Evening star., 1897-03-05

ms Driei respite 1rdm the cares OF OIl,;lai
spiendor only lastedy "a short time. Then
commenced their active participation in The
ball. Escorted by Maj Gen. Miles, Mr..
Charles J. Bell and other members of the
the distinguished party of which the Vice
President and Mrs. Hobart formed 9. part.
started down the gallery to make a circuit
OF the ball room. Every step they took
was Ioiiowed by thousands of eyes. and
would nave been followed by thousands of
forms, only extra precautions were taken to
clear the way. Mrs. Mckinley bore the
trying ordeal much better than was ex-
pected. 1t required all her strength to do
1t. as walking is difficult matter for her:
but having made up her mind to do 1t, and
knowing naturally The disappointment 1t
would be to so many who wished to see her,
she was able to carry out her original in
tention and take just the same active in
terest In the ball that the wife of any
President has done. When the supper room
was reached the President and party en-
tered the room especially reserved for
them and partook of some of the dain-
ties and substantials which hundreds OF
more or less other distinguished persons
enjoyed later in the evening.
Some Curious Experiences.
Mrs. McKinleys relatives will have many
amusing experiences to recount OF how
they came to the pail. In the first place,
all of them came later than the President
and at the time when every passage
way and every entrance seemed an I'M
movable mass Of people. AS they bore no
outward signs of their relationship to ner
any one as to their identity, they had
lively time reaching the Presidents
rooms. After passing half a dozen
barriers, and when a; last Mrs Bar
Der, Mrs. Mckinley's sister, reached the
reception room. she was among the num-
Der who found the brown swinging door
very securely closed and she no; or the
side which she preferred. She was equal
lrr,;=s :, -.-h: &c
pered Please, let me in, | am Mrs. Nc
kiEley's sister, the work was accomplish
ed, and. with the four or five pretty young
Of her distinguished relative.
After the departure of the presidential
party for the grand circuit of the ball room
Mr.. and Mrs. Mark Hanna held a reception
of a great deal nveler character and far
more entertaining, because they liked it.
Mrs Hanna, ensconsed in a big armchair.
looked like a queen, around whom court
quickly gathered. every member of which
was only too willing to pay her admiratio
Her magnificent train gown of yellow bro
cade. the waist of which was low and fes-
tooned with point lace fairly blazed with
diamonds In addition to the half dozen
gorgeous ornaments which decorated it, she
wore necklace of huge solitaires and
tiara among the largest of the dozen or
two that were striking by their height and
briiliancy. Among the earliest to pay their
respects to Mrs. Hanna were Mrs. l.. H.
Letter and Mrs. Potter Palmer. both OF
whom fairly blazed with precious stones
and Mr.. Russell Harrison. who had a pleas
ant "ord ana a handshake for every one.
The Presidential Promenade.
When President and Mrs. Mckinley start
ed for their circuit Of the ball room they
were escorted by Mr.. Edward McCauley,
the chairman of the floor committee. The
Vice President and Mrs. Hobart were es-
corted by Mr.. Gardiner G. Hubbard. The
party following them was the relatives of
the President and Vice President and other
distinguished guests. Master Garret A.
Hobart. jr.. was also an interested spec
tator. Those at the table were Mr.. and
Mrs. Gary. Mr.. and Mrs. Hanna. Mr.. and
Mrs Gardiner G. Hubbard, Mr. and Mrs.
Boardman. 80 -
Others at the feast were Justices of the
Supreme Court Harlan and Brown. Mr.. and
Mrs j. Addison Porter, Mr.. and Mrs. Cor
nelius N. Bliss, Gen. Nelson A. Miles Lieut..
Emory. Mr.. and Mrs. Herrick Cleveland;
Mr.. and Mrs. w. c. Whittemore Miss Han
ma. Mrs. Field. Mr.. re. Kerens of ST.
Louis Mr.. and Mrs. Charles ]. Bell. Mr..
Henry L. Swords. Col Fred Bracket. Col.
John M. Wilson, Gen. and Mrs George B.
Williams. q
Among others who enjoyed their supper
in the same room with the presidential
party were Mr.. and Mrs. Benjamin Butter
worth, Edwin b. Hay, Judge Louis Nc
Comas and daughter. Senator Cullom, Mr.
and Mrs. Stilson Hutchtiis Mr.. and Mrs. A.
J. Halford. Mr.. and Mrs. Jules Guthridge
Mr.. and Mrs. Beriah wilkins. Mr.. and Mrs
Frank B. Noyes. Mr.. and Mrs. George II.
Walker. Mr.. and Mrs. Abner Mckinley, Mr..
Mckinley Osborne, Mr.. and Mrs. Marshall
Barber and Mr.. and Mrs. T. V. De Graw.
Some Rich Costumes.
Mrs Mckinley wore superb costume of
white satin brocaded in rich design. The
material was so elegant that it needed little
trimming and this was entirely of lace.
The many -gored skirt had paneed effects
in point lace. alternating with plain cores
of the satin. Around the waist line there
were five rows Of fine shirring. The train
was gathered iEto the belt and fell In long,
graceful folds. two yards and half in
length. The skirt was lined with white
taffeta, which gave 1t sufficiently stiff
and stand-out appearance at the hem.
The bodice was high-necked. 1t had a
yoke of silver and pearl passementerie, the
| lower edge of which was trimmed with a
| deep fall of Point d d'Alencon lace. This
| lace was carried over the shoulders, and at
| the left side festooned under 4 corsage bou-
| quet of violets held by pretty diamond
ornament. The soft folds of the satin were
| drawn toward the front of the bodice in a
point, where they were confined by belt
| of the pearl and silver passementerie. The
| collar band was of the satin, softly creased.
| and toward the back the Point d'Alencon
| was thickly ruched under a thicker ruche
| of white chiffon, after the prevailing fash
| ion. The sleeves were smoothly fitting. OF
| the Sat1n DfOCAue. dIlu udu Smdll puts al
the top over which the fiounce of lace fell.
| At the wrist the sleeve was cut in three
| points under which fall of the lace came
| down over the hands. Her ornaments con-
| sisted Of diamond earrings. an old-fashioned
| brooch of large diamonds, an heirloom In
| her mothers family, and sidecombs banded
| with small diamonds. The pretty shoes
| worn were of the same satin as the dress
| The empire fan which she carried was OF
| lace similar to that on her dress.
| Mrs Mckinley wore very elegant wrap
| coming to and going home from the ball,
which she had donned for the first time.
1t was in color a soft shade of lavender
| and in texture Of exquisitely soft silk. The
| silk was brocaded in a Persian pattern,
and the wrap was long enough to entirely
cover the whole figure of its wearer. 1t
had a wadded lining of cream white satin,
and the trimming was Of natural white
fur 1t was bordered with white Alaska
fox all around the edges. and this fur
formed the high collar. which protected
| the head almost as well as the neck.
President McKinleys mother wore a