A Child's Fancy Dress Party in Germany.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 915, 13 September 1889, Page 5

A Child's Fancy Dress Party in Germany.

(FitOM A GIRL CORRESPONDENT.) My sisters and I are spending a year in Karlsruhe, favourably known for its big schools, also its painting classes and conservatorium. We are in a big school, called the Victoria Schuld, and owing to our being new comers, and also English, we have been to several of their carnival parties, as they call them. The following is an account now of one, which my sister and I went to. It took place, as is the custom here, on a Sunday afternoon; we were invited at what one would think in England rather an unearthly time, namely, three o’clock until S p.m. And instead of a formal card, which it is customary to receive in England, we were given a very simple and kind invitation, which was as follows : ‘Ada beehrt sich ihre lieben Ereundinneu A —: — und M W auf Sonntag, Nachm. 3 Uhr, freund. lichsfc einzuladeu. Kostum erwiiuscht, U.A. w.g.’ We were naturally very pleased to be invited to a German fancy dress party, as we thought the German dresses might be somewhat different to the English ones. I went as a Dutch peasant, and my sister as a Greenaway girl, and our costumes needed a good deal of thought, a 3 we had not come from home prepared for this kind of thi g. We arrived at the house, which was a very large one, just about 3 p.m., being asked to come very punctually, and it was some little time before any of the other children put in an appearance, but when they did come, it was very interesting to watch each arrival, and then to look at the dresses. We were ©•even altogether, twenty.three having been invited, but only eleven could come. The little girl who gave the ‘ Gesellschaft,’ as parties of this kind' are called here, was dressed as a red moss rose, with a rose bud twined upside down on her head, a green plush bodice without sleeves, and long green plush peaks and red stiff muslin for the skirt; green silk stockings and green plush shoes, with a little red rose on each. Then there was an angel all in white, with a white satin skirt with muslin over it, a muslin bodice, a gold crown on her head, and mus. lin flowing down each side to her heels ; white silk stockings and satin shoes, and white wings. Then there were three Rococo costumes, much alike, a pale pink satin skirt, with brocaded satin polonaises and bodices, powdered hair with flowers, and patches on the face, pale pink stockings, and black shoes, pink mittens, and fans. There was also a Tyrolese boy with a white shirt, feather-stitched with red, and very broad red braces, black velvet knickerbockers, and white stockings with little dark green and black gaiters, and a black hat. Then three peasants pat in an appearance ; one was a Bavarian, with a tall black felt hat with gold tassels on it, long pigtails down her back, and white muslin bodice, with not very long sleeves, a dark skirt with a red shot silk apron, red stockings, and boots. Another an Alsatian, whose costume I cannot very well describe, only that the skirt and apron were both dark, and the bodice also, and on the head big black bows, and the hair in long pigtails, tied up with long black ribbons. The third was a very pretty Sicilian girl, with a dark red velvet cap, edged with gold coins, and a red sleeveless velvet jacket, also trimmed with coins, under which wa3 a white muslin bodice, with long sleeves. Round the waist a Roman sash of various colours, a white skirt, with red velvet border, white stockings crossed with gold braid, and a pair of black shoes. A little girl was dressed in a plain white evening dress.

First we danced the polonaise all over the house, all the rooms opening into another, then we went into the dining room, and had some cakes and chocolate. The fashion here is a big cake in the form of a wreath, which is called 1 a Kranz; ’ after that we danced again until we were all told to sit down in a ring, and one of the girls brought in a large cushion covered with tinsel medals, and another came in with a tray full of little

bunches of flowers. Those with flowers were gentlemen, and had to go and pin their flowers on to the lady with whom they wished to dance, and the lady pinned her medal to the gentleman’s coat. After that we were all told to stand in a ring, and each given a cracker, and theu you gave the other end of it to the person next you, and all at once you pull. I found a fan in mine, and my sister a paper cap. Then we were each given a snowball, which is a lot op paper cut up, and put inside a piece of tissue paper, which is neatly rolled up, and then, all at once we burst the paper, and began throwing the contents about, right and left of us, on the others. After that we had some ices, and danced again until we were fetched away. Before leaving we made a curtsey to the master and mistress of the house, as is the custom here, and thanked them very much for the nice evening, and went away, having enjoyed ourselves very much. M.YV.