The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-05
Masked Balls in France.

Masked baltS IN Tidnse'
PARIS. Saturday.-The graceful ooihiuV
recalls TO mind the fact that 1clly anu
cavety are the order Of the Gay, dccolu-
ing to the calendar. up to the perlou Aoi
which the austerities OF Lent are SCI
down. Let us, then, be merry acco1o
ing: TO custom, and if the great receptions,
masked balls, the diners de tetes ana
the living pictures that will be gong OH
everywhere in few days leaves us q
little leisure let US profit by it to design
some fetching domino that will make
sensation at the next ball, or at the
..Veslione" on the Cote d'Azur.
At no period has feminine fancy been
more cnamoured of this garment, which
has long kept its primitive form, because
of its ecclesiastical character. 1t IS even
highly interested to know its origin, which
i'm no way foreshadowcd its long and gay
career.
In the Middle Ages, when the high
roads were useful and travelling WAS
difficult those who had delicate mission
to fulfil or Il dangerous journey TO under-
take took shelter under the costume OF
tho monks, which at that period was uni
ynrsalIv respected This costume con-
sisted of an immense robe and q cowi,
10 which the wcarcr owed protection and
moved safely amid the innumerablc body
of monks from country TO country, the
costumes were to be seen all over Europe,
and doubtless gave rise to the provcrb
"Cucullus non facit monachum' C'The
cowl does not make the monk J.
This disguise was first used i'll Italy
for society diversions on account of its
extreme convenience. All that was nee
essary was to cut the robe in two down
the front and add a short cloak to the
hood \ black velvet OF satin mask
always accompanied the costume. 1t
was especially in the wild night orgies
in which the Venetian youth exhausted It's
energy, its health and its fortune that
the domino reached its widest popularity.
From Italy it passed into France, where
it soon became indispensable for balls,
fcteS and masqueradeS at the court of
Louis Kill. and even to a great extent
at that of Louis NV. There were gath
crings where it was jmpcratively required,
the king alone being exempt from the
condition. rhe black domino was usually
adoptcd. while the royal domino was OF
white muslin. At thi5 date dominos
became very full and highly ornamented.
BUT the astonishing popularity OF TINS
garment SO mysterious and useful TO
hide the weaknesses of the most exalted
personagcs in the social scale, did not
stop here. Louis Nv, Of sorry memory,
was seized with passion FOR candle
end balls" as it pleased him to call
gatherings got up by the lower mlddle
class, shopkeepcrs, hairdreSsers ana dress
makers. He used to go to these balls IN
a black domino masked and attended
by the captain of his guard and a few
officers Of his household.
Under the regency the opera balls COM
pletely popularized the domino. which be-
gan to be made in silk and lace and in
all coIors. s
When Marie Antoinettc was Queen of
France she did not disdain to leave the
splendors OF the Palace at Versailles
and court etiquette, Which she detested.
and make her appearance at the opera
ball which was held weekly. Nine Cam
pan relates in her memoirs an amusing
incident that occurred during one of
these escanadcs.
One evening the Queen set out with
the DuchcSSe de LuyneS. one OF the ladies
of the palace. Her carriage broke down
at the gates of Paris and the pair had
To alisht The Duchess induced Her Ma
jesty to enter a shop while the footman
went for a 1acre. The ladies We're mask
ed and cnvclopcd in dominos. and if they
had only kept silence the event would
never have become known. But to ride
In Il common cab was such a strange
and amusing incident to the Queen that
as soon as She reached the onera she
mentioned her adventure to some of those
L, cst-ce pas bien plaisant?' she said,
and next morning all Paris knew of the
adventure.
During the Directory The taste for
fancy-dress balls was carried to great
extent, and the domino was Worn at the
balls given all over Paris. Statesmen.
.'grandcs danes and princes liked to
show themselves at the opera ball. Down
TO the end Of the Empire the domino pre-
.1,n md OH lfn n
aYlstocracy At the balls given black and
colored dominos were the prevailing cos
TUNES: the men wearing evening dress
and a black mask
In 1880 the quietcst people used to go to
the opera balls, which, be it said, were
less wild than those of former days.
Under the Second Empire, however, peo-
pie amused themselves enormously The
marvellous fetes given by the court in
the forest of Fontainebleau set the eX-
ample and Paris had one continual car
niyal where Folly shook her bells all
over the city.
1t is very rarely in these days. that
Paris resumes her eNuberant festive air;
but the opera ball still shines with GER
tain luster, and the success of a dom-
inc has not yet waned. Nothing will re-
place this discreet garment, with its
feminine charm and odor OF intrigue and
mystery. Every year invention is called
III to turn out charming new creations.
In these circumstances one must display
good taste and break with all the ira
ditions of personal fashions if one really
desires to put on ''incosnito-" Thus fSS!-
tastic ideas are carried to their furthest
limit and those who like the style of
any given period can easily borrow what
they desire
The domino, as made at the period OF
its origin. should be of brown. black or
white bure. austere and rigid in its
lines. For the time of the Renaissance it
should be OF brilliant black stuff and
very narrow. At the pompous Court of
the .Roi Soleil' it was enriched with
embroidery; and magnificent passemen-
terIes and became heavier Under the re-
gency colored doninos We're introduce
ed, and whirled round in the dance like
brilliant butterflies.
And so they have continued to this
day. At this moment the dressmakers
bring TO bear all the resources of their
art in the production OF this garment
Under the inspiration of current fash
ions they form The most ingenious and
the most exquisite models.
McGill Union.
There was business meeting of McGill
-,,jnp M n a5ra} Hall ,;.,l,t