St. Paul daily globe., 1895-10-29
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE
SPARkLES WITH ST. PAUL,S
SELECT SOCIETY
AT THE CHARITY BALL.
ANNUAL RECURRENCE OF THE
EVENT MARKED WITH THE
USUAL SUCCESS.
An Enjoyable Function Whose
Charms Were Heightened by
Winters First Touch.

1t is a pleasant custom Of Mrs
Augusta Evans, Ouida and various
other relators of impassioned South
ern romance to present, in seductive
colors, the charms of a grand ball
under Semi-tropic skies. At these
balls the ingenious beauty without
gold or guile, but possessing a classic
Greek nose, is enabled to force the
Spanish count, whose Cuban estates
produce more reals than revolutions,
into surprising her by an expected
proposal only because the two are
seated, between waltzes, upon a
veranda amidst refulgent moonlight
and the warm, intoxicating odor of
the magnolia, the tarantula, and
other Southern flora. This sort of
ball is well enough in a book, and
doubtless satisfies a Frenchman or
CorSfcan. But to the Anglo-SaXon
soul a ball is not a ball unless the
outside air is as chill and uncom-
Portable as the atmosphere of the
ball room is genial; unless the dis
comforts Of heat be not added to the
fatigue of dancing; unless rich Co.'S
tunes are not forced to make way
for simple summer gowns; unless
each fair guest is permitted to dis
play the beauty of her carriage
wraps, and each assiduous youth can
electrify his heart with the fond
adjustment of these cosy wraps dur
ing the long ride home after neces-
sarily deliberate horses.
The summer dance at lake or sea
has it's peculiar attractions. But it is
not a grand ball; it is not an ideal
ball. And a social blessing in disguise
was the October blizzard which pre-
maturely wrapped st. Paul with a
soft, benevolent mantle of symbolic
snow that nothing might be lacking
to the charity ball last night at the
Metropolitan opera house. The snow
but reflected the moonlight; the crisp
air gave every contrasting COM
fort of Father Winter without his
biting touch; and only an insane
horse would have attempted to hurry
home over the CLASSY asphalt pave
ments. This last advantage was not
perhaps realized at first when car
riage after carriage stopped short or
| Minnesota street unable to proceed
to the door of the opera house, and
fur-wrapped but bare-headed maids
and matrons were obliged to walk
a full half-biock amidst the snow.
Within the opera house was found
another cline. It was not difficult, al
least, for an imagination pleasantly
excited with two-step and trapped
! ice to perceive a maze of merry
dancers within the stately park of e
continued chateau. The parquette
| fioored over, formed, of course, with
the stage itself, Terpischore's sacred
altar. The scenery all about the
with trimmed hedge and graveleC
walk, with glimpse of fiower-coveret
urn and glistening statue. Close
upon the fictitious flora was banked
multitude of genuine palms and
| plants, the contribution of various
florists; and from the midst of tn,
| thickest green we1led forth the ami
mating melody of waltz and two
step played with admirable skill b!
the Third regiment band. Col. Page
courtesy in permitting the attend
ance Of the band was appreciated b!
the managers of the ball.
The dancers could scarcely hav'
been more numerous and danced
The recurring blackness of the mas
culine full dress costume served bu
to relieve the contrast of white
green and varying shades of salmon
yellow in the feminine gown. Sucd
were the prevailing tints, but the in
finity of combination in the exqui
site costumes, the complexity of nat
ural charm in the hesitating ingen
ues and the brilliant matrons, are no
for record but for remembrance only
No previous ball at the Metropolital
has been so radiant with the tende