New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-23

full uniform, as wei as Dy tnc DiPoA"''~ ON'f"'
the Cabinet Ministers and the principal digni-
tarles of the army, the navy the maglstracy ana
the civil service Everything ia done on grand
and liberal scale. especially the supper all ex-
pensee being betrayed by the city treasury.
chamnagre flows Ike water. and before the
Gargantuan feast IS brought 10 a close In the
small hours Of the morning the eXhilaratlon on
the part Of both guests and entertainers becomes
pronounced. Each municipal councillor receives
about fifty cards of invitation for distribution
among his friends. and from the moment that
the date Of the bail IS announced applications be-
gin t. pour in upon HIM from every side Tor
tickets Every one II his constituents. ana there
may be thousands of them, regards himself as
entitled T. ore card, at least especially thcse
who have taken active part in the campaign
for his election and If he fails to fulfil their ex-
pectau0ns he converts them from supporters Into
bitter enemies whose animosity Is kept at boil
ing point by the reproaches and complaints Of
their women folk.
POLITICIANS AVOID TROUBLE
with a view Of getting around THE difficulty,
the ditch in crossing which 50 many Of the city
fathers come crOpper." several OF them nave
this year devised the plan OF putting up the
cards at public auction among their constituents
giving 1t 70 be understood that all the money
.
city Hospital and charitable institutions. The
echeme seems 20 have been successful and to
have given universal satisfaction wherever put
into execution. the tickets realizing all the way
from $40 to two francs apiece. The sums al
ready turned In to the hospital from this source
amount 10 about 1000 francs. and it Is a comfort
I, feel tha, the poor will benefit by the frivoli.y
Of tho present season. Next year it Is probable
that the plan thus begun by NJ Moreau. munich
nal councillor and his colleagues will become
universal.
Another great ball that takes place each year
Just about this season Is the so-called Bal des
Gems de Mason at the Sale Wagram The
Gems de Malson" are an association comprising
some six thousand Of the superior servants. the
cream In fact. and the aristocracy OF the 10000
domestcs employed to walt upon the well-to-do
citizens Of Paris. The union IL rich and eclectic
I'm so far that II will permit no servant TO retain
his or her name on rs rolls who has been guilty
OF dsgraceful conduct. The President Is NJ.
Picard a butler OF imposing presence, who, with
"A broad blue sash Of Office crossing his capaclou3
white wastcOat, as the ribbon OF the Legion or
Honor crosses that Of President Faure, received
the guests Mt the ball with just much dignity
and statelness as II he were thc Chiet Mdsi1'F"'c
| Of the Republic in person.
+
The demeanor of the guests was irreproach-
able. and the attire Of both men and women
compared favorably with that Of the people pres
ent at the municipal ball a couple Of days pre-
vlo,,slv The men were all IN full evening dress.
while the magnificent jewels that adorned the
necks. the arms and the coiffures of many OF
the women gave evidence Of the fact that their
mistresses had allowed them for the occasion
free access 10 their caslSets These gems. how
ever and the costly laces may be said to have
constituted the sum total II the borrowed plumes;
for IL was manifest from the perfect iii Of the
Gowns that they had been made for their
wearcrs This Is by means surprising when 1t
IS borne In mind that 10 the lady's maids the
Wallets. the buffers and the private coachmen
in Paris. this Bal DIES Gems de Mason consti-
tutes the principal social event and festival Of
the entire year, the one for which they reserve
all their tinery and all their economies, as we'll
as their best manners. Masters and mistresSes
seem to take pleasure in helping the members
Of their household to cut good figure on this
occasion. and many is the ady's maid who can
boast Of having had the finishing touches given
to her toilet ana the jewels fastened into her
hair. around her throat and wrists and into her
ears by the hands of her own mistress. The
dancing excellent and redo unded to the
credit Of the several dancing masters who. In the
last year. have been clever enough To establish
/ evening dancing classes for servants exclusively
The only feature Of the entertainment calcu-
/ lated to cause n smile ana - create come amuse
m,nt was the precedence accorded to the serv
| ants OF dukes over those OF marquiscs and to
those Of marquises over those OF counts, the do
mestcs OF ordinary untitled citizens being con-
tent to follow mceky IN the wake Of their bet
ters. And likewise able to realize the
| truth of the oft-told legend according to which
/ servants are accustomed to apply to one another
!
and mlstresses.
People here seem to have gone simply wild
/ about the coronation OF the Car next May and
the Legislature has acted entirely In accord with
popular sentiment In placing practically unm-
tied resources ut the disposal Of the Government
| for the suitable representation OF France at the
festivities. The COmte de Montebello happening
to be the dean Of the Diplomatic Corps at st.
/ Petersburg II will fall to his lot 10 lead off in
| all the entertainments given at Moscow in honor
/ OF the occasion. and sum OF no less than $50 900
has been assigned to him for the cost of the
supper which he is to give as the browning feat
urc Of his grand ball for the Emperor and En-
press. There are people here who actually grum-
Bile that this enormous sum Is far too small and
the Count has already been informed that II he
needs more no objection will be raised.
LAVISH ENTERTAINMENT.
Everything will be brought from France. the
champagne being that grown on the Counts own
/ estates In this country, while the Garde- Meuble
the National museums and galleries here are all
/ being called upon TO contribute 10 furnishing the
decoration and adornment of the two huge ad-
joining palaces which the Ambe ssador has al
ready leased at big price In Moscow for the
use of his Legation. 1t Is probable that his ex-
pendture In connection with the festivity will
/ amount to about 81, 100000. but when II Is remen-
! bered that the French Government placed con-
siderably more than double that amount AT
the disposal Of the late Due de Morny when
he represented his country at the coronation OF
Alexander II II must be confessed that the nr,ce
does not seem so excessive after all