Evening journal., 1897-03-05
a BRILLIANT ENDING.
Tho inauguration ccremonie, Close with
Grand Baii.


Tho Inauguration ccremonie. Close with
n Grand Baii.
WASHINGTON. March 8. With the nigh,
came the crowning glory OF the inaugurn
tion. The residences nnl public building.
were last night aa0inc with lights, the
streets were still crowded with rcoDle.
countless thousands surFsl to and fro N
front Of the Monunent grounds. when
arose the ohromatic fireworks that lighted
the city In Atful gleams but it was at the
brilliantly illuminated pension building
that politics paid iis tribute 20 society.
There the distinguished guests of The o-ca-
sion paid homage to lLosdcft Mckinley
and the new mistrc,s o. the White House
and later trcaded the m0gos of he dances
The inaugural bali is always The climax OF
tho day. To the minds of many there s.
nothing comparable 10 it Ihoy like "a
see the parade, they linger Tor a sight oi
the prominent men and women, they uc.
cupy their weary places or tcrraced stands
for hours 20 sec the president and the ln.
auguration party pass, but the hope Of
most OF them. especially the ladies who
have come provided with exquisite gowns
designed aud planned months In advance,
is the ball The pension building is admi.
rahly suited for this spectacular display.
1t is an enormous hall surrounding q vast
CO. . supported by huge pillars of marble
aio.nd which circle two galleries This
great court became the hHllroom. IL lends
its'lf TO the most artistic decoration, nnd
/ it was never so beautifully draped and fes-
tooned and lighted as last night
Tho democracy of the great social cvont
Of the Inauguration impressed itself upon
a visitor City and country society and
| oilcialdom even black and white, touched
elbows On friendly terms In the great TO
tunda Among the fashionnhly rowncd
/ women of New York S -Four Hundred and
| from the society people Of every American
/ city wore the visitors from rural towns. In
/ the Kaleidoscope Of ca Aumos was q iumhlc
of Paris London, NcN York and Oshkosh
and Konnchunkport Perhaps a tonth of
/ the mon were not arrayed IN the formal
evening clothes. hut nevertheless the str1n-
ger sex gave its share OF brlliancy 10 dis
! play by the outpouringof uniforms There
were the diplomats, late corners all of
them, resplendcnt In scarlet and gold and
green, or the grand silks of the orient
with onameled orders shining from their
breasts and clanking swords which trip.
red thcm as :hcy walked There was also
| Tho plainor but more stalwart contingent
)f the army and navy, together with the
divers uniforms of the crack militia rcgi-
ments of many cities. The silks satins,
diamonds and pearls OF the ladies were. of
course, the chief and. TO that sex. the most
interesting features OF the human show.
Here and there among the nromonadors
was 10 he seen % colored couple, for all the
constitutional amendments arc respected
10 an inaugural bah.
The presidential party arrived at thc
ball at quarter before 10 o'clock but
they came in so quietly at the main cn-
trance on tho south side of the building
that only thosc gathered about the door
were aware of their presence. Ihoir ap.
pearanca inspired ripple of hand clap
ping. bnt shouts were hardly good form
Tor the ballroom so the guests rcfriincd
from vocal demonstration. Mrs Mckinley
WIS leaning ON hcr husband arm, and,
considering - strain To which She bad
already been sub octcd, was very bright
and seemingly strong, though pale. The
PRESIDENT and his wife wero escorted by
: General Nelson A. Miles and General j.
NJ. Wilson Of the army After them can't
Nice President Hobart with Mrs. Hobart
. Mrs John Addison Porter, the president
secretary; tho presidents brother, Abne
: Mckinley. and several members of thl
Mckinley and Hobart families.
The general supper room was under th'
north balcony The menu was elaborate
but the supper was in tie nature Of ,
standing lunch, as the crush Of people pre-
/. cludoi any attempt at seating those who
held tickets. The press was so great that
many of the ladies costumes were com
pletely ruined by overturned plates iostlec
from the hands Of the attendants. IN,
dancing did not begin until midnight. Al
that hour most of the notahcs had depart
cd, and the tripping of measures was con
fined almost entirely to the younger con
tingent