A "LEAP YEAR BALL." 225 



fan him. The scene at supper was comical in the extreme. The 

 gentlemen were seated on chairs round the room, while the ladies 

 spread table-napkins over their knees, " so as to take care of their 

 dresses," and brought them delicacies from the tables. It was a 

 curious sight. All round the room a row of black-coated men, each 

 with a table-napkin on his knees, while the supper table was sur- 

 rounded with the brilliant dresses, flashing jewellery, and white arms 

 of the ladies. Several of the former imitated the tactics of old 

 lowagers, and contrived to be taken down to supper three or four 

 times. The shrinking, timid modesty of the gentlemen was beautiful 

 to see. At 11.30 a cotillon began, and continued until 2.30 a.m. 

 It was a wonderfully pretty scene, the figures being a mixture of 

 waltzes, minuets, lancers, polkas, <fcc., while every now and then the 

 whole lot melted into a gigantic ladies' chain, extending all round the 

 room. 



Part of it consisted in the distribution of " favours," of which 

 there was ample store. After going a certain number of times round 

 the room, the lady took her partner to the favour table, and then 

 selected the most appropriate favour that could be found. Then, 

 after another turn, the gentleman was allowed to select a favour, and 

 to ask his partner's acceptance thereof. Consequently, colour began 

 to predominate. One gentleman was gifted with a rattle, several 

 artificial flowers, two or three huge rosettes with streaming ends, a 

 metal peacock with spread tail, and a basket. A lady near me had 

 a row of five big square pin-cushions suspended in front of her bodice. 

 Somewhere about 1.30 the balance of things was restored. A num- 

 ber of gentlemen who were employed in business had slipped away, 

 so the ladies constituted themselves Mormons for the nonce, and 

 went shares, or thirds, in a partner. 



On February 8th a trip was made to Southborough, 

 Mass., where the first of five lectures was delivered in 

 St. Mark's School. On the following evening came a 

 private lecture on the Cockroach, to the members of the 

 St. Botolph's Club at Boston. On the 12th followed 

 the "Horse" lecture at the Chickering Hall, already 

 referred to ; two days later came the second lecture at 

 p 



