The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-16

\ pleasures and amusements that they search for entirely new forms of en- tertainment. This state of things has led to scores of eccentric dinner and supper parties being given during recent years.
 A "horror' party was tried a few weeks back in Paris, the hostess being a prominent actress. Each guest had to bring fac-simile of his or her pet aver sion. The majority of the 'horrors" were spiders caterpillars, blackbeetles mice, snakes and frogs; but one lady created a considerable amount of amuse- ment by appearing with doll dressed up to represent man.
 Dinners in dungeons and mines have been very popular In America for some time. A few months back Chicago lady gave supper at midnight in a large cellar which was fitted up as a prison The guests sat on rude wooden benches and drank out of stone mugs. Walters. attired in the striped convict dress of the United States penal settle ments brought in small beeksteaks be- tween slices of bread, which the guests ate from their fingers, there being no knives, forks or plates.
 A remarkable banquet was that held at Ciotat. The day following the comple- ton of the harbor there, MT. Roberts, the contractor, invited the press and the mem bers of his staff to a dinner, which was laid inside the caisson, or coffer dam, in which the excavators had been work ing, at a depth of 2s feet below the level of the sea.
 Numerous electric lights, floral designs, garlands and festoons produced an effect of brilliancy and beauty in this sub- merged dining saloon, and but for the ringing in their ears occa5ioned by the pressure of several atmospheres main tained in the caisson to prevent the in- rush of the volumes of water which ex- tended above and around, the guests would never have suspected that the fall ure of the air pumps would have caused them to be drowned like rats in a trap. No mishap occurred, however, and after the banquet a concert carried the festivi- ties well into the afternoon.
 Perhaps the most eccentric dinner party
  brated South African millionaire at West End hotel after he had won large sum at Monte Carlo by plunging on the color red Forty guests were invited, and when they arrived at the hotel they found to their surprise that everything in the dining saloon was red in color-lamps, table covers, flowers, napkins and chairs The walters wore red ties and even the knives had red handles. The menu. too. was printed in red. The dinner, which was of IS courses, cost a15 head.
 At a restaurant in New York we'll known millionaire gave an equestrian banquet not long ago. The. guests sat down at table in the form of an elipse, and were supplied with oysters and cav fare. Later they retired to the ballroom of the restaurant. which was a veritable sylvan scene. There were miniature road ways, a winding brook. cottages, lodges and fields, and over all was the blaze of a brilliant sun, provided by an ingenious arrangement of electric light globes. Standing on beds of grass were I horses. one for each guest, carrying small tables on the pummel of their saddles.
 The walters, as soon as the host and his guests had mounted, first served con- somme, then fish. entree and roast, salads and ices, cakes and cheese. and finally coffee, cigars and liquors. The walters were attired in the costumes of hunt servants.
 Another "horsy" banquet was given by a prominent sportsman of New York in his stables. His coachhouse happened to be very lofty and roomy apartment and he conceived the idea of transform- ing 1t into banqueting hall. A table was erected in the form of a horseshoe. and 95 persons sat down to 1t. After din- ner a horse and four Shetland ponies