The morning times., 1897-01-01
SOCIETY BIDS The
old YEAR FAREWELL
Danced 1t Out Gaily at the Letter
COtilliOn.
Many of the Leaders of Washing
TOMS Exclusive Set Were Pres
ent-0ther Happy Events.


Letter was, as usual, the best and bright
est social function Of the old and the New
Year 1t is the ball of balls TO which the
charming set, of which Mrs. Letter is
always a representative and often the
hostess, looks forward with increasing
anticipation of pleasure from the last
measure OF the old event to the first meas
ure of the new.
The occasion of last night was for dane
ers only" almost exclusively for debu-
tantes, and the charming women who, III
spite OF new years. are still recently de-
bUtantes.
OF the other sex there We're present the
flower of literary and social life of the
city. including representative ladies and
gentlemen from the various embassies.
The home OF the Letters, oil Dupont circle
al ways beautiful, was consIicl oIsly so last
night. u.ore by reas on OF its effective IL
! Elimination than for a display or floral
| decorat Oh In fact, there Were hut few
| flowers in the drawing room suite or
! in the tgallrc ON except those worn by the
! guests
one special decoration, however, did not
| fail to attract universal attention. 1t was
| aloTing remembrance OF the absent daugh-
| ter. Mrs Curzon. The exquisite oil paint
ing OF Mrs Curzon was given another
| frame, an arahcsCuc of plants and flowers.
! principally orchids and ferns, large mum
| ter Of these being masscd at the lower
side of the frame, giving living artistic
| effect OF the painting standing amid the
| flowers
In the ball room he only added dt'cora-
| ton was the screen of palms, behiEd which
the Marine Band string orchestra played
| for the dance. The view OF the room,
| however under the blaze of electric light
which harmonized so sympathctically with
| the prevailing old gold Of the walls, was
exquisite in its suggestions Of appropriate
| ness for such a gathering. The archi
tectural ornamentation of this ballroom
| is largely Ionic, but the general design is
Of the Renaissance. and the elaborate
| Renaissance, too, Of Francis1.
The ceiling is rich in curious and in
volved stucco designs, tie ground color
being white with here and there bits OF
gold and green. THE walls are OF shining =
Moreseo marble and the pilastcrs nf red
French marble. The principal points FROM
which the illumination was thrown were
the stained glass medaIions OF the ceiling
| The favors were massed in the recess
on tile west side of the room. In such a
ballroom cne could easily realize the
| paradox that beauty unadorned is adorned
| the most.
Invitations had been sent to 150 IGr-
tunates There were no regrets" This
is the number that can be accommodated
in this ballroom when the purpose IS
| dancing as il was last evening.
As at least seventy five of the invited
guests Were ladies, it takes but little i'm
aginatiou TO recall the richness and bril-
lance OF the scene in the lovely environ
ment OF the ballroom itself when the music
set the dancers in motion. Had Lord AL
fred 7. been there be might possibly have
written q better Dream OF Fair Women
which would have been all the better, any
how. had he made q New Years study OF
American beauties.
Mr and Mrs Letter received the guest,
Hospitality, and with the added gracious
ness Of the inspiration of the event in
tended To be honored. Mrs. Letter was
radiantly gowned in purple satin, jewelleC
with rUbies
Among the guests were Sir Julian Paunce
fote, Mrs Pauncefote, the Misses Paunce
fote, the French Ambassador and Madame
| Patenotre, Mrs. Sartoris, Mrs. Hearst, Mr.
. and Mrs. c. J. Bell, Mr. Featherstone Houg h
, | the A argentine Minister, the ladies of th'
] Argentine legation and its secretary, Mr.
; | Alfred Cana, and Miss Cana, Of the Chill
can Legation, Senator Brice, Mrs. Rric
, and the Misses Brice, the secretary of tn,
Swedish Legation, Miss Gale, Miss Nc
Donald. Mr.. Mcdonald, and Mrs Mcdonald
Gen Bachelor, Mrs. Bachelor and Mis-
Bachelor, the Misses Harlan, Chief Justic
Fuller, Mrs. Fuller, and Miss Fuller. Vic
President Stevenson and Miss Stevenson
Miss Morton. the Misses Sheridan, tn
Misses Patton, the Mexican Minister an,
= Madame Romero, Senator Hale and party
Mr.. Fred Adams and party, and quite
number of others familiar in the socia
chronicles Of Washington.
, The ball was regarded as the most sue
: cessfGl Of the long list of brilliant socia
triumphs had at the Letter mansion. /
= linked the old and the new year with tn
most grateful recoilections of the man
Y distin guished guests of a most graciou
I hostess on her farewell to the DEPARTS
year.