The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-27
THE BRADLEY-MARTINs
something About the Ball That Will Beat
Vanderbilt's.

ley Martins do is Of no consequence to
the OH bile, says Mr.. B. Martin.
The family Is very much inclined to
sniff at DR.. kainsford's criticisms and
to rush on the preparations for the gor-
geous balmasque.
The principal society objection to the
Bradley Martin ball is the great expense
it will entail, especially on the men, who
are expected to come in the costume OF
one of three centuries, any epoch Of which
was lavish In dress.
There is no time to order many COS
tunes, aud the oostumers of this city
have to BIZ depended on to supply the de-
mand.
| In consequence, from the Bowery TO
Harlem, the cost of all fancy dresses has
gone up In price, and the few the atrioai
costumers who have1plates and worKmen
at their command are besieged. Many OF
the possible costumes require peculiar
boards, and some, especially those OF
the 18th century, Gwhen powdered mar
was worn, call for" clean-shaven men,
made up with patches and rouge.
The simplest costume will cost almost
$780, and one which would be unique or
really handsome could not be MADE LOT
less than $500. Those that can be nred
cost nominal sum, but the difficulty
is that there are only few available
18TH CENTURY COSTUMES.
The period of Charles II. seems to be
the favorite choice. Edward Reeve
Merritt, Henry Winthrop and Worthing-
ton Whitshouse have had designs submit
ted for these. The plates call for trousers
reaching TO the ankle with a fiounoe OF
lace picturesque costs, swords, large
hats with feathers and curly wigs. So
far about 30 costumes Shave been or
dered.
Most Of the 1000 people who have been
invited will each spend at least $3.50 upon
the costumes alone.
The Bradley Martins will, 1t is esti-
| mated, spend closesto 500. 600 upon this
| one evening entertainment. ana Si4oo
| ', ill be spent alon0 upon the stockings
| of their servants!
One room will be an imitation of the
great dancing hallsof the palace OF Yer
| sailles, where the leaders OF European
aristocraoy before the French revolution
assembled at the brilliant entertainments
| of Louis XVI.
Even this monarch, the most extrava-
CANT man that ever lived, never gave an
entertainments that cost so much. His
lprodiqal1ty impoverished France, but he
never paid S1400.for an outfit of stock
| ings for his servants at one enterta In
msnt.
| Everything else is in proportion. Con-
tlnuous course suppers served in various
| = hill a .iy1rv q w
plight will be one feature of the ball.
The .Vanderbilt.ball, sgiyen more Ethan
dozen years ago, made people stare at the
| timesbecause Of the enormously sxtrava-
CANT scale upon which il had been given,
and it has never since been surpassed or
in any way equalled by any entertain
ment Of the kind.
| Mrs. Bradley Martin IL not only going
| to go Louis the Grand one better, but
| the. Vanderbilt as we'll.
CARTE BLANCHE.
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 with
in the period-that sof the extravagant
and luxurious life antedating the French
revolution. The reception room will be
an exact copy of room in the Palace of
Versailles.
Besides the ball rooms and recention
and dining rooms on the first or street
| floor, the state apartment and all Its adj
| Joining suites have been engaged ON the
second floor Of the Waldorf.
| There will be an ascending stairway
| from the ball room on the west to the
Louis Quatorze dining room in the east
e. L ct ID nf +hn hot al he
corridors are to be floral bowers. where
| the choicest exOties are to bloom among
| palms and roses.
Fifty handsome boys have been select
! ed 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 Quatorze.
| The ball will be opened by four
quadrilles. Each quadrille will be under
the direction Of 2roninent fsocieey
woman. The gowns Of these four will
be chosen carefully. in order that they
may be in keeping.
One is to be "she Pompadour. an.
ether "the du Barry" The other two
have not yet been decided upon.
There will be both buffet and a
course supper, gerved continually from II
| o'clock until A in the morning.
I Mrs. Ogden Mills oabled for court
costume Of the 18th century.
The beautiful Miss Davies, who is u
| piecs 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, as, since her debut
two winters ago. she has spent most of
her time with her cousin, the Countess
of Craven, at Mrs. Bradley Martini
castle in Scotland.
/ The sensation of the evening will be
the entrance of "Mme. de Sfllery," Il
celebrated court beauty Of the time. She
will be carried in q sedan chair by two
stalwart men alarms. 1t Is rumored
that Mrs W. @. Whitney will take this
| part.