A NOVEL LEAP-YEAR ENTERTAINMENT.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1395, 2 May 1884, Page 2

A NOVEL LEAP-YEAR ENTERTAINMENT.

A novel leap-year ball took place at the ele#t. tiv. Ide ceof Thos. M'Kean in Philadelphia, February 4th. All the usual customs were reversed. The. plan was almost, universally followed of changing the aspect of the dress aud appearance of the face and upper part of the body. The ladies all wore Bkiits, of course, and the gentlemen trousers, but there the difference in dress ceased. All ihe ladies, according to the suggestion contained in the invitations, wore postillion coats cut like those, used for gentlemen for evening wear, "ome were 1 of satin, more of velvet, but most of cloth, -nd with them were worn gentlemen's white gloves of the smallest sizes. All the ladies had high standing collars, and made as much display of shirt front as possible, although some of the shirts were ruffled and frilled a la Brewster, and some oi the ties were of fancy colors instead of white. The gentlemen exerted themselves to~ appear in becoming guises that would also be in keeping with the spirit of the festivities. A great many wore sashes, such as are now popular with the young buds just entering society. They also carried fans and bouquets. The ladies vied with one another in this pleasant attention, and sent bouquets with great liberality to their favorite gentle-men.

Several young men wore corsets and elaborate bodices, with corsage bouquets, necklaces and even earnings. One or two appeared in regular feminine attire, even to low necks and short, sleeves, with' long gloves reaching far np oa th« anus. The ladies m many instances called for the gentlemen at their houses. The ladies had everythiug their own way, and asked the gentlemen out to dance, and also escorted theni into supper. As there were jpne hundred aiid tifty ladies aud only seventy five* gentlemen, none of the .latter suffered from waut of attention. The company was composed mainly of young married people and young men and ladies just entering society. It represented the cream of Philadelphia fashionable society.