£2,000,000 WORTH OF PEARLS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11865, 26 February 1913, Page 6

£2,000,000 WORTH OF PEARLS.

\YOKN BY HICH WOMEN AT WASHINGTON BALL.

It is generally conceded that all this vear's festivities in America have been 'eclipsed bv the I'earl Ball given at Washington by Mr s William T. Diaper, widow of the millionaire cotton manufacturer, who was the American Ambassador to Italy from 1897 to 1500. The bail, which was given in honor of tl:e coming of age of,her daughter Margaret, is declared to have been the most wonderful function ever witnessed in tlie capital, if not in the Cniteu States. Decorations and ccstumes were or Louis Quinze pattern, and the magnificent oaintings on the walls of the great ballroom in the Draper mansion were diaped in the style of 18th century Fiance.

But, gay as were the dresses and decorations." it was the display of pearls that made the ball memorable. Tne invitation cards specially requested that, the guests should wear pearls, and nritiiing but pearls in the way of jewellery and so'conscientiously were the hostess' v.i-:lies carried out that when the orchestra struck un for the first dance pearls, to the value'of nearly .£2,000,000 were worn by the dancers.

Fi,r months past wealthy women on .Mis Draper's invitation list, had been moii! ing * J'aris, London, Vienna, and New York for pearls, and the brilliance i.l the scene showed how successful they had been. Every woman present carried a small fortune on her head and -hciilders, varying in value from the comparatively poor people who could mustd- only'-£2OOO or £3OOO worth.-to il-.f hostess, who wore pearls said to have !■»>• no less than £IOO.OOO.

Mrs Draper received many congratulations on the splendour of her jewellery, and many were the envious glances she received from her feminine guests.

Miss Margaret Draper, the debutante, was scarcely less magnificently arrayed, and among the ornaments she wore was a necklace which the newspapers describe as the most costly in the world. The pendant was a magnificent white pearl, which was presented to her by her godmother, the Dowager-Queen Marrlmrita of Italy. The value of this ne<-U'acc varies according to the imagination of the society writers, but itmust lie enormous.

Tl:e elite of Washington society atrfMulrd tin? ball, and the. hostesses, in tlit* capital are satisfied that they have -•liven New York and Chicago someHiim\ to heat."