The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-01
AT A BERLIN COURT BALL
GORGEOUS GOWNS WORN BY GRAND
LADIES AT ROYAL FUNCTION.
Mrs. Towers Costume Outshone that
of the Empress-Laces and Dia-
monds Galore.
of the indianapolis Journal.

mans uniform ambassador looked
perfect guy at the court ball, but his am
bassadress was lovely. Mrs. Charlemagne
Tower and the Empress the only
women In the crowd of 1900 who had gone
the new fad for silver ornamentation one
better by substituting gold for the white
metal. Our brilliant country-woman wore
a pink MORE silk underdress with a fixed
train five yards long, and over
II broched toilette of gold gauze,
through which the heavy watered
silk showed with wonderful effect.
Her skirt was garnished with three
rows OF founces of Brussels lace set with
spangles of heavy gold, each spangle worth
$50. intrinsic value. It was whispered. The
ground work Of the waist was hidden under
a bolero of Brussels lace. gold spangled all
over, and this, too, had volant of gold
gauge, set of by fringes in the precious
metal. Golden bees with ruby eyes lined the
edge Of the low-cut waist which was,
besides, plentifully adorned, with large dia-
monds in all sorts OF designs, butterflies,
crescents. American eagles and what-not.
Mrs. Tower wore a diadem less pretentious,
but Of no less value. than the Empress's,
and her court train was the admiration Of
everybody near enough to see 1t. The train
was Of white MORE silk, embroidered in
real gold thread; forty expert needle
women worked over 1t for a whole year.
The Empress herself felt jealous at its
magnihcence, it is said. Like any other
woman, her Majesty is not fond Of being
outshone by another. even IL she be the
ambassadors from the United States.
The ambassadress sat to the right of
the throne, on a dais, the most youthful
and plendid of all the ladies of the diplo-
matte corps. There were no other toilettes
to compare with hers, least OF all those
OF the princesses. AS to the ladies of the
high aristocracy." sitting to the left of the
throne, good many of them seemed to
be attired In last years clothes. But then
they are really OF small consequence-on
an occasion like this, merely decorative
feature in an emblamatic sense. Kings
like to be surrounded by those noble born;
they need not look 1t; their birth certificate
answers all practical purposes
THE EMPRESS'S GOLD TOILETTE.
The Empress's gold toilette was neither as
elaborate nor original as that of Mrs
Tower; no wonder Augusta Victoria looked
annoyed when she first caught sight of our
ambassadress.
She wore costume OF wonderfully soft
heavy white satin, embroidered in white
and gold throughout, the embroidery being
the only decorative feature, no lace.
hounces or appliques. At the front of her
waist, cut extremely low, shone the great
regent diamond that Napoleon wore at his
coronation and which was captured by
Prussian hussars In the Emperors equipage
at Waterloo Her Majesty's diamond tiara
Is the richest Of the crown jewels, but it's
Drilliancy only emphasized the scantiness
or Augusta Victoria's grayish-blonde hair.
Their Majesties walked into the white
hall to the sound of trumpets In an elabo-
rate circus procession, and 1t was noticed
that the Emperor first greeted the ladies Of
the high aristocracy, while the Kaiserin ad-
dressed herself to the ladies and gentlemen
OF the diplomatic corps.
BY far the most beauti woman of all
present was Mary CornwaI.. IT, consort
Of Jean Henry XIV, Prince of PIess and
Count or Hochberg. II the automobile &C.
cident last summer did damage her won
drously handsome features, the scars are
no longer visible and Mary is again the
reigning beauty OF the continent. She wore
gown OF china silk, Louis XIV, cut a la
princess. The color was white with inter-
woven pink and light blue flowers, indis-
unctiy marked. and volants of the same
material were on the skirt and partly COW
cred the silver embroidery OF the long train.
Her grace wore the royal crown with a can
OF crimson velvet that her father-in-law,
the Prince OF Pless, placed on her blonde
head at the marriage ceremony in Ruthin
Castle. 1t was once said that the Kaiser
had forbidden her to wear this royal en-
blem because the PIesses are princes by
courtesy My. but If such is the case Prin-
cess MARI certainty chose to take no no.
tice OF 1t. II she were German instead OF
English, though. the court marshal might
have turned her back at the door.
A COUNTESSS GOWN.
Countess Won Buelow. wife of the chan
cellor and a princess in her own right. still
shows traces OF that ravishing loneliness
that. twenty years ago, induced the great
Makart to select her as a model for one of
the huntresses in "Diana's Chase" Metro
politan Museum OF Art, New York; Her
dress was OF white satin. set of by guipure
entredoux lace. The skirt had a volant of
the same lace, rising from half-length up-
ward, and the skirt was garnished with
great golden gauze butterflies, the wings
incrusted with small brilliants and inter-
laced with silver thread. Around the de-
collete were two great collars in the form of
volants, the frs. of silver lace, the second
OF guipure, while the ground material of
the waist was scarcely perceptible under
the mass or silver embroidery, set off by
diamonds.
When first saw the Princess Thurn and
Taxis she seemed to be dancing in a silver
cloud Her dress was one of the most ex-
traordinary conceivable. The material was
Brussels tulle. cut princess style. the skirt
very narrow, glittering with thousands
upon thousands of silver dots and stars set
in serpentine waves. The train was very
yoluminous. and from the corsage hung a
tulle band. half "A yard broad. covered with
silver ornamentation. The skirt was edged
with broad strip of chinchilla. A most
extraordinary girl is this princess. After
the minuet she vanished for half an hour
and returned IN another dress-Chinest
cloth OF gold, the effect heightened by
broad yellow Flanders lace. set volant fash.
lon. This dress, too, was cut a la princess
rather narrow In front. but without the
Vatican plait. Instead, the voluminous
back fell down In loose folds.
- Countess witzleben. the Kaiser's sister
in-law on his wife's side, wore a lilac col.
ored satin dress, strewn with silver beads
set far apart on the top OF the skirt and
thicker lower down. Around the edge Of