The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-03-02


I'M II dcialdom is in no mood for gayety.
49, The inaugural ball, says the Kansas
City Star in historical article is hot s'ite
function financed by the Nation, as most OF tle
Nation believes Undertaken at first as wei
come 70 the new president by Washington society
II has become Of late years the business venture
by which Washington merchants recover the
money they spend to hang the capital with bunting
and hire bands and fireworks to make the occa-
sion lively While the ball costs a large sum OF
money the profit from the sale of tickets priced
nowadays at S. is estimated at $4,000, ana thls
profit is distributed among the men who sub
scribed the funds 10 make the celebration sue
But the inaugural ball does cost the Nation
something because it discommodes whatever de-
partment of state lends its building for the fes-
tvites Recent balls have been held in the pen
sion building, and a vast deal of trouble and ex-
pense has gone into the organization or their
gayety.
There has been balls In the past, like that state
ly first ball that welcomed President Monroe
notable for the brlliance OF the asserblages, the
beauty and wit and fashion displayed truly great
social OCCASIONS worthy of the dignity OF the occa
sion they celebrate. And there have been balls
Of which old timers in Washington still talk,
notable for the widespread inconvenience they
have caused For instance, there is the second
Lincoln Inauguration ball. when Horace Greeley
lost his hat and standing on the steps of the
treasury building put curse on the city of Wash
ington lurid enough TO set fire to the snowdrfts
that blanketed It: then there Is the ball that well
coined President Grant, held In vast pavilion
of muslin, unheated whose walls swayed to ana
fro in an icy blast that froze dainty ears and finger
tips-yes. and noses-and put n damper on the
merrynaking not to be forgotten
March a. 1860 was the sort of chill, damp un-
comfortable dag Washington expects for the pres
idental Inauguration, but In this year the incon-
veniences of bad weather In the new little capital
were far worse than they could possibly be today.
rI, linz opun1 nDf1
pavernents Roads deep in mud that many
n coach was mired it carried Its load of dis
tingushed persons to witness the inaugural. There
were few hotep and boarding houses, and these
were crowded to suffocation on the great day
But the society of the capital and notables from
far and near determined to overcome all
handicnps of wenther, for this drear evening was
to mark the first presidential, inaugural ball. An
organization of young men, the washington
Dancing assembly" formed seven years before,
had the affair In charge and had secured the as
semby room Of Longs hotel on Capitol hill.
The -four hundred" in America originated with
this first presidential ball. Washington society
represented the best of the Nation. The influence
of the Southern families of arstocratic tradition
wns strong There few people of wealth,
hut many of culture; and society was gay without
ostentnton. The of the dancing assembly
who drew up the list of those who would be asked
to buy tickets to the inaugural ball found that
four hundred would include all persons of breed
ing and worth
When George Washington and Thomas Jefferson
were inaucrrated they were glad to go early to
bed after the day of ceremonies. but on this night
ex-Presidcnt jefferson, personally opposed to os-
tentation. appeared in the ballroom promptly nj
seven o'clock. the time of its opening. He came
smiling and happy, glad to his friend succeed
him in the direction of the Nation, happy at hav-
ing the burden off his own shoulders, as he con-
fded to friend during the evening.
The orchestra played "Jeffersons March as
the ex-president entered,
Am | too early?' asked the great Democrat.
you must tell me how to behave, for 1t Is more
than forty years since have been to. ball
Soon after the musicians played Madison
March," and the guests focked about the door TO
greet the new president, slight, short inquire
of n man whose gray hair brushed smoothly
back from his high forehead and tied with BLACK
ribbon His small hazel eyes were remarkable ror
n humorous twinkle, for Madison. In private ire
enjoyed Il good joke and sprightly banter HIS
long pendulous nose came low over long upper
lip His teeth noticeably white and even
The new president wore plain black, with rufhes
at the throat and wrists with black smalls ano
silk stockings. There were big silver buckles OF
his shoes.
But it was to Dolly Madison, formerly the fAs
cinating Widow Todd of Philadelphia, that al
eyes turned. The new mistress of the Whte
House was a center of attraction wherever she
went without great beauty of face or figure she
had a manner which won friends instantly. Hel
ready tact her good humor her vivacity. made hel
easily a social leader and the best-rememberee
and beloved of the many first ladies'.
Mrs Madison wore pale buff velvet made very
n,o,n with a long train and trimmings. Hel
head was surrnounted by turban from Paris OF
pale buff velvet and white satin
When Americas first -four hundred danced a
the Madison bail the air Of the assembly room De
came very close and the guests finding they coule
NOT lower the window sashes broke the glass fol
ventilation That is the only recorded inconven
ience aside from the universal Inconvenience