Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-12
AT A MASKED BALL
Feature of the Paris Season Which
is Hugely Enjoyed,
ALL Go IN FOR A GOOD time
Hope for a Revival Of the Old
Time Gayety.
AND LICEN 5 +
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
PARIS. January 4. 1901.
The great. oId-fashioned masked balls of
the Paris Orera-at which the gay world
danced instead Of looking on-are to lee re-
vived this season. The restrictions which
have Of late years reduced them to negii-
gent functions of pleasure seekers routine
are to be Withdrawn in the interest of the
financial prosperity of Paris
1t is not too soon. The Paris season Is
becoming shorter and shorter. The fash
ionable world OoyCotting the republic ana
Its capitaD remains at the chateau for
Christmas If not until the time comes to
fit to the Riviera. Nice and Monte Carlo
entice away the foreign money spenders to
whom Paris once their all-the-year-
round pleasure city. ~ pleasure city
Paris has fallen off sadly. The failure OF
the exhibition gave rude proof OF the
fac. and the post-exhibition movement to
re-estarlish the gaming tables of the Pa
lais Royal, though perhaps too revolution
airy. proves that Parisians are alive to IT,
The revival of the old masked balls of the
opera. which for POO years drew pleasure
seekers from all parts Of the continent 10
revel in their license, is a first reform step
backward.
Ruined by the push"
The lack of genuine movement and en-
thus;asm Of which the public has been COM
planning 50 helplessly did not prevent the
four functions of the winter OF lS's'-l9oo
realizing over S50.ooo for charity. There re-
rnained always the splendid palace in which
the balls had the right 70 be held-tiie Paris
Opera - their ancient prestige and the
uuiUEe gTGttiiitGLS advertising du" 10 tne
necessities Of the "Frenchy' weekly press,
whose artists found in the balls such pre-
cious illustrative matter Every one pian-
ed the falling off Of enthusiasm to one
strange Circumstancc-the capture OF the
masked halls Of the opera by the "hotte
targot for ''push'D of EelleVlile, Mont
martrc and the rest Of the suburban circle
How the ignOble ''fio;te' came to look on
these splendid balls almost their own Is
the old story Of small economies Laundry
girls and factory girls and girls from the
ana ttoirS were glad to dance more or less
ccnscicnfipusly from midnight till / a m
in costumes Of their own making or hiring
ir return for free admission. Depending on
this inexpensive contingent. the manage
mcnt working for a charity and not Il prf-
vate profit. at least ceased 10 make it worth
while Ia more attractive elements And the
''iIIttc" becoming holder and holder. men
in evening dress came to respect masks
aI.I dancers less and less, while the genuine
petites femmes in search of adventure. who
had always made the glory of the opera
balls. almust feared to show their little
noses i'll the push If half what l am as
sured by wtll-informed people be true. the
reform in this particular is to be pecu-
LARRY pipuant
Confidential Invitation.
Madame Tor MadernoiscleD, you are
rre>sy invited to show your self at the first
masked ball of the opera OF the season of
1901 two admission tickets for which are
herewith Enclosed. As you will see by the
acc mpanying program, twenty-five prizes,
ranging III value from 2JgN francs to 100
francs. to be awarded. by a popular
vote of all the gentlemen, to the twenty
i've most successful costumes, of the fol-
lowing classes: (a) to the most beautiful
costumes. 'bb the most original and tc) the
most feminine. Important innovations have
been instituted FOR this ball. Spacious
dressing rooms for ladies. furnished with
toilet luXurics, are put at the disposition of
the invited Carriages will be sent for the
invitees who signify their desire to have
ih'Hl. Inc IlSt OF Tree al missions Tor cos
TUNES has been scrupulnusly reviewed A
printed suggestion, in the interest of old
time sayety. will be handed to the gentle
men with their tickets 1t will request
them To take part in the dancing.
1t is something after this fashion that
confidential letter mas been wordeCi.
to b. incl sed with each one of 1000 invita-
tons l. the more desirable element"
Actresses. singers. dancers. great and small
but all Of them pretty; young ladies OF
Montmartre and the Quarter d Europe he
better feminine clientele Of the Casino the
F,olies-Bsrgere and the Palais de Glace the
gladstone models of the Latin quarter and
MoHtmartre painters; the gaysome lady
students OF the Sorbonne. and the girl
settles of the students bali and the Taverne
du Pantheon are alike honored whole
block Of invitations is put into The hands
Of discreet clerks and statesmen for distri-
button % the chic shop girls. of whose wit
and spirit Parisians are so justly proud
An Americans Experience.
l. IS rather the Parisians and. In particu-
lar. the giided youth and old age that seek
To MAKE life continuous performances
who long to sec the old times back at The
opera. Foreigners always find the masked
balls hot stuff in the language of a
young American who had his first eXpc-
rience- of them last winter. The facade of
the opera house blazcs with lights the
broad stairway of honor" lined with
mysterious dpminoes and men in evening
dress, gives an impression Of grandeur:
the first burst of the immense orchestra
heard in the distance starts the magma
ton riotiHg. II was the fixed resolve of
the young American To do some rioting of
his own. As he danced three times in his
first three-quartcrs nf an hour he must
have danced with three masked beauties
from the factories of Bellevile or the pig
killing yards of Grenec. They were re-
specuVely Spanish seu0rita, a lady of
the court of Henry Ill and a lady clown
with white tOpknot He danced them
with such enthusiasm and led them out to
take champagne at one franc q glass with
such Saycty OF manner that the girls treat
ed him ike the fine young fellow he was
Without knowing it he was showing them
the best fifteen minutes apiece Of their
evening Then he got lost. and fetched
up-by the merest accdent-in a quiet cor
rer under the stairs. where two frightened
American girls swathed in dominoes We're
beating off a couple of forward French
men whose ideas of masked balls differed
beauty in distress and, in CHEEKY tone