The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-02
GRAND CARNIVAL BALL,
EcIipscd All Previous Events OF 'ne
Kind Ever Held Here.


Kind Ever Held Here.
As a most fitting finale to the days res
tivities came the grand civic CArmNal
ball at the Auditorium. ,
Never has such fashionable ahu
vithal. cosmopolitan assembly g"O'o''~
within the walls OF the big Duld.h4'
The interior Of the building was IN deco
rations. beautiful thing. The proscenlum
arch and the rear OF the stage was manu-
somely decorated and covered with Sdihi-
val covers and long, dropping e,oohs 81
red. white and blue hung from the te"-
ine forming in the centre rosetie Oh
many colors. Each Of the many pillars
were covered with inviting coiors, ana
Carnival shields wore at the base ol the
big pillars on the floor. Around the gar
lery railing was gracefully draped les
tO0ns and the whole scene was most
pleasing 10 the eve. The decorations were
made by 4 famous New York firm.
The entire space on the floor, clear OF 'ne
galleries was prepared for the dancers,
and the floor was carefully waNed ana
nfit in splendid condition To Dir. William
Mogeiey o large amount 81 credit Is due
for tie perfect arrangement.
RAIL-. COMMITTEE
The hall committee eXerted themselves
IN order TO give Richmond a ball the like
Of which has never been seen here before.
Mr. T,ucion Ryland one Of the very tapa-
BILE managers. was instrumental ia bring
ing the ball 10 the successful issue with
which 1t met
lie was ably assisted by Captain George
p Shackelford. who managed the floor Ike
professional The aids 10 the floor
MANAGER were competent and helped no
little I'm contributing 20 the success OF the
bail
There we're perhaps 500 people IN the
hall whom the famous soldiers Home
Band from Hampton. begun that grand
overture. william Tell" and when MI
Joseph Wallerstein arose 20 Introduce MT
Jefferson Wallace. who delivered the coro-
nation address. there were fully GOD peo-
pie present.
Mr. Wallerstein consumed very little
time in his Introductory remarks, which
were. however applicable to the moment
and most pleasing in being Infused with
the spirit of the occasion.
MR.. WALLACEs ADDRESS
Mr. VILLAGES address was frequently
and loudly applauded. He held the large
audience with him throughout. and when
ne turned and eloQuentiy spoke to the
knights and their ladies. who were gather
ga around him on the stage. there was
long round Of applause. Mr. Wallace's
address follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen: At such q mo-
mont as this. when all the beauty and
an the chlyalry of Vlrgina's Capital is
gathered beneath one roof. when lovely
women and gallant gentlemen are await
ing the invitation 20 the dance, inpatient
~ approaching that divine moment when
the violins shall sound and they shall
glide across the floor 10 the music OF q
Strauss waltz. / fancy that not even
the most eloquent orator that ever breath
cd could hope 20 interest you. and SOL
shall De very. very brief
There may be some Of you TO whom
this scene is commonplace there may be
some of you to whom all this brave show
ls nothing more than an ordinary assem-
blage of human beings but ] doubt not
that there is many a snowy bosom that
Is hcaving and many a young heart that
IS beating with anticipation. and that
even among our elders there IS feeling
that this SIS one OF those rare occasions.
one Of those delicious nights that may
not easily be forgotten.
POST OF DANGER
81 do not know how other young gem
tlemen might feel in my place. but
confess that / am not free from embar-
rassment i am overwhelmed. not so
much by the responsibility or the honor
that SIS mine Tonight. as by the unusual
character OF the audience that cnvirons
me. l think l may say 1t without i'm
mOdesty that / have faced great audiences
of politicians without a trcmOr that l
have reasoned with bowling m0bs of men
with a steady pulse and a good heart,
but this night ] am conscious OF "a dam
ger that Is as novel as fl is terrifying.
Let me assure You, young ladies. that
TO q blushing and susceptible bachelor,
far more terrible than all the artillery
that was ever fashioned by Herr Krupp
and the Messrs. Armstrong for the use
Of warning nations is a battery OF bright
eyes. and infinitely more alarming than
the blazing beacon that marks The adj
vance OF q conquering foe is the light OF
youth and health and beauty that blooms
and bushes on the rosy cheek OF Vir-
glnia girl
4 trust you VIII pardon me, gentlemen.
II | address myself, not 10 you, but
rather TO those dear creatures whose
chief aim in life is TO convert lonesome
bachelors into happy Benefits, and 10
prove 10 those who wed them
that marriage is not altogether
q fallure-eyen II It does. some
times, lead our footsteps in the direc-
ton Of the court Of bankruptcy-bec
this is an occasion whore women are IN
dispensablc, while the presence of men is
merely an incident.
addressing myself therefore. to the
ladies, most particularly. ! viii venture
the assertion that Lancelot du Lac would
never have risked his precious life in the
jousts at CaerlaOn. nor have proved his
prOWess in the dim hills of tho north, but
that ne might win a smile from Queen
Gulnevere, and that Jaufry. old DoyOns
gallant son, would never have braved the
dangers of enchanted castles but for love
Of the fair Brunnissende. In all the
tales Of chivalry, there are few in whose
pages the name of some fair damsel is
not indellibly written.
Whatever older people may think OF
the historical accuracy Of that sweetest
Of bards, Aired TennysOn, those of Us
TO whom life IS as yet but a half-opened
flower will always be ready 20 give Gre
dence to his beautiful idylls OF the fault
less king and the knights OF his table
round, accepting his view that the order
OF chivalry had its genesis at Cameiot,
when Arthur, long before the people
made him king. rowing the trackiess wiids
of Lyonesse, found the great crown for
which two brothers fought, and filching
from It its nine brilliant gems. offered
them singly TO his bravest knights as
prizes at the iousts In Camelot.'
A FORGOTTEN AGE.
"But however chroniclers may differ
with the poets who have sung the songs
OF the lists. that misty age Of wizards.
giants and dragons must be regarded
as having marked the beginning OF that
noble institution that was the great moral
force that made the world better and
1ftsfp In al