The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-07
THE NOTED DICKENS BALL.
NEW YORR,s GREETING TO THE
NOVELIST IN 1919.

The Most Notable Dnncing Display which
tbs city Had Witnessed Up TO Then
-Diekens's Appearance. Behavior. and
Comments -Tabicaux from ITS Books.
II may not be amiss lust now to tell the pros
emit Knickerbocker generation something about
n great ball in which q former generation OF
1912 took part. which was the most notable
dancing display this city up to that date had
over witnessed. Tho ball occurred on q Mon
day evening. the ST. Valentine anniversary
OF that year. md was given In honor Of Charles
Dickens and his wife. who had just arrived In
this country. by q committee OF knickerbocker
citizens ut the Park Theatre. or that commit
tee. seventy In number. there is only one sur
viyor. James NJ. Smith, who became Recorder
In 1855, whose name appeared Mt the time with
a Junior appended.
Dickens had barely landed before he was
waited upon by that flno old Knickerbocker
gentleman. David G. Golden. ms spokesman for
the committee. He was armed with two written
invitatlons-onc for a ball aud tho other for n
banquet. OF the committee. Washington Irv-
Ing. who had met the young novelist In London,
was Chairman. and the invitation to the dinner
was In his own handwriting. while that to the
ball was In the penmanship OF Robert ii. Morris.
the then Mayor-one whom New Workers SO
loved to honor that he had recently been their
Recorder. and many years later died as one
OF their Supreme Court Justices. The signers
included ex-Mayor Philip Hone. the CHEEKY
and hospitable A. NJ. Cozzens; that grand
raconteur. John w. Francis; Charles Augustus
Davis, claimant to the authorship Of the Jack
Downing" political satires Of the period John
c. Chceseman, the fashionable physician; Will
liam II. Maxwell. the Knickcrbocker novelist:
Prosper NJ. wetmore, poet and Tammany
leader; Frank Waddell. the dandy OF the period,
who signed. like . lord. only his surnamc: Dud-
lay - Greuory mn of this fsw mIlInnaires
Moses II. Grinnell. the world. renowned mer-
chant. who was also n member OF Congress-;
Charles W. Sanford. Maori General of tho first
division: George +. Morris. his Brigadier. who
was prouder OF his uniform and sword than OF his
poetry and pen: Henry Inman. the fashionable
portrait painter; Mr.. F~ayerwcathcr. whose
estate Is nowadays before the courts: James
Phalcn. the great musical ~virtuoso and patron
of impresarios; Francis w. Edmonds, the
banker genre painter; William II. Appleton. the
scholarly publisher. and simeon Draper. who
was to that period what DR.. Chauncey Depew Is
to the present. Dickens immediately wrote q
pleasant acceptance.
There was no DIR. Rainsford then to sound q
spasmodlc note OF warning against an extrava-
gancc in amusement, although 1t was announced
that preparations were making to accommodate
5000 guests, and that the committee had com
missioned the florist Thorburn TO provide flow
ere ad libitum. and Downing. the caterer OF tho
period. to provide $4,000 oysters, stewed or
picked. 1000 fried oysters. 10. 900 sandwiches.
40 hams. 20 tongues, so rounds OF beef d la
Ia Iaodc, the same number of boned turkey and
pairs OF roasted chickens, 70 pairs ~ ducks.
5000 mutton chops cold, n barrel OF chicken
salad. " barrels Ut almonds, the same quantity
OF apples and oranges. 800 pounds OF notices.
