'The Majestic was beautifully! lighted for the occasion, special electric effects being used about the musicians' stand to give the atmosphere of cheer and warmth. Special dancing entertainment had been provided by the, management, which was also unusually generous in its favours, The Majestic was so crowded that one—hardly thought of dancing; it was rather the whole crowd moving together, as the orchestra jazzed the melody of another clime. Chinese parties were particularly numerous at this hostelry, the centre table being' an artistically decorated affair for 'a large Chinese party of gaily' dressed Indies in their fine brocades and jades. From a cannon over the musicians' stand balloons were) shot on to the dancers who vied with each other to catch the floating bubbles as they danced through the air.
The Astor House, which for some time has not been entertaining in} the evenings, again re-opened its ballroom to hundreds of merrymakers, who preferred the older; scene of many parties or who had not remembered to engage their tables at the Majestic. Here carnival dance was staged, with the usual auxiliaries of tumult to ring in the new and to forget the old. 'A special entertainment had been! arranged and a fine jazz band did the necessary to keep the light] fantastic busily engaged between the courses of a carefully planned dinner.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.