| Show v vulgarity lu afe ufe an italian court ball is deliciously simple aud ou that account perhaps more enjoyable the like any ordinary hostess walks about among her guests speaking a few words to every lady she knows sometimes she invites a lady to sit by her side and they have a longer talk the queen dances only in the court quadrille now but she was once very fond of waltzing and farini the best dancer m rome was her favorite partner while the queen is dancing the king speaks with his ministers and a few court ladies who do i ot dance all the ladies are allowed to sit when the queen sits but at a recent court ball as sho was nearly always standing all the ladies stood until the court retired at a little past 1 then the supper rooms were opened auri there was as usual a disgraceful rush three rooms are opened simultaneously one of which is reserved for ladief accompanied by gentlemen of course every ono rushes toward aliis room I 1 which contains only 20 tables at the most when 20 ladies and 20 men therefore have managed to fight their way into it tho doors aro shut but the footmen who aro elal en without have the greatt difficulty in keeping back the hungry crowd such a scene is not witnessed in any other european court and numbers of ladies who know from experience what these scenes are liko leave the ball before the supper rooms are opened to escape the rush and save their dresses exceptions are not even made for state ministers or ambassadors even tho marquis visconti venosta who was escorting the german and tho american ambassador and his wife had to wait half au hour for their supper some ladies almost fainted in alie crush and two swedish ladies of won drous beauty who watched the scene from afar looked perfectly bewildered at the sight which would have disgraced a railway buffet sau francisco argonaut |