1000 kisses among cakes. IS ornamental con-
feotionery pyramids. one Of which was To- bear
on its summit n fac-simile Of the Dickens
/ mango md the aAm lnAutlty pf iCa rFaan.
and sixty gallons Of both coffee and tea, but
deira. a dozen cases OF Bordeaux. and two bar.
rels of port wine sangarec. the famous drink
saucers. 5000 plates and 1000 glasses were
to be provided; while ~ walters were to be
The price OF q ticket for q gentleman and lady
was fixed AZ So. and for every extra tickc 81.
was fairly equal to that Of a fuli eagle in this
year OF grace. When, however, the full bills OF
r roons' The t rhai'y cost SAM of ,h ,s, en,s sRE eomm', wss
double The receipts. and the deficiency was made
up by the members Of the COMMITTEES.
At u o'clock on ST. Valentines evening q
thousand people had outside Tho
Park Theatre. bent upon seeing TIE guests OF
OF DieEens himself. Even a, early as half PAST
q the very eager. tickle, holders began to arrive
and enter the front doors. When the guests
entered they were surprised TO ind how
deliberately the narrow, old. fashioned foyer was
decorated with English and American bunting.
was about the size or the present DAILY house,
Sse,heid a veri,sSIe ,ransformstIoa " SCENE
From tho rear OF the stage TO the verge
ct the re, h f.t boz tier IN from! both orehes,rs
ballroom floor thereby provided. From the roof
depended three large glass chandelier closely
fitted with imitation candles rs gas burners In
various hines. Blended pennants OF British and
American flags intertwiued themselves over the
Rrmorial bearings OF all the States OF the Union
surrounded with festoon; OF, ribbons and floral
medallion portraits Of President Washington,
fthe two Adamses. Jefferson. Madison. Monroe.
s ina,. 5aI asS. Of H tSe Su ihs S1n.sep Seap,, So ,Ss
inevitable Indian, sailor. Windmill and beaver.
An orchestra gallery had been con;,rneted in
er's corner. and In II was the famous bod worth
band o: the period. reinforced with recruits
been converted into AN ElizabethAn cham
Der OF silded oak and tapestry with bow
windows and rscesse.. AT the top of the stage
had been constructed n small, stage for tab
leaux. hut 1t was Sill concealed By n miniature
I%ispiece OF tho Volume OF ,"Pickwick Paper,.'
Panels around the walls displayed, pictures 81
%,'SfP I II. ya a.sins iG to- mary M"fy: OF Of S ,hs s %H'i L.
arresting NRntnl.ni so deninition broke:' OF
the intelligent dog VIII" read the sign no dog,
master; OF the Warren House from " Barnaby
Ridge = Of little Mel; in the churchyarh; OF III.
Of Weller dncking' the Rev. Mr. stiggin, in ,6c;
OTS tTDukns VI bcuuIt " hnu ITS NDT-
ney taking ten in the workhouse. over which
they tyranni2ed Of little Oliver fighting Noah
ClRypOle. and of Pickwick in tho pound. These
panels were painted by the theatres scenic
artist. Hillyard. and touched by Henry lnman
OF the committee.
Al $3.50 the buzz all ovcr the house announced
that the popular idol was arriving. To the So.
r,ou. disappointment of the curious In front of
the theatre. Dickens was ushercd into Theatre
alley from Hickman street and smugRled
through the stage door. Presently the property
mans gong sounded, aud from the rear OF tho
stage, at the top OF the greenroom stairs, Com
mittecman Golden was seen arm In arm with n
gentleman with long, picturesque hair tsuch ms
would be wealth To n football or plano player
now and big. searching eyes. and sarcastic
smile. who wore n dress SUIT and trod In silken
hose and immaculate shining pump. Reside
them tho " Little Brigadier," rs tho Poet Morris
was known escorted an uninistnkable British
woman with a ripe. plump, peRchlike face, who
wore n circlet OF blue flowers over dark chest
mt hair arranged In bnndeaux upon her tenn
pies. She wore u pink ailk dress, abundantly
bounced with lace, exhibiting. nhapeiy bare
arms. She was without n Jewel. but he of the
dishevelled hair wore "A ruby on hi, Piccadilly
shirt front. In the parlanco OF the theatre,
Enter Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Dickens, centre"