The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-08-30
CORNELIUS VANDERBILT BALL 4
MAGNIFICENT AFFAIR

was the most magnificent Oriental
costume ball. supper and entertain.
ment ever given in America. Iii
eclipsed the greatest previous affair
the Bradley-Martin bal lof ron years
ago. The glories OF the cas-. were
mantled on the cliff palace. The cost
of this temporary remould.ng OF
Beauleau is supposed TO have been
$4,000 at the least, which estimate
does not include the great cost to The
guests of their Oriental costumes
The beginning of the entertainment,
was the production OF The Merry
Countess" the entire company har-
ing been imported from the Casin
theater, New York. a an expense OIL
$4,000 Then came the suppe follow
ID By the magnifceE. ball
The driveway to tie grand court
led through two domed arches aria
On the grand court there were four
more. Even the road-ftinseG ytral
geas We're cast for a par in 'he srea-
spectacle, concealed lights throw aa
an almost weird radiance on r.e cast
ern costumes OF the guests 'le.
drove through Looking closely IN
the arhes, to which clung 5 reaan-
vines. it seemed as ii their existence
there was more than temporary
1t was all light. From the y ndovs
over the veranda searchlighrs flashed
out in yellow. green and purple
The ballroom is one hundred feet
long and sixty feet wide T. IS on
the cliff side of the house Oriental
paintings OF classic scenes We're huns
from them, and below stood vml0Ic
statuary Huge lamps. .harmonzu-
in nature with the setting. threw 'her
soft light upward upon a ceiling paint
ed TO represent a dream OF the beat
ems, and downward with thousands
of electric stars, upon a aoor border
ed with divans.
The yerandas were enclosed Ther
forty tables were set for .he -unner
and one in sitting there was given .n-
closest possible imitation 81 an Or
entail piazza Between the tables
stood Egyptian lotus. banana ard 1r
ange trees, and overhead hun- down
baskets overfowing with rare Orient
al flowers and plants in red. yellow
orange and blue Beside The ve-an
das ranged cocoanut palms u-1uzh
from South America and Mexico
First came a Persian quaerile 81
the fancy dances, followed By a Rus
sian quadrille; next the quairire 81
the seasons. which was the closiu-
number All were danced bv mem
bers of the four hundred. and The cos
tunes were dazzling in their 'nagnln-
cence.
The seasons were represented bv'
young girls, and was extremely beau
tiful.
81 1AS W do - plnCu III Ff-lA NII.N
fon over white satin. with apple bios
som wreaths entwined in the hair
The girls carried sprays OF apple bios
SONS and their pink satin ballet slip
pers were ornamented with diamond
clasps
The Summer Maidens" We're in
rose pink chiffon over white satin
They wore wreaths of pink roses and
carried garlands of the same flower
Autumn was depicted by girls wear
ing bright red. deep purple and rus
set, with tiger skins draped over the
left shoulder, and their hair was
adorned with wreaths and garlands 81
grape leaves.
Virgin white gowns trimmed with
silver and eiderdown We're worn hv T
the girls in portraying winter They
carried holly sprays.
Though what had passed was strik- .
ing enough in its nature. a turthert
unique surprise was saved for .he
conclusion of the supper The diners .
We're sitting back. not at an expect
antly, when a great float in me form
of an Oriental garden, with Mrs Van.
derbilt sitting under a palm tree. vas
wheeled in with the fayors The ia
vors were distributed by a man and
woman in Turkish costume Amoas
them were baskets filed with an ha
rum, rare flower.
The other favors, the most valuable
and beautiful ever given at a dinner
IN this country, were: Inlaid Mosaic
boxes. brought from India gold slip.
pers and gold and ivory cigarett
holders from China, paper cutters.
carved wood frames, fans with hand
painted miniatures, cigarette cases OF
gold and silver bearing the dare and
the Vanderbilt crest in gold raised