The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-17
Mrs. Arthur B. Proal Gives Novel
Farewell Function in
New York.
FARM SHOWN IN MINIATURE.
Domestic Animals and Fowls Add
Realism to Bucolic Charac-
ter of Restaurant
Feast.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC sPECIAL
New York, May 16.-Within an egg which
lowered to the ceiling of Sherry's ballroom
and reached nearly to the outer walls, Mrs.
Arthur b Proal yesterday afternoon en-
tertained thirty-five of her women friends
at luncheon. Outside of the shell was the
farm, where live chickens, ducks and geese
made roundelay. where rabbits hoped and
the original asneau de printemps bieated as
though he We're in pastures green. Pigs
and lambs and guinea pigs roamed at wall
about the bucolic foreground and OCCASION
ally a creature which has with
In the monStrouS shell.
Mrs. Proal had intended the function as a
farewell to city life, for many of those who
were her guests will shortly go to their
places at Monmouth Beach and in that
neighborhood, and therefore everything
was arranged to express the longing tor the
green fields and the sunlit skies which all
bad begun to feel now that the spring has
feirly established its sway.
The luncheon was announced as though 1t
vas spread in one of the smaller rooms at
sherry's, or, perhaps, in the main dining
room, down STAIRS. Only one of the guests
knew of the plan. The one who knew, in
defiance of all axioms to the contrary about
women Keeping secrets. guarded this one 50
well that the establishment of the thirty
four was complete.
country. The walls Of gilt had disappeared,
the one or two mirrows which had re-
manned unobscured served as vistas. Around
scenes representing fields and past, were
where brooks bridged by rustic spans flowed
through a land Of sunshine.
LIVE ANIMALS PLENTIFUL.
The farmhouSes and the barns were in the
distance and far away the windwheels and
sheds and hay ricks. Near at hand was the
living country. The guests saw a farm
hand, clad In blue overalls and Jumper.
hurry across the scene, followed by a flock
OF geese. A rooster. red combed and with
s snd saIate ssa sss si.REn oise sun himself on a box
For surely at that very moment the light
Of day shone through the flaments of the
electric lights. which had received their full
young pigs ran between the heels Of the
ellipse, The spring lamb eamboled lightly
Rabbits with eyes filled with wonderment
stopped the munching Of carrots to see the
company, which had appeared on the
threshold. and then ran into corners and
htd, In the high-heaped straw.
About the place were scattered all manner
Is Agricultural implements. as though. the
farm hands had just abandoned the place.
Scythes. lawn mowers, corn cutters. pals,
buckets and milking STOOLS were bestowed
over the field and the door yard in prodigal
profusfon-
In the center Of the lanscape was the egg
which was in itself a vindication of the
reputation of the cheerful Sinbad, who told
Of the great roc. Mrs. Proal and her guests
I / o'clock yesterday afternoon walked up
the steps which lead into the pentralia Of
the shell. 1t was nearly 5 o'clock when
tt1ey left the farm. for. after the luncheon
they viewed the settings of the scene and
EGG'S CREAMY WHITE SHE'LL
.Architecturally this egg was unique. Even
ln the confines Of the ballroom 1t looked re-
mrkably like a real 81 The color Of the
shell was a creamy white and the form Of
t69 ovid was geometrically perfect. The
shell was fashioned from a skeleton OF light
timber bent to conform to the shape re-
quired and these supports were decorated
y The arborlike effect made the inside Of
the great shell seem like some refuge IN a
Ian OF trees and flowers and vines. Yet,
although above the resemblance to the egg
was a trife obscured by the delicate tracery,
the egg form again appeared in the table.
This table was a perfect oval. hollow in
the center, and within the hollow part Were
floral decorations. which represented the
3onquils were the yolk. and the outer fringe
OF white was made up of Lilies and CANDY
tufts and flowers, such as one might see on
country hedges.
like that Of a real egg From the center
came the fragrance of the flowers. and the
air was laden with the breath of spring.
Mrs. Proal sat at the point of the table and
at. either side were her guests
Involuntary exlamatioas Of surprise came
from the lips Of the guests as they TOOK
their seats and then looked about upon the
picturesque surroundings. A band Of negro
musicians hurried past the sne;l, ane; , seaIl
the ~dining-room of the shell, they sang
piantation melodies.
Another surprise came with the first
course, for the walters were ciad as farm
on their heads some Of them wore wisps OF
straw. Handsome souvenirs were distrlo-
uted.