The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-13
MASKED BALL GIVEN
Annual Masquerade With
Colonel Staples as Host.
BRILLIANT COSTUMES SEEN
Many Guests from Out of Town, and
Many Queer and Handsome Dis
guises Adopted-First Prize Award
ed TO Miss Jess HOrner, the Second
to Mr.. f. Carl Smith.

The annual masked ball Of the Riggs
House was given last night. and was
one OF the most successful Of these, which
have always been successful affairs The
ballroom of the Riggs House was hand
| somely decorated with palms and flowers
and decked with American flags. and the
large orchestra which furnished the dance
music was concealed from the dancers
by mass Of green foliage.
No one was allowed to dance unless
masked. and by 10 O'Clock there was a
motley thronS upon the floor. Here was
Columbine dancing with a cavalier Of
| the Middle Ages. while Pierrot had Mary
a Mexican vaquero dancing with the Lady
Of Night, and there. slippered PANTHEON
in company with a cowboy girl.
/ The costumes were rich, varied and
handsome. Columbia was there, radiant
/ in the folds of the American flag; there
was Gretchen, d male Gretchen with
enormous calves; there were Spanish
grandees. japanese in kimonos. Chinese
/ in fantastic garb. jockeys in six. brides
/ in white, Folly with cap and bells. rough
riders in khaki. doctors OF law in reverend
gowns, and there was Elizabeth, Queen
o. England; troops Of the Continental
army, angels-yOu knew they were an
/ gels because of their wings-and there
was one lady who, with rats all over her
/ skirt and a mask like a rat, seemed to
! impersonate the Pied Piper Of Hamelin
Dance a Mad FroIic
! The dance went on. and it was a mad
/ frolic' A Scotch lassie in gaudy plaid
two-stepped with a swarthy Mexican;
Carmen, demure and bright-eyed. danced
/ for the nonce with a graybeard. and
/ seemed happy. Nine. Pompadour was
there stately and full Of grace, but con-
| descending to tread a measure with an
Arab from Tunis. while a Spanish
! senorita, with lace mantilla wrapped Co
quettishly about her face. cast roguish
| glances at the throng over the shoulder
/ Of man clad like bluejacket of the
/ United States navy
/ It was a mad and happy revel. and the
/ fun was fast and furious. Col o. q. Sta
/ pies. the host Of the ball was wise
/ enough % provide plenty of dim and coy
/ retreats. where Carmen, il she chose.
could talk over her secrets with Don
I Jose, or Mary Queen Of Scots could hide
herself away from the madding crowd"
with Dudley, Earl Of Leicester If she list
! In a room just OF the ballroom a long
/ table WAS set. where refreshments were
served to the dancers. and at one end or
/ the ballroom a huge punch-b0wl helped TO
/ add 10 the gayety Of the evening.
Always through the thr0ng moved the
r-fF r.F L ID.
! the guests and seeing that every one was
taken care of. and when the hour for I'M
masking came it was no surprise TO find
4 that the new recruit TO Roosevelts regi-
ment was Col. Staples himself
! At u o'clock the dancing stopped for a
/ time while the mummers. still masked.
/ Joined in a procession about the room.
/ parading in front Of the judges so that
/ their costumes might be seen 20 best ad-
vantage.
/ Judges Award Prizes.
With such variety Of costume it was
/ hard to make a choice. but at last the
! judges decided to award first prize to the
/ CHARACTER Of Night" essayed by Miss
/ Jess Horner. the most striking figure in
the room; while the second prize went to
/ Mr.. F. Carl Smith. the artist. for his
! clever impersonation Of a native Of Tunis.
/ Mr. Smith wore real Arabian costume.
/ which he had brought back from his last
/ sketching trip.
] After the Formally of awarding the
prizes Cthe first prize was a silver tank
/ ard; the second a silver punch iadlel.
/ the ball became informal and the Riggs
/ House was at the disposal Of the guests.
Some drifted away to the music room.
| where songs and impromptu dances were
/ in order; some stayed in the ballroom and
/ danced till they got their filI, and some
/ the more sentimental-hid themselves
away in the Oriental hooks that were
/ provided, and the old. old story was
/ perhaps told again. At any rate. every
one had a good time, and Col Staples.
I the host. was the life Of the party one
/ Of the largest and most successful that
| the Riggs House has ever given.
! Among the guests were:
/ Sir. Edward Mccormick Mr. and sIr, John r.
Lacey. South THmbe. Miss Trimbe Miss n v
J McCabe. Miss Claude Albright Mrs. J. r. Thomlp
/ son. Miss Martha Thompson. Mrs- G. ?. Val Mis-
Nail, Mrs. J. A. Clarke. +. = Vail. Mr. and Alrs
/ A NJ Lay Miss peher, Mrs. NJ, L. MARTINEZ Mrs.
/ Hollenherg, Miss Bell, Miss Cox Mss p "
4 Couzins, J. T. CogziGs, Mr.. and Mrs J. A. Hughes
/ Mr.. and Mrs. G.. ". Albright. J. r. Bankhead "
/ Richardson. =. Thompson. Mrs e. " Fisher. Mis-.
/ J. ". Bailey, J. ". Bailey. r.. W q. Brantley
Mr.. and Mrs. J. Kennedy Edward r. stable Mr.
and Mrs G.. g. Gilbert 3Ir. and AIRS. o. NJ
/ James. AR and Mrs. &. T. Fuller James stone
/ Mr.. and Ms y. Fl. Smith SIR and Mis- B. "
/ Layton, +, A. Hopkins. Str. and Mrs. y. ". Cox