Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-05
Ak.SAR.B BEN BALL The TALK
People Who Were There Debate the Affair
in Light Of Next Day.
SOME CRITICISM OF THE ARRANGEMENTS
Little Matters Of Detail In which the
knights Hope TO Improve the
service Before Another
Queen IN Crowned.

OF course the Ak-Sar-Ben ball was the
premier event Of the week and eclipsed
and overshadowed everything else-so far
as the social life OF the city is concerned
for being a function of more than local
interest il is naturally in a class OF its
W and occasions preparation and antici-
patton that attends no other affair OF the
year.
All in all, Friday evenings gathering
was a real satisfaction to society, for the
local fashionable contingent was supple
mented by liberal representatives OF the
fashionables Of other cities that gave to the
gathering an added charm and has stimu-
lated a fresh interest in the ball that prom
ises very desirable results another year.
To be sure, society was not all down on
the floor, but the majority was and the
presence Of the remainder in the gallery
attested a very gratifying curiosity, IL moth
ing more.
The new floor was a real delight and
while IL was not all that could be wished
until the evening was half over, it at least
made dancing possible without peril to
dignity or limb, which is more than could
be said Of the floor last year. And then
there was the dressy feature of the oc-
dhu bNVA NJ hlhhy ONhC ANaAhAN Co
too. that give promise for the future. But
after recounting all of the pleasing fea-
lures and the numerous improvements,
those who we're present will have to admit
that there are still improvements that
might be made. First and most noticeable
of these was the cramped entrance that oc-
casioned delay and confusion upon arrival
and departure because there was not ade-
quate room for the carriages TO discharge
and receive their occupants. The cramped
and wholly inadequate dressing rooms is
another serious inconvenience that oc-
casioned general remark and it is to be
hoped this may be remedied another year.
Perhaps the most noticeable flaw in the
evenings arrangement was the refresh
ments. which were far below that provided
on previous occasions, and It must be ad-
mitted this feature OF the Ak-Sar-Ben ball
has never been all that one mihgt have
reason to expect at such a function. There
was also some confusion occasioned by the
numbering Of the programs, which we're
numbered according to the bands rather
than the dances, resulting in the sort OF
awkwardness that is hard to explain-to the
one one should have danced with.
Evelyn, Dear: Oh, it was gorgeous-of
course l mean the ball. Really, Evelyn,
I'm sure that no one but a girl can fully
appreciate 1t all. OF course, you know all
about how they do, the way the king and
queen and maids and all come in, and
how those queer-looking knights march
about. Isn't It's a mercy that men are
confined to a conventional style Of dress?
Really 1 should never have guessed that
IL wac possible for some of those men that
I know to make themselves look so ride .
ulous, but of course that's a part of the
ball. But the queen, Evelyn. She was
lovely. Everybody said so, even those who
qualified their admiration with that nasty
little criticism that she was Gust a bit
too youthful looking" OF course, you
know just what women would be likely to
say that, but even they had to own that
she got through it beautifully, and that
the new American beauty velvet corona
tion mantle was an immense improvement
over that old seven-year-old blue one.
The gowns were perfectly gorgeous
There we're two on the floor that cost
nearly 81, 900 each, and it was whispered
about through the dressing room that be.
cause of these nearly a dozen Of the women
who had had new things made to wear thai
night wouldn't wear them at all, but sal
up in the gallery-didn't want them com
pared, Evelyn. Wasn't that a sweet spirit
But then everybody knew why they were
up there, for the women talked about il
an awful lot out in the dressing room
And then there was ever so mucl
grumbling about the crowd out there
some of the women refused to come IN
there at all, and when they found they
had to, they declared they would go bach
home-but they didn't. And while they
we're all fussing about it and saying they
would stay at home next year, another
woman came along and reminded them o.
what they owed the occasion, and sale
some more sharp things about their lacl
of public spirit. and then she sailed out
and they after her.
Really Evelyn, it's no wonder It takes
the women so long to get out of the dressing
room, there is so much of interest there
OF, course, we girls don't care very muct