Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-02-12
saAplEY.mAafln pAlt.
Tho Social Triumph ei the Century Il New
York, wednesday Night.

Va tAC WAluOII JUDI nltCA - ShAO AAs~AsA
ing. and the grapdest and most elabor-
ate ball ever given on the American con-
tinent, II not in the world, one which
rivalled the famous fetcs Of old world
courts and great houses. began.
Beyond description, beyond even the
livcliest imaginations of her guests.
blazing with splendor and personal
adornments, graced by women whose
beauty is world famed and by men who
are distinguished in all walks OF life, the
scene entranced all who were permitted
to gaze upon it.
All that the wealth of the great me-
trOpolis could command in the markets
of the world, all that the jewellers, the
florists, the costumers, the epicures, the
composers, the designers of the big city
could give in response to that command,
was bestowed with a lavishness and ex-
travagance that was simply startling In
Its very munificence.
After month Of preparation. after
Mrs. Bradley Martin had done every
thing that could be done to make a Law
ish display with the greatest secrecy.
the ball was opened just before mid
night. Hours before that. however. ev-
cry SlTcct III Tic VI tilt
Waldorf had been crowded with peo-
pie. those who were the coming guests
and the still greater numbers drawn b..
curiosity. Carriages came In an end
less stream. discharged their occupants
and rolled away. To those who looked
on. and knew nothing of the world Of
detail. all seemed hurry and confusion.
where. In reality. IL was the perefection
of regularity. Still. with the 700 odd
guests. much time was needed to get all
into the hotel, and they were not all
there when the ball was opened.
Every feature Of the ball and all com
corning 1t in the slightest was guarded
closely. Mrs. Bradley Martin, from the
first. insisted that the ball was for her
guests. and that the first intlmation OF
the decorations should he received vhei.
the guests entered the ballroom.
Arrangements for receiving the guests
"a they arrived were as nearly perfec {
as they could he. Carriages approac he'd
from Fifth avenue. east. through Thir-
ty third street. The guests aIighted
from the carriages and went directly l.,
the second floor OF the hotel. where they
were received by Mrs. Martin in the
small ballroom. In this room Mrs. Mar
tin stood on a dais, slightly raised. under
a canopy of rare tapestries. The
scheme of decorations in this reception,
room was that OF the time OF Louis "
and before the dais passed the counter.
felt preseptments of all the prominent
people of that time. to mingie in pic
tnresQue confusion with characters of
other days.
After being received by the hostess.
the guests passed through fiower-lined
corridor into the large ballroom
In the early portion of the evening.
dancing in the small ballroom on the
first floor had been general. and it was
not until all the guests had paid their
respects to Mrs Bradley Martin. the
hostess. in the small ballroom. and she
had beer escorted to the ballroom prop
er, that the fancy dress hall was de-
clared formally opened. N~-~> :.
In the small gallery, where We're the
members of the Twenty-second Reci
nnent band and the Hungarian band. the
music suddenly stopped. There was ST.
lence for just moment. to be broken Ia.
flourish of trumpets as Mrs. Bradley.
Martin and her escort, John Jacob As.
tor. entered the room. A moment late.
they had taken their places at the head
of the room. There was another flour
ish of the trumpets. which told tha, the
Quadri!le d'honneur. arranged by Mrs
William Astor, was about to he opened
The forming of the first figure. "The
Salute, was like the turning of pages of
history. The characters gathered from
all sections of the room. There was Mrs
Bradley Martin. wearing Marie Stuart
costume. copied from an old plate Of
that queens time: John Jacob Astor. in
Louis vi. court costume: /. Town
send Martin. as cavalier of the court of
Louis KILL, and Henry Lohr in Louis
Nv. court costume. From anoth her seq
ton of the room came Mrs Orme VIII
son, looking picturesque in Louis XVI
court dress of white and silver brocade
which followed the ella aborate designs ~
the period. and Mrs. Whitney Warren
wearing costume of pale blue brocade
and silk. after the style of the time of
Louis XIV. Lispenard Steward CLOSELY
followed his partner. Mrs. Whitney
Warren. and looked elegant in his dress
of a cavalier of the court of Louis MIL
The others of the 16 who took their
places in this quadrille were Mrs. Lee
Taller. Craig Wadsworth, Miss Gerry.
Center Hitchcock. Miss Lena Morton. ].
J. Van Allen. Miss Madeline Outline.
Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish.
AS these partners took their places
and waited for the opening first bars
of the music. the scene was the most
impressive of the night For. beyondl
these characters of action. about them
on every side. were the rich laces, the
glittering gems and all that went to |
make up the historically represented
personages of the ball. the whole back |
grounded by the natural flowers, the |
lights and the ferns.
In the following way 1.-The Salute" was
danced: Mrs. Fish and Mr.. Vancort-
landt took their positions behind Mrs. |
Bradley Martin and Mr.. Astor; Miss
Gerry and Mrs. Warren took a position
in front of Mrs. Bradley Martin and Mr..
Astor. They We're followed by Mr.. Mar
tin and Mr. Stewart. Then the side
couples approaches IN a similar way|
four at time, leaving an aisle in the
centre, Mr.. Astor and Mrs. Bradley
Martin promenading down the aisle, the
other dancers bowling. then following in
twos, then all returning to their original
positions.