The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-02-13
JEAN ELIOTcT
LETTER

bundle Of brilliant purple satin or yell
low gauze elapsed tightly 70 the breast
OF her sealskin coat strings OF peari9
or splendid gewgaws dripping out OF
her mum. don't jump TO conclusions.
She Is not an advance agent for the
Ballet Russo. nor member OF one OF
the musical comedy companies playing
in town. nor for that matter an Egypt
ian fortune teller escaped from the cir
Gus She Is just society maid or ma
iron, with part In the Beaux Art
Ball returning from a rehearsal or on
for a visit to her modiste.
Those who missed the ball last year
are determined to take Il In this sea-
son; those who were there last year
and remember It In all Its glory
wouldn't miss II for worlds. Conse-
auently the social world will appear
en- masse at the Willard on that
famous night. and for the past fort
night the town has been given over to
preparations. All tho prominent men
and women who are. not among the or
ganisers and patronesses, have taken
boxes or tables, and. since II Is abso-
lutely de rigeur to appear in costume.
It IL easy to imagine the splendor of
the scene. The decorations. II Ia whis-
pered, are to be in black and yellow
and for choice OF costume one has the
whole realm OF history, fact and fancy.
-
Pageant, carnival. cabaret and cafe
ehantant, eacr will have It's place on
the varied program. while before and
afterward and In between there will be
general dancing, Boernsteins orches-
ira, IL you please, and all the Jollity
and good spirits which go to make the
true carnival ball. The gorgeous page
ant will be after the model of some OF
the famous Mardi Gras festivities In
New Orleans, with all sorts Of original
features thrown in for good measure
and-oh, well. what's the use trying to
describe q thing which beggars de-
scription?
A few facts, which seem to he for
Retting, are that the ball Is planned
by the members Of the Society OF
Beaux Arts Architects In Washington
for the benefit of the French artist
soldiers OF France and their families,
and that they have had the assistance
of ever so many society folk as well
as the scores OF men and women OF
artistic tastes and talents. The alarm
win ring at about 10 o'clock ana the
curtain will be drawn. well, some time
hafore breakfast on Friday morning.
q
How the costumers have been put to
IL. with the Beaux Arts ball In the
offing and two fancy parties last week!
Yes. two, for though the only require
ment OF the guests at the Black and
White ball was that they should wear
either black or white. many Of them
appeared In the gayest Of carnival garb;
and then, OF course. there was the
Burieson girls dance This was an In
formal sort OF joilihcation at the Post
master Generals stately old home In
Il street. The guests were all young
people, and II was such fun. winding
up with breakfast at o'clock In the
morning.
The two little hostesses were very
sweet and charming. Lucy in a Dutch
costume, a blue velvet skirt and cap.
with a quaint yellow bodice. and Sidney
as s,inbonnet Sue, with socks. a short
frock, and the accompanying sunbon-
net. And some OF the costumes were
delectable. Lillian Hendricks made a
beautiful Italian peasant; Mary era
ham. a gorgeous Cleopatra In apple
Grssn satin and chiffon; and Ruth Les
ter Buchanan wore Turkish e
which was very; fetching. John Bucha-
nan was the fercest of Mexican brig
ands, and there was the usual flock of
Pierrots. Hal Rust, Marion and Law
renee Baker. Julian Bishop. and Chester
Lockwood. The last two hunted in
couples. and were quite effective. Ches-
ter all in black and Julian In white.
Jeanette CowAn made the auaintest
of, old-fashioned pictures In frock OF
turquoise blue. with beruffied skirt
made over hoop. and her hair ar
ranged In a marvellous fashion. Mar
garet Howard was dainty Pierette,
with n huge run. and row after row
OF orange balloons adorned Marie Sims
ruffied frock OF black and white in
flashing stripes. She looked bewitch-
ing. but II Is quite beyond me how she
managed to dance.
-
And Virginia LeSeure, she chooses her
fancy costumes with all the originality
and cleverness for which her everyday
1rocks are noted. and the effect is truly
delightful. At the Bureson party she
was picture In French model OF pink
satin. very short and full as to skirt.
and very tight as to bodice. She had a
monstrously' becoming white wig, end
atop that, well to one side. a WEI pink
satin hat tied under her chin with pink
tulle bows. Her costume at the Black
and White bah was also short ard full,
with wide stripes running round about.
Her pretty shoulders were bare. with
quaint pulled sleeves below the shout
der line. and she wore the same great
white wig.
Isn't II queer what tricks a wig will
play with ones appearance scarcely
knew Margaret Howard's piquant little
face under white hair. and as for Geor-
gia Schotield, the coal-black wig she
wore gave her delightfully."- wicked
look. Both girls wore conventional eve
mig frocks OF black. Margaret's nufry
tulle model Marguerite Barbour wal
I'm propria persona" in a lovely white
tulle gown, with broad black sash fol
contrast. She had Bessie MunickhuyseT
with her. and two or three guests from
Philadelphia.
Each man on the committee wore I
broad black and white checked banC
across his chest IAN same like" ribbon
of an order. and George Oakley Totten
4.