From Julie, in New Orleans, to Helen in New York:

….

“The Esperanza paper is lovely and is so nice of you and our son Will. We shall enjoy it exceedingly- we like the design- and it is so ‘very swell’ as Nelly Bunce would say.

Last week I chaperoned the girls to the Ball of the Lousiana Club. It was a magnificent affair, and as some man said of the party, “I have not seen such sights since I was weaned.” Morris plumed himself immensely upon his daughter’s dress, because they had waists and sleeves to them, you must get Lucy to show you what he said to her. He put his nose close to her neck and exclaimed, ‘my daughter I am glad you dont parade your charms.’  Next week we are going to the Rex Ball. I hope to gather items there for my book to be laid out here and apropos, I shall not touch the story we talked of till I can talk with you….”

I would dearly like to know which wallpaper they were talking about.  It is remotely possible that it is the wallpaper still in Opposite-To-It: a completely faded white with a floral border of yellow roses.  That would fit the time period, but it could easily have been one of the other rooms that was modified in 1893, possibly the Little Parlour or the room that was completely redone as the Main Hall.

The balls Julie is talking about are, of course, some of the balls leading up to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  The Rex Crewe was founded in 1872 and is still active.  We know that they also attended, or at least were invited to, balls held by the other old line krewes (Knights of Momus, the Mystick Krewe of Comus, and the Knights of Proteus) throughout their time in New Orleans, in the 1870’s-1890’s period.  Julie, however, was clearly more interested in people-watching for her next book rather than partying, which is not surprising!