The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-19
rnAr q eorwa on IN sooTEr1.

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The town was quite en- Jtte on Thursday night
when the frat Assembly Of tho winter took place
At the Astoria. So many dinners were given,
In advance OF IL that tho rolling OF carriages
and the flashing Of jewels from their windows'
began at o o'clock, and did not cease until well
into the following morning.
A great deal had been expected Of this hrst
Assembly, and It quito fulhllo tho expectations
Of the ladies. who had organized and arranged
IL. II was a gorgeous, gllttering scono, ts
freshness redoeminR to. q certain extont the
vividness OF its coloring, the luetre OF It's spark
ling Jewels and blaze Of it's electric light. TX
there was q fault in tho beauty and glow, II was
tina there was too much of 1t. But this IL .
fault on the right side, aud 1t would be hyper
critical to dwell upon IT.
Among the dinners that proceeded the ball were
Mrs. whitney's. Mrs. Hitchcock's. and Judge
Monson's. Mrs. whitney gathered about her
table a very striking assemblage OF handsome
women, among them Mrs. John Jacob Aston,
| who looked charming In violet velvet and diar'
monds; Mrs. Henry Sloane, Mrs. K, l.. Bnylies',
Mrs. Lloyd Bryce. Mrs. p. Cooper Hewitt. MIRA.
| Horny Payne whitney, Mrs. Burke Roche, Mrs.
stuyvesant Fish, Miss Morton. Miss Sloane. and
Miss Gerry. These. with tho hostess, who was
handsomely ostumcd In blue satin. with n p.o-
| fusion of pearls and diamonds helped to set on
the dinner table. with its flowers and wealth OF
| gold and silver plate. and made one OF the mUVA
snowy functions Of the season.
The ladies receiving at the ball made q charm
ing group. Mrs. Astor and Mrs. James A. Bur"
den supplying dignity and diamonds while MRS.
Harry whitney and Mrs. Egerton Winthrop,
Jr., were embodiments Of youth and beauty.
After supper. when tho cotillon dancers were
fockinR to their places. the debutantes came
largely to the front. They did not herd together
In a flying group-as In the old days OF n Patri-
archs' bali at Delmonico's, when they were
usually compared to a fert Of white. winged
yacbts-but they formed BY far the most numeF-
Gus and attractive part OF the cotillon. They
were all blooming and fresh. with sparkling
eyes and those unmistakablc indications OF
youth and health which are seldom seen In q
second season or even Mt the close Of a first.
Among so many lovely girls It is difficult to
make selections. Miss Leila Sloane probably
excited the most admiring attention., although
there were many of more regularity OF feature.
Miss Grinncll wore the handsomest and most
snowy costume. of rose-colored silk .em embroidered
with rhincstones mi silver s~pangles. No at
tempt was made to adhere to white as the con-
v~entionnl d6butante's attire. but Miss Isabel
Cameron wore her court dress. which was all Of
white ulle. with chiffon and daisies, and was
extremely effective and becoming. Miss Ma
thilde Van Rensselaer, looked well in white
satin, with scarlet trimmings, but there werc
very few who wore no color in their ball frocks.
Among those who seemed to be most continu.
ally on the floor were Miss Delafeld. Miss
Helen Morris. Miss De Kay. Miss Charlotte
Post, Miss GARRISON. Miss Pell, Miss Alexander.
and Miss Mary Kernockan. Mrs. Papet and
Mr.. MADDEN led n beautiful ~cotillon. and Mrn.
Paget looker extremely we'll in pale blue. with
cascades OF Hlmiest lace and strings of pearls.
Although there will be n very general depar-
ture from town for Christmas and New Year,
yet the chances are that a short but gay season
will como in between thu first week in January
and tho beginning OF Lent. Charitable enter
prises will then be in allegiance until
E ster. excepting three. which are to DO
delightful for their own sakes, like the
four musical and dramatic breakfasts an.
nounced for Thursdays in January, and which
will appeal to nearly every sense by which en-.
joyment Can be received. The absentees and
deserters from society's ranks will then all have
sailed away to foreign climes or settled them.
selves in Aiken's golf links and hunting grounds
for the winter. and there will still be enough
left to make town gay and fill the hearts Of the
young and happy with delight. The Metropoli-
tan Opera House will be omen. too, and tho spas
modic novelties of morning and evening per-
formanccs Mt the Astoria will draw smaller and
less suffocating crowds.
Mr.. and Mrs. F. w. Vanderbilt, who have been
in town for some days. will return to Hyde Park
for the holidays. Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Payne
Whitney will spend them at Westbury. and Mr..
~N' N"AS' A''S' w tAshbpoNShts "hCAo
In spite OF the absence of the NJ. +. Hand
many Of his most devoted adhercnts-cross
country riding still goes on. 1t is said, by the
way, that Mr.. c. Albert Stevens has bought the
old Lorillard Spencer house ON the corner Of
Fifth avenue and Sixteenth street, and will 1t
|, 1t up for his private residence. 1t so seldom hap
p ms that the old spacious downtown mansions
themselves to young married people
!, that one is inclined to look upon the so-called
purchase as a myth.
/ All the best-known. most amiable and attrace
tive women in society have consplred to organ
lie and arrange a series Of musical and dramatic
breakfasts at the Astoria on the four Thursdays
in January, which promise to be socially as we'll
as artistically enjoyable. Miss Lydia Eustis will
, sing at one OF them and Mrs. Sidney Harris will
give Rotations. The best professional talent
for vaudeville and comic opera will be employed
) and the very hest breakfasts served.
3 The engagement has been announced Of Miss
3 Elizabeth Stokes. daughter of Mr.. Thomas
Stokes. to Mr.. Jules Vatable. Miss Stokes is an
r accomplished golfer, rider and skater. as well az
a rich and handsome girl, and Mr.. vatable In
connected with the old family of that name, who
many years ago were well known in New York.
The marriage OF Mr.. Francis McNutt and
Miss Margaret Ogden will take place on Jan. 4.
i. Mr.. McNutt was at one time n member of the
Pope's official household and also for several
o years an attache OF the American Legation at
Madrid. The engagement. having been quite
Q unexpected, has occnsioned much surprise.
A series Of musical recitals, in conjunction
, with the Quartet. will be given BY
. Miss Lydia Eustis during the month of January
q at the houses Of several of her friends. Tho
D FIRST one will be at Mrs. 0elrichs's on Jan. 8;
the second Mt Mrs. l.. p. Morton's. and tho
third at Mrs. II. p. Whitney's.
Among the strangers OF distinction who will
spend the winter In New York o. Its vicinity
. are the Count and Countess de G%allifet, the lat
ter n daughter of Mr.. Frederic Stevens and sls
ter Of Mrs. Frederic Allen.
Mr.. and Mrs. Elisha Dyer, Jr.. and Miss Swan.
= a daughter OF Mrs. Dyer by her previous mar.
rirge, will sail very shortly for the thrr side.
and Mr.. and Mrs, Prescott Lawrence will occupy
their house In West Thirty .second street durIna