The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-06-29
IN PALM GARDEN
Consul General Halves Received
His CHESTS.
SWEETEST FUNCTION OF YEAR
Her Majesty's Reign
Fittingly Celebrated.
Decorations of the Mansion Beau
tifully Arranged-Large Number
of Society People Present.

Fraught with enjoyment and replete
with spirit of hospitality was the re-
ception and ball given by H. B. MS
Commissioner and Consul General A..
G. S. Halves at his home, Palama, last
night, in celebration of the completion
Of the Goth year of Queen Victora's
reign. 1t was an occasion of more than
ordinary brilliancy and called forth
nearly five hundred people.
To describe fully the decoration of
the house would indeed be diff
cult task for there was not nook
throughout the whole house that was
lacking in an artistic touch of some
kind.
The entrance was placed at the Wal
kiki side and just above the steps lead
ing TO the veranda, was a large flag
forming an attractive canopy. Arriv-
ing at the top of the stairs and to
the right was a curtain formed by
two large flags, hiding behind them
the ladies' dressing room, sweetly
scented and decorated with flowers.
From this point the guests could go
in different 'directions-some to the
left on the veranda and others to the
right through the rooms to the back
verandas-thus avoiding that unpleas-
ant crowding that is sometimes such
an obstacle to enjoyment at large func-
lions.
Arriving at the top of the stairs per-
haps the finest piece of the evenings
decorations met the eye of the guests
a great crown some four feet in height,
placed on a small table in the library
a present sent in by a number of Ha-
waiians and ordered by EX-Queen Lii
liuokalani. 1t was made of red, pink
and white carnations, marigolds, as
tiers, daisies and other flowers and
showed the expenditures of much time
and energy.
Walking around to the left on the
veranda one was met by a great show
ing of flags prettily draped and hung
all along on the outside of the house,
thus shutting out the gaze of the vul-
gar The landing of the front steps
was devoted to a semicircle of chairs
above which was row Of yellow in
candescent lights, half hidden IN decor
ations of greens.
Next to this was a part of the lanai
fitted up like a parlor in the tropics
and rendered comfortable by luxurf-
Gus lounges, subdued lights and flowers
and ferns in abundance. In this dis
tinctive spot were two tablespoon
one a bowl of white asters and on the
4. i
with a ribbon to match.
Looking in from this spot one could
easily see the large ball room-three
small rooms thrown into one and de-
corated plainly but in most excellent
taste. In the front rooms the trellis
work of vines and sprays of golden
shower blossoms, the punches of ferns
pinned to the walls, the vases of great
Gala lilies and gladiolas in the back
room, the two large palms in the rear
corners.
Coming to the part of the lanai just
off the dining room-there another
place of beauty stood revealed. In the
midst of a garden of palms with I'M
der foot a fresh Chinese mat and over
head a profusion of green, hiding part
" the incandescent lights, were a num-
Der of small supper tables, upon each
of which was vase of carnations.
asters, daisies or some other flower
with the tints on the japanese nap
kins agreeing with those flowers This
spot was a perfect glory.
In the dining room proper were
other tables, slightly larger and with
vases of flowers in proportion. On a
-, 4.
punch bowls where sparkling re-
freshments awaited the guests. Be
hind this were more flowers and greens.
Just to the rear of the dining room
in kind of hallway was set one long
table, likewise for the accommodation
of the guests.
But the Supper tables did not end
there. To the left and running out
toward Eva was a specially construc-
ted pavilion-5O by % feet, decorated
with hundreds of small and large
flags of all nations and containing one
large and two smaller supper tables.
On the large serving table was huge
bowl of deep colored marigolds. A
feature in this room was a diamond
fish of white silk and netting hung on
l4lC w elAh4hi W oil anu 4lllLIllLldlGu VIII
electric lights. Upon this were the
figures 'S7'97 in lima leis.
The decorations have never been
surpassed in Honolulu. 1t was just one
mass of beauty enclosed on all sides by
curtains of flags. On every hand and
wherever the eye rested, was some
new artistic touch to enliven and make
happy. TIL electric lighting all over
the house was arranged in a manner
that was at once unobtrusive and
pleasant
At $50 o'clock the guests of the |
ewing began to assemble and by $50 |
o'clock they were all present, pleas
antly chatting or dancing to the music