My Native Land: The United States: its Wonders, its Beauties, and its People; with Descriptive Notes, Character Sketches, Folk Lore, Traditions, Legends and History, for the Amusement of the Old and the Instruction of the YoungCox, James
History
My Native Land: The United States: its Wonders, its Beauties, and its People; with Descriptive Notes, Character Sketches, Folk Lore, Traditions, Legends and History, for the Amusement of the Old and the Instruction of the Young
Cox, James
Indians of North America; United States -- Description and travel; United States -- Social life and customs -- 1865-1918
Of the balls which succeed carnivals in the cities which delight in
these temporary divorces from the cares of business and finance, pages
might be written. One ball only need be mentioned in any detail. This is
the ball given by the "Knights of Revelry," in connection with and at
the expense of the Mobile clubs. The entire theatre was rearranged in
illustration of the theme of the club's pageant for the year. All around
the halls were hung tapestries and banners, artistically decorated, and
arranged so as to convey the idea of forests and gardens. The very doors
were converted into mimic entrances to caves and parterres, and the
general effect was entrancing as well as sentimental. The band was
hidden from the guests in a most delightfully arranged little Swiss
chalet, and refreshments were served from miniature garden pavilions.
The very floors upon which the dancing was to take place were decorated
so as to present the appearance of a newly mown lawn.
The height of realism was attained by means of an imitation moat over
the orchestra well. Across this was a drawbridge, which was raised and
dropped at fitting intervals, and the drop curtain was made to represent
a massive castle door. There was a banquet chamber, with faultless
reproductions of mediaeval grandeur and wonder. Stained glass windows
represented well-known and attractive ladies, and there were other
marvelous and costly innovations which seemed practically impossible
within a theatre.
At this ball, as at all others, the revelry proceeded until midnight.
Just as Cinderella left the ball when the clock struck 12, so do the
holders of the Creole revels stop dancing immediately that Lent has
commenced. The next day all is over. Men who the night before were the
leaders in the masquerade, resume their commonplace existence, and are
seen at the ordinary seats of custom, buying and selling and conducting
themselves like Eastern rather than Southern men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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