The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-26
LEY-MARTIN'SBAL
1T WILL NOT BE ABANDONED ON AC.
COUNT OF CRITICISM.
Proposed Features of an Entertain
ment That Is Intended to Recall
the Days of Louis XIV.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.


Special to the indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Jan. 25.-Mrs. Bradley-Mar-
tin has not been influenced in the least
by the denunciation of her proposed fancy
dress ball to be given in the Waldorf Hotel
Feb. 10. She has no idea of countermand-
ing the orders for the function notwith-
standing the severe citicism of DR.. Rains
ford and other preachers, and the clamor
raised by Millionaire Hearst's sensational
newspaper. Mrs. Bradley-Martin has been
overwhelmed with letters from her friends,
reassuring her they intend to be present
at the entertainment. She has included all
her very large visiting list in her invita-
tons, and therefore the ball will not be
limited TO the narrow circle that seems to
be so much the vogue nowadays in fash
ionable society. 1t is said that many from
distant cities have expressed a desire TO
attend the ball, and great pressure is
brought to bear for invitations.
More than $4,000 will be spent on the
ball. Most of the two thousand people who
have been invited will each spend at least
$3.50 upon the gorgeous costumes of the six
teenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centur-
les. which the invitations require them 10
wear; many will spend six and eight times
that amount. That makes the grand total
easily 5000 coo for the costumes alone. The
Bradley-Martins will. it is estimated, spend
close to SlOo, 90 upon this one evenings
entertainment. and Sl,4O will be spent alone
upon the stockings of their servants.
Never before in the whole history of pri-
vate amusement has there Deen a ball Or
ganized upon SO extravaganza a scale. The
arrangements for this enormous gathering
OF fashionable people have been made ut
terly regardless or expense. Whole floors
of the Waldorf Hotel are to be set aside
for the amusement of Mrs. Bradley-Mar-
tin and her guests and decorations of the
most elaborate and costly nature have been
ordered. One room will be an imitation
of the great dancing hall of the Palace of
aristocracy before the French revolution
at the brilliant entertainments
or Louis XIV.
LOUIS XIV TO BE OUTCOME.
Even this monarch, the most extravagant
man that ever lived, never gave an enter
tainment that cost SO much. His prodi-
gality impoverished France. but he never
paid S1.40 for an outfit of stockings for
his servants at one entertainment, as Mrs.
Bradley-Martin has done this past week.
That single item of silk stockings will give
an idea of the recklessness of cost with
which this entertainment has been planned.
Everything else is in proportion. Contin-
uouS course SupperS served in various parts
OF the building during the whole night wili
De one feature OF the Dali. I~ruCkiO2QS OF
champagne will be opened. An army of
liveried servants. all wearing costly and
elaborate garments specially designed for
this one evening, will wait upon the guests.
These servants will be better dressed than
any of the servants of the French monarch
whose most gorgeous entertainments are TO
be eXcelled by Mrs. Bradley-Martin on Feb.
10, and the great Vanderbilt fancy dress
ball with which Mrs. w. h. Vanderbilt
opened her new house on Fifth avenue viii
also be entirely eclipsed. The Vanderbilt
ball, given more than a dozen years ago,
made people stare at the time because of
the enormously -eXtravagant scale upon
which it had been given. and ii has never
since been surpassed or in any way equaled
by any entertainment of the kind.
Mrs. Bradley-Martin is not only going to
go Louis the Grand one. better, but the
N2nderbilts as well. Her ball will go down
in the social history OF America as the
greatest private fete ever given in the
glorious republic. And it is believed that
no entertainment ever given in Europe by a
private individual will equal this ball in
people who confidently assert that a round
million of dollars will be spent upon this
single evenings entertainment by hosts and
guests.
Absolute carte blanche has been given to
Manager Boldt, OF the Waldorf. His only
Instructions are To spare no expense and
to hold the decorations strictly within the
period-that of the -eXtravagant and luxu-
rious life antedating the French revolution.
The reception room Will be an exact copy
of d room in the Palace of Versailles.
FEATURES OF H BALL.
Besides the bathrooms and reception and
dining rooms on the first or street floor,
the state apartment and all its adjoining
suites have been engaged on the second
floor of the Waldorf. There will be an as
cending stairway from the ballroom on
the west to the Louis Quatorze dining room
on the east or Fifth-avenue side of the
hotel. The corridors are to be floral bow
ers. where the choicest exotics are to
bloom among palms and roses. Fifty
handsome BOYS have been selected and are
TO be dressed as pages of the time of Henry
VIII. All the walters in the various dining
rooms will wear the livery of Louis
The ball will be opened by four quadriIles.
Each quadrille will be under the direction
of a prominent society woman. The gowns
of these four will be chosen carefully. in
order that they may be in keeping. One
is 10 be the Pompadour," another the Du
decided upon. There will be both a buffet
and a course supper. served continually
from IL o'clock until A in the morning;
Mrs. Astor and Mrs. John Jacob Astor
have sent TO Worth. The greatest secrecy
is maintained. but on good authority it is
stated that Mrs. Astor will appear as Marie
Antoinette. Mrs. Astor will wear the
Queens famous stomachers of diamonds
which she bought several years ago at the
sale of the French crown jewels.
MIS-. Ogden Mills cabled for a court cos
tune of the sixteenth century. Mrs. o. H.
=. Belmont gave her order to Nine. Dom
nelly. The beautiful Miss Davies. who is
a niece of Mrs. Bradley-Martin will divide
the honors as belle of the ball with Miss
Katherine Duer. Miss Davies has been seen
but little on this side of the water. rs.
since her debut two winters ago. she has
spent most of her time with her cousin.
the Countess OF Craven. at Mrs. Bradley
Martins castle in Scotland.
The sensation OF the evening will be the
entrance of Mime. De Sillery.' a cele-
brated court beauty of the time. She will
be carried in a sedan chair by two stalwart
men-at-arms. IL is rumored that Mrs. w.
G.. Whitney will take this part. King Henry
VIII will be in evidence. A magnificent cos
tune OF that monarch has been ordered At
a costumer's on Union square. and 1t would
hit either j. j. Van Allen or James Lawrence
Breese.
\ very pretty spectacle will be two qua
drilles. In which eight young men In In
croyable' costumes. all exactly alike. with
lace ruiiieS, craVatS and hats of the period.
will dance in the same set. Mrs. John
Jacob Astor. Mrs. ogden Mills. Mrs. Elisha
Dyer and Mrs. Bradley-Martin will each
have charge of a quadrille. and somebody.
nobody knows yet quite who, is TO appear
as Mary Queen Of Scots, one blaze in dia-
monds from head TO foot.