The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-21
BANQUET ard Costume Party Last
Night In London Was More
Gorgeous Than Any
thing Vet.
sHAKEsPEAREAN FETF
Fifteen Million Dollars Worth Of Roya,
Gold Plate on the Table and
Cut Glass Worth a
Fortune.

LONDON, June 21.--A banquet more
regal in its splendor than ever graced I
the palace OF emperor or king, truly
gorgeous feast, in which the service I
was the royal plate, weighing eight
tons, and valued at S15,000,000, was
followed by the beautiful Shakespear-
can ball last night, the two events
standing forth as shining features Of
the second day of coronation week
The banquet in buckingham palace
was a scene OF imperial grandeur with
its assembly of royal and eminent
personages, the setting of costly mag
nificence and the beautiful decora-
tions.
The king and queen entertained the
visiting and English royalties all the
special foreign delegations, the for
eign ambassadors and ministers, the
officers of state and the household, the
members of the cabinet and former
cabinet members, the heads of the
church and judiciary and of the army
and navy.
The two largest apartments in the
palace, the ballroom and the picture
gallery, which adjoins, were utilized as
banqueting hall The plate used was
for the most part collected in the
reigns of the four Georges, and the
principal piece is a massive peacock,
captured in one of the Indian wars.
whose tail is studded with diamonds.
Cut glass worth a fortune, ivory de-
canters hundreds of years old and old
wines dating back more than a CEN
tury were on the board.
The gallery holds more than 500
pictures. The decorations of both
rooms are largely gilt, and this back
ground was embellished with banks of
palms and giant lilies, white orchids
roses and ferns We're stacked on the
about the walls and all the diners wore
their richest uniforms, decorations
gowns and Jewels.
1t is to be predicted that the Shakes
peare ball will live through history
with the famous mask balls of the
geants' of the present age and reviveo
the magnificence of Tudor England.
At the ball there were no tawdr,
stage costumes, but real silk brocades
real gold and silver embroideries. rea
furs, real lace, the finest of all periods
setting off the beauty of some of th
fairest women of English and Ameri
can birth. Priceless heirlooms OF jew
elry glittered in the hair and upol
the bosoms and upon the stomacher
of the most beautiful women in tn
world. 1t was an enchanting pictur
upon a vast scale of magnifcence.
No modern evening dress appeare
TO mar the beauty of the scene.
was obligatory upon every one of th
5000 to 1000 guests that they appea
in Tudor or Shakespearan costume, CO.
ering almost all of the periods of tn
world history.
The Albert hall was transforme
into wonderful Italian garden. Th
roof represented blue sky, adding
sunny finish which seemed to affe'
the spirit of the dancers. The pa
quot floor pleased the most fastidiou
Contrary to expectation the king an
queen did not attend Special boxe
on the grand tier had been held II
the notables and here was present q
most every member of the royal far
lily except the sovereigns. Many mel
bers of the foreign royal families wei
present
The dancing began at 10:30 oclot
and continued until midnight, whe
the floor was cleared for the proce
sional entrance of the Elizabethis
court. All members were the descen
ants or the wives Of descendants
the historical characters represented
The court ranged itself picturesqu
ly upon the special platform up'
which Elizabeth was enthroned. Th'
began series Of quadrilles, of knigh
and ladies', and procession of dance
before the throne. The music I
the quadrilles was specially arrang
by Emerson Whithorne. the America
and was chosen from the music of I
Elizabeth period, the spirit of viii
was admirably preserved.
Among the notable Americans W
Mrs. ]. S. Stickney, who appeared
Catherine of Arragon." In the qua
rlile, arranged by the duchess OF So
erset, she wore brocaded satin gov
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