entatives of the
various classes by whom they are attended; the members of the
aristocracy residing in the county heading the list of stewards, and the
members of the professional classes usually closing it.

The top of the ball-room is, as a rule, appropriated by the aristocratic
element, head stewards and "lady patronesses."

The enjoyment derived from country balls depends upon a variety of
circumstances, which do not influence in a like degree the ball-going
world of London.

* * * * *

=County Balls= are principally composed of a series of large parties
brought by different ladies in the neighbourhood where the ball is held;
but there are two classes of county balls, balls which are held in large
and populous towns and attended by the principal residents of the towns,
with only a small sprinkling of the county aristocracy and county
gentry.

There are also Hunt Balls and annual Charity Balls which take place
between October and February, and which are an amalgamation of both
classes of balls.

The neighbourhood where a ball is held is a sufficient indication as to
whether it is likely to be a smart one or not.

As a rule the leading ladies of a county lend their names as patronesses
and supporters of a charity ball, although it by no means follows that
they will personally attend it; but a long list of influential
patronesses materially increases the sale of tickets, which is the
result to be achieved.

A large attendance is not the primary object of a county ball, as the
sum raised by the sale of tickets is only required to defray the
expenses of the ball, although these are sometimes considerable,
especially when the decorations are elaborate, and the arrangements on a
grand scale, in which case there is not seldom a deficiency rather than
a surplus, which deficiency is defrayed by the stewards themselves.

To ensure a good ball considerable unanimity on the part of the county
ladies is demanded, and they usually meet and consult together previous
to fixing the date of the ball, to take into consideration the fixtures
of neighbouring county balls, and so avoid the possibility of the said
balls clashing with their own county ball, and also with a view of
perhaps attracting the house parties of their more distant neighbours to
swell the numbers at their own ball.

House parties invited for a ball vary from ten to twenty-five, as the
accommodation of a house admits.

It