The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-02-04

ing been selected and led to the royal
pagoda, the captain and 1ieutenants
marched abreast down the hall, and
handed seven scrolls to the seven
chaperones, who searched out the
men whose names appeared on the
scroll. ''Mr. J. S. Leonard" called
one of the ladies, and there was an
uproar, for there is no more popular
man in Pensacola, and general, ferv-
ent and long continued applause fol
lowed the making known of the king.
AS he stepped forward, the masked
captain helped him to don a gorgeous
red and gold mandarin's gown, while
the six lieutenants similarly waited
upon the six gentlemen of the court,
after which the king and courtiers
were led to the pagoda, where the
queen and her ladies welcomed them
with becoming obeisances.
One of the most enjoyable features
of the ball followed here. The mon
archs and their ladies and gentlemen
in-waiting sat, cross-1egged, on the
pagoda floor, and the maskers were
lined up the sides of the hall. Up the
long hall, from the entrance, march
ed tiny, dainty, unmasked little
figure, in a beautifully lowered kimo-
AAcI anu Cdi ylAS uuSc
cherry blossoms. The tiny feet hur-
ried, but were slow in covering the
distance, and the enthusiasm Of the
ball room knew no limits The little
girl was Minella Avery, daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. Campbell Avery, and
one of the best loved children in this
city. Unabashed, she performed her
pretty duty of the evening, placing
the flowers in the queens hands.
Then, section by section. the de-
tachments of maskers approached and
bowed Japanese fashion and turned
to the left, until there was a long
double line of maskers. When the
last color had paid homage, the
double line moved slowly down the
side of the hall, and as each couple
reached the chaperones, they called
out two gentlemen, who were to
| march with the maskers selecting
them in the grand march. which a few
minutes later broke into the first
dance.
The chaperones were kept busy dur.
| ing the dancing. 1t was their duty
| to find out what man each masker
| wanted for a dance, and lead out the
man, and this duty, by no means an
| easy one, fell this year to Mrs. J. E.
| Turtle, Mrs. Lewis Willis, Mrs L. Hill
| ton Green, Mrs. w S. keyser, Mrs.
| Martin Sullivan, Jr., Mrs. T. c. Wat
son and Mrs w. A Blount. The mask
| ers were not allowed back Of the call
| out ropes, and the men were not al
lowed on the dancing floor until taken
out by one Of the maskers. The men
| slightly outnumbered the maskers,
and it was amusing to watch their
faces when only a few were left, with
their wondering who the wall flow-
| ers' would be.
Floods of colored lights added great
| Iy to the beauty of the scene. though
the arsnory is not so proportioned as
to facilitate the man who does the
/ lighting. But it was we'll done, and
contributed greatly to the scenic eff
fects.
The beautiful decorations won the
| unstinted praise of all who saw them
and caused general expression of re-
gret that Pensacola does not Dos
| sess public auditorium large enough
to permit the Pompadours to invite
non-dancing guests. Last night there
were an even 200 present, including
the chaperones. The marching won
many encOmiums from all. and the
freIuent outbreaks of applause must
nave Deen sweet music 10 the captains
and lieutenants. who, after the fashion
Of such organizations, have almost au.
tocratic authority and a vast amount
of trying detail to look to. The ball,
| though, satisfied the club members
even more than the highly successful
initial ball last year, and the male
guests could not find expressions too
eXtravagant to expires stheir appre-
citation of the delightful entertain
RANT furnished thapa