New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14
THE WEEK IN SOCIETY.

Most OF the descriptive phrases OF admiration
which the English language can supply have been
used 10 depict the splpndors OF Mrs. Martins cos
tune ball which was the most important SCOUT
happenng of the week The entertainment, which
was given at the Waldorf on Wednesday high'
last was one long 10 be remembered Every de-
tail Of tho ball was looked after bY the hostess
who made thorough inspection Of the moral c'ro
ratlons the hanging OF the tapestries ana e'r'!
nook and corner Of the rooms between anu
o'clock on the night of the ball. so thar fa'cr on
when the guests began to arrive. everything was
i'm perfect order The ball passed OF WITHOUT "
hitch OF any kind and to the complete satisfaction
OF Mrs Martin and her eight hundred odd guests
The opening features of the ball were the quadries
ard mnuets The quadrille d'honneur, arranged
bv Mrs Astor. which opened the ball, was Speh-
dIdIy carried out and most perfectly danced 'he
leaders being John Jacob Astor and Mrs. Mar'lii'
Mrs Bronsons ouadre was, without question inc
nrettiest most interesting and daintiest OF inc
number The dancers all young people, the
girls being counted the fairest and most peautln'
debutantcs Of the season. Mrs. Edmund /" Bay
% , mn1'i GrS %Hle Sight Ts M whitehoGse and
ogden Mills led 10 the strains or the famous inneo
dances were evidently carefully rehearsed, for they
passed of with a precision ana hnisn .nd a. Hii
room floor was prepared for general dancing, which
was enjoyed by some until ] 80 or o'closf when
served at small tables in the mems cafe and IN
the winter garden Mr.. Dyer who led his last ST
copn Gm his forces for the german
danced until o'clock and vas continues i lSr
cotilIon considered IT was skifuly conducted ana
Mr. DYER throughout held MS torGfS ne rnpossc
silver matchboxes, court-plaster cases ivory INC
orandum tablets ana y b ons treasured
: souvenirs.
Almost Immediately after the cotillon Mrs Mar
,,n the men and women who danced In Mrs Bay
lics's mnuet and number or elderly ha'roi''
end men repaired 10 nearby pho'osraphei :
where pictures OF the party were made Inc ger"
eral dancing was kept up until after O'CLOCK anu
(, was long after that hour when the last OF the
quests left the Waldorf for their homes Inc pan
was . most enjoyable one. there beng a totat
lack OF Formally which IS usually so arHcu ,b S
dav after the bali: 1T the most delightful en-
teranment have attended IN owr neas vas
The fear that some disturbing crank would CRY
out the threats made to the dliere"' Peop wiz
attended the ball"
Many OF the costumes worn were most artistic
end the result OF careful studies OF works on
dresses NJ another age and cline. In some cases
tre details Of the costumes were followed most
carefully There was a gorgeous display of jewels
and few more striking than those worn by MIS-
Martin Mrs Aston Mrs. Morton ana Mrs l.
Townsend Burden. In some OF the costumes there
were rich brocados silks. satins and laces that
had grsced the forms OF beaus and bellies OF past
generations. Mrs. Martins gown was OF the Marie
Stuart style red satin underdress with Dack
velvet ovcrdress looped up the left side. show
ing n large plastronlike ornament OF part-colored
gems from which festoons OF diamonds were sus-
pended The corsags OF red satin covered
with a stomacher Of diamonds rubes and sap
phires With these ornaments Mrs. Martin wore
a necklace of diamonds and pearls. and ropes o.
diamonds hanging across the corsage and her
famous diamond crown. Mrs. Aston was in a
handsome costume or black satin. trimmed with
gold lace. She wore black velvet cap, which
was studded with diamonds and from which flowed
q lorE veil Of white tulle She also a col
laretie and necklace 81 solitaire diamonds. The
front OF the corsaEa nearly hidden with "A
stomacher and ropes OF diamonds. Ii re
marked by many that Mrs Aston never looked as
well as sho did Wednesday night. Mrs. J.
Townsend Burden was in a gorgeous Marie An
ioinrtte costume. an exact copy OF NiSec lie
Bruins portrait OF the Unfortunate French queen.
The underdress OF white satin. and the over