The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-11
The Waldorf Transformed into an
Enchanted House Of Beauty.
SUPERB DECORATIONS or FLOWERS
GlittcrinR Gems ana Dn.sltnr Co..
tunes Worn mt the Grcnt social
Event OF the Yeur.

nave ucen written ABOUT the affair and pic
lures have been drawn, but the fancy OF
the reporter and the artist did not picture
scenes one-half so lovely us were present.
ed In the Waldorf. For weeks Mrs. Martin
mas worked in the preparation of the
sumptuous affair. Her Efforts were richly
rewarded The bitter criticisms hurled at
her were forgotten and the hundreds who
were present WED in making her the hap
piest woman in America.
The decorations throughout the Waldorf
were exquisite. American beauties, lilies
and the rest of imported blossoms, with
vines aud palms. were intertwincd in
marvslously beautiful scheme. Never In
New YORK has Il greater floral display been
made at ball. Tiny electric lights and
mirrors were used in a bewlidering and ar
tistic manner, all combining to transform,
the already beautiful hotel into an enchant-
ed fairy house.
Arrangements for receiving the guests
as they arrived were as nearly perfect as
could be. The guests alghted from the
carriages at IL West Thirty third street.
which is the private residence OF Manager
',olat Of the hotel. and went directly TO
the second floor of the hotel. where sixty
apartments had been set aside as dressing
rooms. The guests We're received by Mrs.
Bradley Martin In the small hall ronm
Tic scheme of decoration in this room was
that of the time of Louis Nv, and before
the dais passed the counterfeit present
ments Of all the prominent people of that
time, to miuSle In confusion with pictures
of the characters Of other days. After being
received by the hostess. who stood upon a
| raised dais under canopy OF rare tapestry.
| the guests passed through flower line cor
| ridor directly into the large ball room.
| In the early portion Of the evening dane
| ing In The main ball room cu the first floor
WIS general, but it was not until all the
guests had paid their respects To Mrs.
Bradley Martin and she had been escorted
| to the ball room prefer, that the fancy
dress ball was declared formally opened.
| In the small gallery where were the
members 10 the Twenty second Regiment
band and the Hungarian band the music
| suddenly stopped Tor Just a moment 10 be
broken by a flourish of trumpets as Mrs.
| Bradley Martin and her escort. Mr.. John
| Jacob Astor, entered the room. a moment
| later they had taken their places; there
was another flourish of trumpets. which
| told the quadrille d'hcneur, arranged by
| Mrs. YIN. Aston. was about TO open me
forming OF the first figure. the salute,
was like the turning OF pages of history.
Tho dancers rathered from all sections OF
| the ROOM These were Mrs. Brazil ~ Martih.
| wearing a Mary stuart costume copc1
from an old plate of that queen $ time MIS-
John Jacob Astor, in = Louis vi court cos
/ tune: Mr.. j. Townsend Martin, as caVai
Ter OF the court Of Louis XIII, ana MIS-
Henry | .ohr, in a Louis XIV court costume
From another section OF the room CAM
Mrs. Orine Wilson. looking picturesque IT
n Iouis XVI court dres Of white ana slVel
! hrocade. which followed the elaborate styl'
of the period, and Mrs. Whitney warren
wearing a costume OF pale blue brocade an
silk after the style of the time of Louis X y
} MIR. Lisponard Stewart closely followed III
. partner, Mrs. Whitney Warden, dressed a
cavalier of the court OF Louis XIII. IN
others of the sixteen who took their place
in the nuadrille were: Mrs. Lee Taylor
: Mr.. Craig Wadsworth, Miss Gerry, MI
Center Hitchcock, Mrs. Lena Norton MI
j. j. Van Alien, Miss Madeline Cutting, NIT
, Stuyvesant Fish.
As these partners waited for the openin
hars of the music, the scene was the mos
beautiful of the night Far beyond. OF
either side were the glttering gems an
all that went to make up the historlcaii
' lropresented personages of the ball, th'
,, whole backgrounded by the natural HOW
ers, the lights and the ferns.
In this way the salute. was danced
Mrs. Fish and MIR. Van Courtland tool
, their positions behind Mrs. Bradley Martin
and MIR. Aston. Miss Gerry and Mrs. war
, zen walked up to a position In front OF MIS-
.Nas
Bradley Martin and Mr.. Astor. lhey wer
followed BY Mr.. Martin and Mr.. Seward
Then the side couples approached III SIN,
liar way, four at a time, leaving an aisi
in the center. Mr. Astor and Mrs brahiey
Martin promenaded down the ailse. TN
other dancers bowling. then foiiowine II
tMos. then all returning to their origin'
positions. AS when, 200 years ago. IN
auadrille d'honeur was danced at oou:.
where the king and queen took part IN !,
they were accorded due and proper honor
so tonight Mrs. Bradley Martin ana Mr.
Astor were given that honor as KING an'
queen of tho night In these old DAYS. t9o
the crown piihue an 49, ~, Mo bosd, n
the quadrille, so at this dance me p'aee
we're given TO Mrs. stuyvesant flsh an;
Mr.. Robert Van Courtiand' ,.
After the first Figure and 'the non
eur both of which were more elaborate
the second Quadrille, when hau pesn VI
ganlzed by Mrs. f. l.. bayi,ss' was uap.e
bv Mrs. ogden Mills. Mrs: John 'aooo az
tor Mrs Cornelius Vanderbilt. Jr., Mrs
Henry Sloane. MISS fuith Moitoi,' ME-
Va Rensselaer,, MTh. AilViiHo We -Neh'ts''
Na