Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-28
KING COTTON BALL.
The Great Social Event Of the VIM
ter Given Last Night.
RECEPTION AND TABLEAUX.
Sleeping Blooms Aroused by Frost
Queen Begin TO Dance.
The QUEEy OF DAWN RISES.
Then Queen Frost and Cotton-Biooms
Nanish-The Decorations Simple. but
Pretty-Guests and Costumes.
RECEPTION AND TABLEAUX.
The QCEES OF DlWN RISES.

Pfttty-GueSts anu tOstumess
The King Cotton Ball. which took place
at the Academy Of Music last night, was
the bright, particular star OF Rich
mond's social season. In brilliancy and
beauty 1t outshone all other events of the
winter; and its memory, though soon to
be dimmed by tho lapse of time, will al
ways liuger fondly in the minds OF those
who attended the splendid affair.
The ball was thefourth annual one given
under she auspices OF the Association tor
the Preservation Of Virginia Antiquities,
and many pronounced it the most elabo-
rate entertainment yet conceived by this
organization. The ladies having the affair
IN charge desired 10 make IL distlnctively
southern event, and for this reason they
selected tho name which recalls so much to
all who live in Dixie" Cotton was king
indeed, and deverythlng connected with the
ball was suggestive of this great southern
staple. Sparkling with tinsel. II gil listened
from the lovely decorations. and, brighten
ed by the manufacturers skill, 1t rustled in
many fair danes gown. Every lady's
dress was made of cotton, yet this simple
cOstumery, fashioned into graceful folds,
bespoke more loudly than poetry or song
the beauty of our Virginia women, for
never have they looked prettier or more
stately.
BEAUTIFUL DECORATIONS.
The stage of the Academy, in order to
afford space for the dancers. was extended
to the railing of the orchestra circle and
was covered with white crash. which made
the flooring appear even larger than II
really was. The settings which COnstl-
N -
present "a nearly rs possible an outdoor
scene. while scores of palms and potted
plants rendered the effect more realistic.
The decorations III the building. though
almost as simple as the costumes, dis
PLAYED wonderful degree Of taste and
skill. Delicate shades OF pink, white, and
blue, gracefully festooned and effectively
loOped, met the eye on every side and
made the picture one OF blended beauty
and softness. The bunting was caught IN
its folds by white shields bearing IN
ieweled letters the initials Of the assOcla.
tion, and rendered still more lovely by the
rays of the colored lights which shed their
rays upon the scene. Across the prOscc-
mum arch and welt In view were the huge
letters A. Z. Y. A., wrought from the glow
ing globes of scores Of incandescent lights.
Between the initials were hung number
of satin banners. while above there hung
a huge. round world of cotton. bearing
across ITS front in qllded letters the sig
niticant words King Cotton" In front OF
either box were gold and silver shields
with the initials of the organization in
scribed upon them.
DELICATE SHADES AND PRETTY LIGHTS.
The galleries were clothed in the same
pale colors. while in tho centre Of the
upper railing was colossal star OF raw
cotton bearing the name of the imagined
dqnitary who presided over tue gathering.
Dotted about the railings Of the galleries.
like sparkling consultations. were several
stars made of electric lights, which
emitted the softest rays Of red. white, and
green. The whole OF the interior Of the
building was brilliantly Illuminated, and
over 500 incandescent globes were used to
Tighten the scene. The columns sup
porting the galleries were wrapped IN light
colors and twined in pink roses.
All of tho decorating was done by the Ia
Dies, aud it was "a fine work as was ever
seen in Richmond.
A few minutes after 9 o'clock the Recep-
ton Committee took their stand III front
of the stage and received the guests until
10. while the Floor Committee Of gentle
men gallantly performed their functions
and ministered to the comfort and pleasure
OF the company.
TIE bLEEIINU IbIION- blpOMH.
All the guests having arrived by this
time, the curtain slowly rose amid nutteI
Of excitement. and then. like an elf-land
panorama, q beautiful tableau presented
itself to the eyes OF the gathering. Sleep
ing in the moonlight were sixteen lovely
women-veritable cotton blooms who
reposed in graceful attitudes. Bending
over them with benign smile stood The
Frost Queen, who could not resist the
temptatIon to bedeck them with her gllt-
tering mantle. She besprinkled them with
dew. and tnen the blooms awoke. Inc
Queen babe them dance TIL Dawn should
end her sway. and, obeying her com,
mands, the fairy seepers advanced
10 the front and tripped 1t to the
strains Of merry music. Beautiful
indeed we're the fair terpsichOreansa As they
elided through the graceful figures. The
dance partook somewhat of the nature OF
the minuet, though its movements Were
rather graceful and merry than stately and
Mrs. ii. A. Tabb. who personated the
Frost Queen, performed her part III man
nor which was truly royal. She wore per
feet Costume of white tulle over silk, with
an overdress of silver fringe. The corsage
was glltterlng mass OF crystals. and
wings of the same material, tipped with
T.
she carried crystal and silver wand. The
costumes of the dancers were exceedingly
becoming and artistic. The fabrlc-pure
white cotton crepe-was made into &C
Gordon. plated skirts, with short-walsted "a
corsage, with leaves of mica around the
neck and sleeves and girdles OF mica
which sparkled like ice. OF the sixteen
dancers eight were tall and eight small.
The tall ones wore three-cornercd hats OF
cotton with trimmlnge OF mica ana white
feather and ponpons. The eight small
ones had mercury wings OF white WIZ
frosted edges. The slippers were frosted.
The dance was gracefully led by Mrs
George Wayne Anderson and Mrs. james
Thomas Patterson. and the other dancers
were Mrs. James A. Welch aud Miss Bar
ton, Miss Nellie Mayo and Miss Sallie
Wexford. Nlss Parke Bagby and Mrs;
Marion Harris, Miss Nellie Boykln ana
Miss Mary Howard. Miss Nellie Perrin ana
Miss Greer, Miss Madge Ould and Miss
Bruce Williams. and Miss Bessie tauntie-
roy and Miss Lou. Adkins.
DAWN coNQUERs TIE QUEEN.
The last of the spectacular features-a
tableau representing the Frost Queen con-
auered by Dawn-was not less beautlIu
and enhancing than the scenes when pre-,
ceded it. Again the Cotton-BloOihs
appeared. and once more the Frost queen
lit the picture with her radiance.
Miss VIrgle Cadot as Aurora was in.
deed graceful limpersonation of " Dawn.
Amid the roseate surroundings she rose
slowly and effectively from below. hel
pale, golden hair was surmounted oy
single star, aud she wore a flowing robe Of
white crepe, finished by a fringe OF gold
and a girdle and slippers OF gold. Hel
pantomime action was sineularly expires
siye as she dispersed the Frost Queen and
the frosted " Cotton-Blooms%, by the III, IN
creasing brightness OK her pesus. in'
curtain fell upon this beautiful tableau.
The effect produced by the tsbleaux anC
dance was rendered much more strikinl
aud beautiful by the aid of a calcium hight
thrown ON the ladies who took part IN tht
spectacle.
DANCING AND SUPPER.
After the final tabeau the curtain fell
and few moments later the ball com
menceo, and ere many moments the I'M
mense stage was filed with dancers, wh'
enloyed this pleasure until IL O'Clock