The San Francisco call., 1897-02-11

O'CLOCK 1hey entered the hotel through
private door on Thirty-third street and
were immediately ushered to the second
floor, where a suite of fine large apart
ments had been reserved for dressing
purposes. Here were stationed numerous
hairdressers, costumers, modistes and all
functionaries required for the final polish
ing touches OF the exquisite outfits.
These rooms we're decorated with pro.
fusion of roses and smilax.
After the guests had assem- bled and
made ready for the grand entree, they de-
scended the hower-strewn stairways to
the reception parler. on the main floor.
as they passed through the archway they
were met by the hostess, Mrs. Bradley
Martin, who stood beneath a canopy of
rich tapestries and floral effects. Mrs.
Martin wore a becoming costume OF the
Queen Elizabeth period, made of black
velvet over red brocade. She was adorned
with all her magnificent jewels, including
her famous rope of diamonds.
As the guests approached their names
and the characters they impersonated
were announced by lackeys. The walls of
the reception room were covered with
costly tapestries of the daintlest colors
while myriads of roses carelessly strewn
decked the folds as they chanced to fall
In one corner was placed the Hungarian
band, hidden behind bower of long
stemed roses.
The guests moved from this saloon
through the corridors, which had been
made to represent woodland, lighted by
scores of miniature incandescent lights, to
the big ballroom. The decoration of this
room was also a work of art and the illu-
minauon brilliant. At the end of the
room was balcony, handsomely adorned,
in which was stationed Victor Her bert s
orchestra for the dance music.
Itwas near midnight before the Quadrille
de Honneur, the opening number of the
ball, was danced. 1t had been ordered by
Mrs. Astor. John Jacob Astor was the
King of the night and Mrs. Bradley
Martin the Queen. They led the quadrille,
and at one side were Mrs. Stuyvesant
Fish and Robert Van Cortland; at the
opposite end Miss Gerry and J. Townsend
Martin and Mrs. Whitney Warren ana
Lispenard Stewart. The opposite side
couples were: Mrs. Orme Wilson and
Harry Lehr, Mrs. Lee Taller and Craig
Wadsworth, Miss Lena Morton and Gen.
ter Hitchcock and Miss Madeline Cutting
and ]. J. Van Allen.
Following these came the Mrs. Edmund
Bayles quadrille, which was participa ted
in by Mrs. Ogden Mills, Mrs. John Jacob
Astor, Mrs. Cornelius Wander bilt Jr., Mrs
Henry Sloan, Miss Edith Morton, Miss
Van Rensselaer,, Miss Alfonso de Navarro,
H. D. Robbins, Worthington Whitehouse
and others.
Then came the debutante qusdrille, all
the dancers wearing costumes of the Louis
Quinse period. Quadrilles were danced
to the slow music of the minuet, and the
different figures were executed with grace
and precision.
General dancing was then INDUCED in.
Supper was served in the Empire dining
rooms. The table were prettily decorated
with roses The cotilon after supper was
led by Elisha Dyer Jr., who wore cos
tune of the period of Francis 1. 1t con-
sisted of a cloak of royal purple, a coat of
the same m aterial richly decorated with
gold EN- broidery. The tights were of vio-
let silk aud he wore a hat with large
ostrich feathers.
The gray streaks of dawn were strug-
Cling through the windows of the Waldorf
before the last echo of Home, Sweet
Home had died in the floral-scented d
room, and the greatest ball In Gotham S
history was ended.
There were guests from out of town,
small parties coming from San Francisco,
Chicago, New Orleans, Washington, Bos-
ton, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
From Washington came Count Vinci of
the Italian Embassy, as the Duke of
Guise; the Misses Wetmore; Nine de
Fraynsac, as lady OF the Directoire Pc
riod; Stewart Brice, as George
Washington; Mrs. Brice, as Cath
crime de Medci; Frank Andrews
as gentleman of the court of Lonis Seiz !;
Mrs. Bessie. Davis, pink and white; Miss
Alice Rochester, niece OF Mr.. Bradley