'A Monday had several disodvantages as concerned with a Ball of the size of this most popular of Shanghai's social events, not the least being that it was impossible to encroach further fon the #ood nature of the committee and members of the French Club and Upset" their customary week-end revels. So it "was not until that morring that a start could be made with the special Batl decorations, and to out those in on the scale favoured by the Seats is no light task. How-fever, St Andrew's Society always has been exceptionally well. served by its successive amateur master de-curative magicians, and Mr, J.D. Watt has no leas genius and organis-Ing ability "than had Mr. D. Mac-Gregor, Mr. A. Y. Tait, Mr. C. Biailkle, and others' who have helped this line. He was further handicapped by something nearing @ flower famine, aving to the Chrysanthemum Show having preceded the Ball by a week, All this notwithstanding, by the time the guests arrived they found. the lub embellished much as it is every year, The Lion of Scotland and "appropriate trappings over the entrance formed a fitting introduction, whilst in the lower bail there was 8 profusion of flowers and plants, including a banke arranged asa St Andiew's Cross, besides flags, "clan Shields, and a gilt life-size figure of the Saint. The staircase decorations were on similar lines, with the inevitable, impressive, and very much Impressed Sikh police troopers guard with lances on every third or fourth stop. The frst floor main landing was arranged as usual for the reception of guests by Dr. and Mrs. Bryan, prominent features of the decorations being the by now well known heroic "statues "of Highland Os. and a table carrying the Society's splendid regalia, 'The ballroom, supper-room, ladies' room, Auchtermuchty, corridors, ete, were' further adorned with various Scottish suflctency " that was not overdone. Behind the President': table at supper was a large St. Andrew's flag on which was a shield bearing the arms of his family. 'The Society this year also lacked the help of Mrs, B.D, F. Beith, with ther genius for table decoration, but they found Mrs, Macnaghten, Mrs. J. E, Murray, and Mrs. H.R.' Cleland' most willing. help, and the result was as charming ever. Another steady' olper Is Mrs, Arch, Sinclair, who yet" once again hustled in with a hoppy Uitte troupe of kilted boys and gible who handed out dance programmes. What further "colour was required was provided by the Indies dresses, and the Highland, naval and military unt-forms, 'A Colourful Bat 'The Ball at the French Club in the evening was, of course, the big event of the day. During' the past two or throe years, nothing has been jeard from ihe, apostles of sadness who. would fight depression with utter melancholy, Their appeals to Shanghai Scotsmen to be doleful alt were. rejected, 80. apparently—they decided to abandon the contest, TI 1 was as well, for there has not been "a'Caledoniah Ball here yet that has hot added considerably to the So-"ciety's charity funds, which never can the too large. It may oven ko that the disciples of gloom have been con verted, for, although it was not anticipated the attendance would mich. above last year's 000 or 50, iaelually there were between 200 and '300 more revellers out that night The American Navy Relief Society anotter most. worthy institution—managed this year to rob the Scots of their privilege of opening the
"they fave w gay, one po into soe season, when recently {proftable, Ball at the Shanghai Race "lub, Nevertheless, the "Scottish affair Yost none of its colour and "popularity "and there was quite a large party of charming litre de-Dutentes. who graced it for their "coming out." Undoubtedly, too, the early announcement that Sir Hughe Knatehbull-Hugessen and his family would attend assisted many {o make up their minds that it was a function of {0 be missed. Scotsmen, always demonstrative in their loyalty, had ' Moore, M Lieut While the guests were assembling, the pipes and'drums of the Shanghai Scottish, S.V.C., played several scicetions in the' Rallroom, led by Pipo-Major J. R. Wellsted. " The pipers were much in evidence at various 5, other times during the evening, play ig for the eightsome and foursome reels, piping in-the Ambassador and the President, playing the guests
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.