Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-07-14
CAsTELLANE's FLOWER BALL

CASTELLANES FLOWEk BALL
Count Boni de Cas.ellane excelled
himself in the gentle craft of. the man.
when be designed the slower
ball" with which he and his American
wife dezzled Paris the other night.
Women as symbols of the garden and
conservatory, men. in chromatic even
ing dress-such was the leading idea OF
a fete that was carried out on scale OF
splendor made possible by the millions
OF the late Jay Gould,
1t was preceded by q dinner to which
were bidden 130 guests of various ma
tionalities. Every person present was
dressed Enthusiastically. Each woman
represented q flower. The men did not
represent anything in particular, but
they wore bright colors.
The Countess was arrayed as pop
py. She wore a short skirt and succeed
ed in not looking self-cOnscious about
it. She looked very well. Her gu's s
whisper among themselves that the
Count had designed her costume.
Nothing could have hsrmonized more
kindly with the Countess's black hair
and ewes and almost sallow complex
inn than the red flowers in the wheat
which
Glesm redder than drops of blood
On dead kings golden mail.
The Count himself was dream-a
vision in pale yellow. His sstin coat
vas almost the hue of his blond hair,
which stood back from his forehead ip
fetching waves. Like the rest OF the
men. he wore knickerbockers. His
we're of ivory white moire. The pretty
modelling of his calves was set forth by
A pair of scarlet silk stockings.
Madame reserved the place of honor
at her right for an English duke. II
was His Grace of Manchester. HIS
ooyish but dissipated face smiled vacu-
ously over pale blue cost and sif-
from colored waistcoat. His knicker'
rockers were black satin.
Among the women were roses of va.
rious kinds. Mrs. Marshall, OF New
York, for example, was red rose; Mrs.
Edwin Gould was a pink rose; Mrs.
Michael Herbert was white rose; Mrs.
Kingslaud was arosebud.
Mrs. Arthur Paget wore superb Co.'S
ume symbolic of the Egyptian lotus.
The Duchess de Rochefoucauld, ten
Ter study in pale blue, presented an
emblem of the forget-me-not. Madeline
Lemaire was an orchid; Mrs. Eugene
schneider thistle. And 30 it went.
Count de Castellane had created gar.
den of women. The modistes had sp
piled themselves to the study of hort-
culture in order to reproduce it in fab
RIGS, and the result was beautiful. As
ior the men, they made brave ef-
fort to excel Solomon in all his
glory. The least imposing of them
all, automatically, was an American
Edwin Gould. the hostess brother.
He was the only one in modern
.vening dress, but he had so far
made q concession to his brother-in-
iaws's desire as to have his coat lined,
including the revers, with yellow satin.
This was hailed as democratic sim
plicity," but a witty American woman
pointed out that it was not the demo
cratic simplicity of Jefferson, who went
% q bali in Philadelphia in all the
splendor Of sky.blue coat, crimson
waistcoat, yellow plush breeches and
Dink silk stockings.
Seventy additional guests arrived for
the cotillon and all were In bright
colors.
The decorations and illuminatioDs
were lavish and artistic. 10 this branch
100, the count had exhibited his taste
for pretty things, and the countess
amiably accepted the compliments call
ID forth By his success. Stair ases arc
corridors were lighted with tiny red
Globes. The beautiful garden, in which
he guests strolled between dances and
psrtook of ices and champagne, was
nung with dark yellow lanterns repre-
seu,iug pumpkins.
The festival wrs marred by an accl
dent which m ght have proved disa'
trous but for the prompt t0de OF th'
guests. Countess Gansy, daughter o
Mr.. Henry RIdsway, of New YORK
ven,ured too near a lamp, aud mel
diaphanous gown caught fire. Id
| Duke of Manchester and several othe
men rushed to her assistance ant
slammed out the flames with their hand
before and great harm was done.
Count Boni de Castellane's chief de
LIGHT was 10 the costumes OF the me
He Is am moitious to accomplish that II
which the Prince Of Wales has failed
the reform of masculine attire: In
stiff outlines and dingy colors OF moo
ern days are his adherence. Trt user
he considers an outrage on the human
form divine.
1t was not to be thought such an am
bition on the Counts part should escap
the attention of the socialists. The
have begun to murmur at the "fowe
ball" as an insidious attempt to restor
the manners and customs of royalty
Paris letter to New York World.