The sun., 1897-02-11
Was A GORGEOUS FETB
The Costume Ball of Mr.. and
Mrs. Bradley Martin.
NEARLY A THOUSAND GUESTS
No Such Social Function Ever
Before Seen in America.


Other Centuries Wonderful Decorations
In the Ballroom nnd in the Haiiwsys-
Trouble. with wig. aud swords-rhs
Thrce-Set Dances That Opened the Bsu
Dancing Kept Up Until Very Late
Police Close Tbirty.thIrd street for =
Time-Crowds Try 20 See the Guests.
Once in generation or thoreabouts the rivalry
of social ambitions crystalline in an entertain.
ment so stupendous In scope and sumptuous In
detail that II makes an epoch In tho history Of
society. From n private party concerning only
the givers OF the feast and the circle from which
their guests are chosen 1t takes rank as matter
of public import With tho last previous event
OF the Kind as n standard to bo transcended the
entertainers exhaust every facility Of money
and ingenuity to set new standard. The fame
of the function goes forth to the uttermost parts
Of civilization. and when the few hours of
rovelry which has formed a fortnight's topic Of
news are past the thing has become notable
reminisceuce 1T for comparisons and contrasts
until a rcvel OF still greater grandeur shall
eclipse II. Such was the ball given by Mr.. and
Mrs. Bradley Martin and participated in by the
greater part OF the society Of New York city At
the Hotel Waldorf last night
At the first mention OF the ball New York
knew. as II by instinct, that the aim Of the
Bradley Martins was to give an entertainments
social event eveg before givea on this side Of the
Atlantic Every man and woman with preten-
sions to social prominence concerned himself or
herself with the probabilities OF receiving an
Invitation. Wherever two three
! gathered together. whether in n corner of tho
club or over the afternoon cup OF tea that
neither cheers nor incbriates, the ball
the main subject Of discussion.
Polite intrigue and the finasse of women
| rlaI o., 70 thA
end OF Obtaining tho coveted Invitations.
Within week after the first positive announce
mcnt OF the ball all the inner clique was agog
| with the delicate politics OF an event as impor-
| tant to society as a Presidential election TO .
| nation. The 400 Of the late Ward McAllister
| had become stretched beyond its capacity. and
| TO the new conditions the Bradley Martin bail
| was to furnish n guide. One of those 200 odd
invitations was to be a patent right to place in
| the social list: hence the cagerness with which
the gIlded ones looked forward to the event. So
| much for its bearing upon society.
| What society does Is always q matter OF alb
| sorbing interes, TO a curious public Alone and
of itself, the fact that the Bradley Martins were
| TO mark the limits. as IL were. nj The charmed
| circle. would have set tens OF thousands Of per-
sons. most OF whom had never seen the Bradley
| Martins or any one OF their prospective guests.
eagerly poring over the lists OF names Of the
! bidden ones. But when added to this came the
| announcement that the ball to DO con-
| Quoted on such plan that the guests them
selves must contribute to an unparalleled mag
| nhcence by the elegance of their costumest
! that the decorations would reach the limit Of the
| possible in such matters. and that half million
dollars would not cover the expenditures, the In
| terest was Increased ten-fold.
| Finally came the Rev. DIR. Rainsford's ro-
markabIs utteraucc from the pulpit of st.
! Georges Church, Criticising the Bradley Mar
| tins for giving an enterta nment OF such lavish
display at u time when popular discomfort ran
| so high. Controversy on the question ragged
| hack and forth. Other clergyman took up DR..
Rainsford's sermon, some condemning his po-
sitlon. others upholding him, and the papers
were filled with communications. Meantime,
while tho disputants called heaven and earth to
| witness the infallibillty Of their respective ar
| gumcnts, hundreds OF dressmakers drew wages
| and In "A dull season while working upon tho
dresses for the ball; hundreds OF extra hands
were hired by costumers and boot makers:
hundreds Of advance orders set the florists to
hiring what help they could find against the
coming demand; extra forces were put on at the
hotel making ready for the event, and through
out the rank aud file Of the unemployed the stir
OF preparation was felt in beuctcent effects.
Through the discussion thus stirred up the
ball became n national tonic. Two persons were
about giving party for their friends, and the
newspapers OF the country. from the Pacific to
th. s.nroas, Villages of Maine EXPRESSED with
frankn,ss uud freedom their opinions on the
matter. The BRADLEY Martins were overwhelmed
with advice nm nil nossihe and impossible a,.
pcc,s Of IN. matter An oy.rwel,hted postman
climbe, lnbor,ously up their steps on his daily
trips and skipped lightly down with a sigh OF
relief. Letters OF protest and suggestion came
from persons OF whom the Bradley Martins had
meyer heard. residents q; passaic. y, J.. who
| had ideas on decoration to sell. and deacons
''o'' S""s"'' -, '' '', -, - s.