, or the criticism of the staring counter-jumpers. There was
also the chance open to the rougher members of this assemblage of
ultimately getting into the ball without paying. They had no
well-defined plan, but they felt instinctively that when their own
passions had been sufficiently aroused, and when the later scenes inside
had grown tumultuous, they could knock the door-keeper's hat over his
face, and go brawling in like wolves. There were knots of half-grown men
on the corners of the street and about the adjacent pot-houses who were
driving a good traffic in tickets, and other knots of creatures, neither
men nor boys, but that New York intermedium, who has lost the honesty of
the boy without gaining the manliness of the man, were speculating upon
the probabilities of a fight, and expressing very decided opinions as to
the possibility of licking the Frenchmen who would endeavor to keep them
out or keep them orderly after they got in.

"The attendants upon the ball, on entering the vestibule, were handed the
following circular, printed neatly in blue ink:

"'The purpose of the President and Committee of the Societe des Bals
d'Artistes is to preserve the most stringent order, and to prevent
any infraction of the laws of decency. Any attempt at disturbance or
lewdness will be repressed with the most extreme severity, and
sufficient force is provided to warrant quietness and obedience to
laws.

'The President, L. MERCIER.'

"That such was the purpose of the committee we have no reason to doubt.
But it was no wiser than the purpose of the man who invited a smoking
party to his powder magazine, and told them his object was to prevent
explosion. The dancing commenced at 11 o'clock. At that time the floor,
extending from the edge of the dress-circle to the extreme limit of the
stage, presented a curious spectacle. Probably there were a hundred
masked women present, among five hundred masked and unmasked men. These
women were dressed in fancy costumes, nearly all selected with a view to
expose as much of the person as possible. By far the greater number wore
trunk hose and fleshings; but many were attired in the short skirts of
the ballet, with some attempt at bayadere and daughter of the regiment in
the bodices and trimmings. Here and there a woman wore trailing skirts
of rich material, and flashed her diamonds in the gaslight as she swung
the train about.