The herald., 1896-06-19
THE POLITE WORLD

An invitation from Mrs. Juana A. Neal
always meets with an enthusiastic re-
sponse. and the brilliant function given
by her last evening out at the old Long
street place, combining all the essential
elements of hospitality with q note
worthy project for the furtherance Of
the growth of the city. not only drew out
an immense concourse of everybody in
the realms of beauty. fashion and intel
lect from the polite world of Los Angeles
but also made another most decisive
notch in her wand as charming hostess.
1t has already been said that all the
land of who's who was there. Over 500
invitations were issued.
The old mansion. which occupies con-
spicuous position on Flower street. is
planted somewhat to the fore Of a mag
niflcent park. A short strip of verdure
and foliage is in the foreground. which
last evening was beautifully illuminated
with the outer section of gigantic cir
Gle of Japanese lanterns that from this
point embraced the entire expanSe of
shrubbery. The approach to the house
was given a most beautiful canopy of
Japanese lanterns that radiated from
the magnificent columns of the old
time piazza, and which by most artis-
tic device had been converted into an
impromptu ball room. Passing this en-
chanting structure, the driveway was
made to lead beyond the house, passing
in brilliantly illuminated transit another
canopy of lanterns jutting out from the
library windows and meeting at the
back of the building a magnificent ave-
nue. of palms, known as the palm drive,
which is forty feet in width and 4S0 feet
in length, and takes formal and grand
q 80 n dor CT, yiv,.r to
avenue. which opens up a beautifully
illuminated vista of space and beauty,
the drive continues round to the east
side of the house, where natural porte
cochere of palm branches had been
erected.
After taking in all the beauty of the
grounds en- route, the arriving guests
alighted and were ushered to the upper
floors of the mansion. where ample op-
portunity was given from every window
to catch some new beauty of the sur
roundings that besides the soft rays of
the moon and fiickering lights within
the lantern had further overpowering
illumination of numerous headlights
that threw into bold relief every gigan-
tic tree that seemed by height and girth
to have been part of the primeval for
est, the broad, velvety lawns, and all
the secondary attributes in the way of
rustic chairs and arbors dispersed about
the grounds for the convenience of the
guests and numerous glacial booths
shaded with huge Japanese umbrellas
for the concoction of choice viands for
the delectation of the guests.
upon descending the staircase which
LED into an antique reception hall, graced
along one side with a remarkable cobble-
stone mantel eight feet wide supported
with columns and otherwise adorned
with floral settings. the guests were well
coined IN,
light and Frenchy toilette and by Mrs
Margaret Hughes In an indescribable
Parisian creation. In passing the guests
We're presented to the following lead
ers of Los Angeles society, who received
with the hostess: Mines John r. Fran
els, c. E. Ellis. H. w. Hellman, John
e. Platter, John Wolfskill. Van Nuys
Modini- Wood, r. N Howell, S. B. Lewis
L. h. Gibson. H. Jevne, Jefferson Chan
dler E. I. Stimson, J. S. Slauson and H.
II. Kerckhoff, all of whom were untir-
Ing in extending welcomes to the in
coming tide of guests, and moreover.
formed charming coterie of feminine
beauty, beautifully outlined against
the ivory furnishings of the drawing
room, fanked on the one side with an
anteroom OF Pompeian architecture, and
on the other leading through long
French windows to the ball room with
out.
Inc proJect or the evening, the discus
SION OF the proposed Adams street tour
lst hotel, was taken up In the course of
time, in which numerous brilliant and
racy speeches by the finst officials and
most prominent citizens of Los Angeles
were made. all of which ran In perfect
unanimity of sentiment. and ali along
the undertaking course of pro"
Those making addresses were: ].
5: Slauson. A. d. Cass, w. C. Patterson.
w. ID. Woolwine, o. T. johnson. J. r.
Newberry. Father Meyer, Mrs. Mar
garet Hughes and Mrs. Juana A. Neal
After the discussion the guests dis
posed themselves whittier they sweetly
Willed, some tarrying within, finding de.
lightful distraction in keeping time to
the rhythmic music byWilley's orchestra
in the piazza ball room, where airy walls
We're composed solely of a network of
feathery foliage, supported by massive
columns entwined with palm branches
and graceful ferns; others betaking
themselves to the beauties without. Here
the softly tinted gowns of matron and
maid, the wealth of shrubbery, the lights
the sounds of distant music and the serv
ing OF refreshing connections, al fresco
left nothing to be desired for an ideal
evening in the month of brides and roses