The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-08

from floor TO ceiling for such are the di-
mansions of the great court OF the pension
office building where the ball was held.
Eighty feet from the floor of the frame
work OF the roof supported by eight pill
lars. massive in size. wrapped round and
round in artistic fashion with bunting and
ivy and smiiax. and studded with numer-
Gus electric liIhts n globes of various
coors. Three broad galleries range on
ali sides of the spacious court the first,
twenty feet or go from the ball room floor,
supported DIV many slender columns of
polished granite. aud the balcony raj ing
capped bv huge vases, but the shining
surface of the columns and the brOnzed
vases are hidden In masses of floral deco
ration, the one covered by hanging
strings OF smilax aud similar pendants;
the other Fl led with growing palms, gilt
terIng with thousands OF electric beams.
Similar treatment is accorded the sup
ports and capping4 Of the upper galleries.
White. gold and red are drapel about the
walls OF the entire interior. Wherever the
eye wanders these three co ors predOmi-
nate. with just enough OF floral green to
make pleasing eject. The ceiling. 100
feet above the throng 10 a mass of white
and gold, a magnificent piece of work
manshiD that elected admiration from all
beholders. Ten thousand Yards OF ma.
terIal were consumed in draping the vast
canopy. The stars and stripes are every
where, on pillars on walls ana in the
waiting rooms The lower gallery is COW
erei with plush OF purest white, gold en-
broidered and gold frirged, forming q
background for American flags and ban
ners. while in the center OF the plush di
rectlv ab we. midway IN the arches be-
tween the supporting pil ars. are emblems
OF chivalry, shields OF bronze and steel.
highly 20 ished, over suits OF armor. with
the spear in the usual position. 4 floral
piece Ia over each of the pillars supporting
the first gallery. On the gallery walls ars
silk banners representing the forty-iour
states
The CIeveland's Arrive.
1t was twenty minutes TO 10 o'clock
when Mr.and Mrs. Cleveland arrived at the
pension office building accompanied by a
retinue of friends. Without going to the
rooms reserved for them the president
and his wife started on tour of the
ball room. The president led the
away on the arm of Gen Schofield. while
Mrs. Cleveland followed under escort of
Justice Gray OF the supreme court. Fol-
lowing then came Col. and Mrs.
Daniel S. Lamont, Mr.. and Mrs.
Wilson 3. Bissell, with their
daughters is-law, Mr. Hoke Smith.
Mr.. and Mre. j. Sterling sMorton, MIR and
Mrs. Richard Watson Gi der. Mr.. and
Mrp. f. &. Benedict. Miss Benedict and
number Of others. As the party entered
the Marine band at sigma from the
doorway started up with Hail to the
Chief" and this familiar was the first init
nation given a majority OF people present
that the guests of the evening had ar
rived. There was a crowding forward of
those in the center toward the sides OF the
room, and particularly toward the west or
Eifth-st. entrance through which the
presidential pa ty had entered The gaih-
ering had by this time numbered fully
100 0, and this immense crowd WAS
so compact. and the interest in the Cleve-
land party so great that there Was little
room lett for the promenade of the guests
OF honor. An idea of the vestness of
the ball room can be gained from
the fact that notwithstanding
the pushing and crowding toward
the presidential party and the seemingly
general know edge that thew making
circuit OF the hall. there were several
thousand people who did not even know
that the president and Mrs. Cleveland
were 10 the room.
Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland left the ball
room shortly before 1890 o'clock. Their
departure was made so quietly that but
few people wer- aware OF it and great
multitude gathered about the stair
way leading 10 the presidential
apartments and remained there
for some time after the president and his
wife had left the hall. The Stevenson
family remained somw hat later az did
also several members OF the party
who came with the Clevelands MIR.
Carlisle was one OF those who re-
manned and he and Mrs. Carlisle held
several impromptu receptions in various
parts of the hall. Precisely at - o'clock
the band struck up Hone, Sweet
Home" and the assemblage quietly dis
persed. The whole proceedings were
marked by staid and stately decorum
more Characteristic of an ancient minuet
than of n modem hall