The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-05
TRIBUTE
PAID TO
SOCIETY.
Inaugural Ball the Gaping
Climax to the Days
Festivities.
.PORTAL OF FHIRyLAND
Lights, Costumes, Flags and
Flowers Mingle in Sur
passing SplendOr.
PORThL OF FHIRyLHND

WASHINGTON March 4-With the night came
the browning glory of the inauguration The residen-
ces and public buildings were afame with light the
streets were still crowded with people, the camorng
multltudes still bated at dining doors of hotels
ana restaurants demanding food drink countless
thousands surged to and fro in front of the monument
grounds, whence arose the chromatc fireworks that
lighted the city in ftful CLEANS; but it was at the
brilliantly Illuminated pension building that politics
paid its tribute to society There the distinguished
guests Of the occasion paid homage President Nc
knley, and the mistress of the White house and
later treaded the mazes of the dance
The inaugural ball is always the climax Of the dav
To the minds of many there is nothing comparable to
it. They like to see the PARADE they nger sight
OF the prominent men and women; they occupy their
weary places terraced for hours to see the
president and the Inauguration party pass; but the
hope of the most Of them especially the ladies who
have come provided with exquisite gowns, designed
and planned months in advance is the ball
The pension building is admirably suited for this
spectacular display 1t is an enormous hall surround
ing a vast court supported by huge pillars Of marble
around which circle two galleries. This great court
tonight became the ballroom 1t was never So beauti-
fully decorated. The graceful arches trembled with
flowers and greeneTy the colossal columns seemed to
grow out of bowers of flowers and supported the iron
roof, which royal canopy Of white and gold
Hundreds Of canareS in gold cages tucked away in the
greenely, madly Tens of thousands of electric
of the lights probably equaIIed certainly
not surpassed iii this country.
The most striking feature enormous counter
part Ct "Old Glory done in red white and blue bulbs
so arranged that it seemed to be floating in stiff
breeze.
The whole was like the portal of fairyIand
with it's visions of beautiful women, myrads OF
cleaning lights, its gorgeous massing Of colors it's
wealth Of blossoms it's pulsations Of music and
! the heavy odor of thousand perfumes.
The announcement Of the inaugural bail declared
that the doors would be opened O'clock and that
} the dance programme would begin at 8, but many
visitors to the city determined miss no part
of the festivities and clustered about the en-
frances to the pension building before bolts were
drawn When the doors finally swung inward the
people with rush. and III quarter Of an hour
the main floor comfortably filled with promenad-
The presidential party the notable figures Of Of
fciadom, and the world of society which, Washing
ton, has the diplomatic corps ard the army navy
for conspicuous factors, delayed their arrival until
later and more fashionable hours The first Corners
however repaid for their enterprise by the finest
view, for without great crowd to the decor
aOns, the hall to be tC the best advantage
From the two balconies encircng the hall high up
hundreds Of people looked down into arena upon
the other hundreds of stawart, blackcoated and
richly g0wned women who swept in continuous pro-
cesSion around and around the broad surface Mean
time during the first hour before the dancing was to
begin, the spectators entertained by concert
from the white uniformed military band that alter
mated with the orchestra high up in the gallery
rendering operate airs stirring marches
The human element of the ball was after the build
ing had begun to fill up, it's most interesting factor
The democracy of the great social of Inaugural
ton impressed itself upon visitor. City and coun-
try society and officiadOm, black and white
touched elbows friendly terms in the great rOtunda
Among the fashionably gowned women visitors
from every American city, and visitors from many
rural towns. In the kaleidoscope Of costumes was a
tumble Of Paris, London New York Oshkosh
and KennebunkpOrt Perhaps q tenth of the men were
arraycd in the formal evening Clothes but
theess the serner gave its share Of brilancy to
display by the OutpOuring Of uniforms There were
the diplomats late Corners all of them They were
respondent in scarlet and gold and green and the
silks Of the Orient with enameed orders shining from
their breasts. and clanking swords. There also
and navy, together with divers uniforms of crack
military regiments of many cities. The silks satins
diamonds and pearls Of the ladies were of course the
chief and to their SEX the most interesting
the human show Here and there among the promen-
aders to be coored couple, for al the
stitutonal amendments respected at inaugural
ball.
Of dancing, there during the first two
hours and little thereafter for the floors too
much crowded to dance with comfort and most of the