Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-03-01

remained hnhdleti in ~yoluminors wrappings, look
ing down upon the CHESTS dancing in oyercoats
and wraps. dancing like mad in order to keep froia
freezing u death.
The canary birds did not sing. They tucked
their heads under their wings and shivered pitt
fully. The elaborate refreshments fro2e into
blocks Of Ice. The ball ended before midnight,
The first inaugural ball in the pension binding
was that held 10 honor President Clevelanl's FIRST
Inauguration. The building was then unfinished
and the courtyard was rooted by temporary con-
Strurtion, deliberately decorated aud lighted by
the then new electric lamps, The hallrUo.a floor
was 3lG hN ZIG feet. and it WAS crowded. The
ticket sale for this ball brought in $4,000.
It is pleaSanter to contemplate more recent IN
a~ugHrnl balls. \ notably brilliant ball WAS that
which welcomed President Mckinley. 1t was held
In The pension building. and for that night the
building WAS transformed by bunting Of white and
gold. Not Il particle of woodwork or original dec
Grafton of the building was left uncovered. Elah-
crate electric lighting elaborate for 1870 and n
huge fountain were notable features of this bali
room. Judging by contemporary accounts this
bill was Il complete success. socially and fnau-
cially.
Mrs. William Howard Taft, in her charming
book. "Recollections of Fnll Years tells the story
of the last inaugural hall. Mrs, TaftS account Of
how the Taft family moved into the White House
is thoroughly captivating because Of its MANY bits
OF domestic color, bits that find an echo in com
mon experience everywhere.
1t was ut the close Of a very busy day thar Mrs.
Taft pmt herself into the hands of her nervous
hairdresSer and sat looking at her new bali gown,
spread out ON the bed. Tho ball gown bad ar
rived m the very last minute ard the new first
lady" mad wondered for several anxious days
what in The world she would wear TO the ball If
the lressmakcr failed her.
at was made of heavy white satin which | had
sent to Tokyo 10 have embroidered" writes Mrs.
Taft, ''and the people who did the work surely
knew their art. A pattern Of g%o'denrod was ont
lined by Il silver thread and cleverly fitted into
the long lines Of the gown, and no other trim
mings had been used except some lace with which
the low.cut bodice WAS finished. 1t fitted me nd
mirnbly aud | hoped TINT, in spite Of all the mis-
haps in my preparations. / looked my best as |
descended from the White House automobile at
the entrance Of the pension office.
"rle pension office was not built for balls, in
ungnral or otherwise, and on the evening Of March
4, 1908, after a day of melting s!"et ana snow, the
entrance WAS not especially inviting. Neither was
the dressing room which had been assigned to
me. I suppose that for wears il had rung with
the ceaSclcsS click Of scores Of typeWriters and
that it's walls had helleld no moro elaborate COS
tune than II business blouse and skirt since the
occasion Of the last inaugural ball which had
marked the beginning Of the second Roosevelt
administration four years before. Eut as | needed
to do very little '%prinklng' it really didn't matter
and I quickly roioinch the president and pro-
ceedel on his arm 10 the presidential box, TINS
being u small round gallery above the main en-
trance Of the great ballroom. which is itself, In
everyday life. the principal worironin of the pen
sion Office.
"A brilliant. IN almost kaleldoScol'ic, scene
srrend before us. The hal! Is Of tremendous pro-
portions. rillnrci with red marble and with walls
tinted In The same color. Every inch Of floor
s,,nce seemed To he occupied. The bright colors
and the CLEAN Of wonen's gowns met and clashcd
or harmonizel with the brighter colors Of ,lplo-
matte uniforms. Officers Of the army and <AnVy IN
full regalia met and mingled with the hundreds OF
men IN the plain black Of formal evening dress.
1t was n wonderful. %gl.ttcring throng. more mag
niHccnt" than any | had ever seen. II was not pos
s!ble TO distinguish individuals except In the space
directly below the box, but there. us ! looked down,
saw q great semiclrcle Of nces-thousands. 1t
seemed TO m%c--smilingly %upturncd toward us. The
din Of human voices was terrific even the loidest
band procnrable had difficulty in making itself
heard. But the scene was so gny In color. and the
faces that gazcd UP Mt us were SO friendly ANA
happy that l felt elated and not at NIL over
wielined."