and the pressure about the square
sets was so intense that the jewellers were
given but little space for their terpsi-
chorean evolutions. Il. y. Hay. chairman
of the committee on the inaugural ball
and promenade, was floor manager.
1t was $40 o'clock when Mr.. and Mrs.
Cleveland arrived at the Pension Office
building, accompanied by a retinue Of
friends. Without going to the rooms re-
served for them the President and his
The The President led the way on the arm moi Of
Gen. .schofeld. while Mrs. Cleveland fol-
lowed under escort of Justice Gray, Of the
supreme court. Following them came Col.
and Mrs Daniel s. Lamont, Mr.. and Mrs.
Wilson s. Bissell and their daughters-in-
law, Mr.. Hoke Smith, Mr.. and Mrs. Ster-
ling Morton, Mr. and Mrs Il. G. Benedict,
Miss Benedict and a number OF others.
AS the party entered, the Marine Band,
at signal from the doorway, started up
with Hail to the Chief" and this famil-
lar air was the first intimation given a
majority of the people present that the
guests of the evening had arrived.
The greatest interest was manifested In
Mrs. Cleveland and hundreds of women
We'd with each other in getting to the
front of the line where they might catch
a good glimpse of her face. A few min
utes only were consumed in the circuit of
the hall and then Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland
and their party went upstairs to their
apartments and there received q large
number of prominent persons.
The vice-presidential party arrived at
the hour Of 10. and a circuit OF the hall
was made in a manner similar to that OF
the presidential party.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland left the ball
room shortly before half past 10 o'clock.
Their departure was made so quietly that
but few people were aware of II and a