The record-union., 1893-03-06
TIE INAUGURAL BALL.
A Beautiful Scene-Twelve Thousand
People Present.

THE INAUGURAL BALL.
A Beautiful scene-Twelve Thousand
People Present.
WASHINGTON. March By long GUS
tom the inaugural ball has grown to be
almost as much part of the ceremonies
of Inauguration day as the inaugural ad-
dress. 1t is the quadrennial tribute paid
by politics to society. There have been
but two intermissions in the series Of
inaugural balls given to commemorate
the accession OF newly elected Presidents
since the days of Madison, and that
covers a period of eighty-four years, but
none of them could compare in splendor
to the ball held last night in the great
court of the Pension Building, The
scene was fairy-lille. The scent of
flowers, combined with the radiance of
myriads of electric globes, a dainty blend
ing of green and gold and white,
fountains of tinted water, the perfect har-
mony of musical instruments, and, what
to many was the most interesting feature
of all, toilets surprising in taste and
magnifcence, all combined to make a
spectacle that will be carried for many
years in the minds of those who witnessed
it in its fullness.
The ball had been in progress some
time before the Presidential party ar
rived. Many persons of distinction from
all parts of the country-Senators, Rep
resentatives, prominent politicians, Gov
ernors of States, officers of the army and
navy, diplomats from many lands, mill
IN ntfin al thnra arI 1yit than,
thousands of ladies formed the thrOng
that passed through the four great door
ways of the building and made merry in
the ballroom. 1t is estimated that Il, 900
people attended the affair, but only a
small proportion of these took part in the
dancing. as the throng was too great to
admit of freedom.
The ball opened with grand inaugural
march, The Great Republic" by Fanci-
olli, leader of the band and orchestra,
written for the occasion and dedicated to
Cleveland.
In the committee-rooms prepared for
the President and Nico-President the
same lavish manner of decorations and
adornmeut that prevailed i'll the ballroom
were repeated with even more profusion.
Roses predominated in the floral decora-
tions-great American Beauties, sweet
scented Magma Chartas and Uric Burners
and i'll every nook and corner We're
plants and cut flowers that could not be
surpassed in luxuriance and novelty ol
arrangement.
! At20 minutes to 10 Mr.. and Mrs. Cleve-
/ land arrived, accompanied by retinue
! of friends. Without retiring to the pri-
vate rooms the President and his wife
started on tour of the ballroom. The
President led the way on the arm of Gen
eral Schofield, while Mrs. Cleveland fol
lowed under the escort of Justice Gray o
the Supreme Court. Following then
came Colonel and Mrs. Lamont, Mr.. anC
Mrs. Bissell, Hoke Smith, Mr.. and Mrs
J. Sterling Morton, Mr.. and Mrs. Glider
Mr.. and Mrs. Benedict, Miss Benedic
and number of others.
AsShe party entered, the Marine Band
at a signal, started Hail to the Chiet'
and the familiar air was the first intima
ton given the majority of the people
that the guests of the evening had arrived
The immense crowd was necessarily Sc
compact and the interest in the CLEVELAND
party so great that there was little room
left for the promenade of the guests O
honor.
The greatest interest was manifested il
Mrs. Cleveland, and hundreds of womel
Wed with each other in getting to the
front of the line, where they might catcl
n good glimpse of her face. a few minutes
only were consumed in making the cir
cult of the ballroom, and then Mr. anC
Mrs. Cleveland and party went up stair
to their private apartments and there re
ceived a large number of prominent per
sons. Secretary of the Navy Herber
here joined the party with Miss Herbert
The Vice-Presidential party arrived a
10 o'clock, and the circuit of the hall wa
made in similar manner to the Presi
dental party. Mr.. and Mrs. Stevenson
with their son, daughter and friends VIII,
had accompanied them to Washington
then joined the President and Mrs
Cleveland in their rooms.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland left the ball
room before 1890 o'clock. Their depart
ure was taken so quietly that few peopl
were aware of it, and a great lnultitud
gathered about the stairway leading T.
the Presidential apartments, and re
manned there for some time after th
President and his wife had left the ball.
The Vice Presidential party remaine'
somewhat later, as did also several mem
bers of the party who came with th
Clevelands.
Precisely at midnight the band strucl
up Home, Sweet Home" and the as
semhlare quietly dispersed. The whol