Letter About Paroquet Springs Ball, 1872

A correspondent for The Courier-Journal wrote a flattering piece on Sunday, 30 Jun 1872, about the fashionable ball held at Paroquet Springs the previous Friday evening. While little is said about the spa itself, it does give an idea of the extent to which its management went to attract its guests.

---

The grand ball at Paroquet Springs on Friday night attracted a very large number of the fashionable people of Louisville and the country near Shepherdsville to that beautiful summer resort. The opening ball about this time last summer was one of the great events of the season, and its memory still lingered in the minds of the hundreds who danced the merry hours away that night, and warranted the nost extravagant expectations of this second occasion of the kind. Nor were these expectations disappointed. The ball was a grand success. The proprietors spared no pains to make it superior in every respect to the first, and we are not sure but that abundant triumph crowned their efforts. The ballroom was crowded from the first note of the music until its last echoes had died away, when unwelcome morn crept through the windows with as happy a company as we may not often see. It was a beautiful sight, such as only Kentucky's beauty and grace can afford - for the best and the fairest of Kentucky's women lent their presence to the occasion. There were, in the gay measure of Strauss, dancers floating down the length of the hall; there were in the half lighted balconies many a whispered word which was to be heard by one ear alone, and spoken; there were in the avenues just about the house, brilliantly lighted with variegated lanterns, sauntering couples, mayhap in no wise behind those in the porches above in the softly uttered words of something more than friendship; there were smiling matrons, happy in their daughters' enjoyment, and perchance, recalling like scenes in earlier years; there was everywhere enjoyment tempered with no thought of the busy life of the city so near, and yet so remote. It was an occasion which will long linger in the memory of those who participated, and which takes rank as one of the most brilliant balls given in Kentucky for many years past.

Yesterday the grounds were alive with happy faces - the majority of those who went down for the ball having remained over for Saturday and Sunday. The beautiful river was crowded with boats; the woods and avenues filled with gay promenaders. it was altogether a brilliant ball and a charming day, and Paroquet Springs will hereafter be connected with many a pleasant remembrance for each one of the hundreds who collected there Friday and yesterday.

We are able to give only a partial list of the ladies and their costumes, as below; but can say that all the toilettes were elegant and tasteful, and some of them miracles of millinery skill:

• Miss Josie Easton -Pink tarletan, ornamented elaborately with pearls.
• Miss Spiegelberg - Attired in rich white satin.
• Miss Bondurant wore pink silk; court train; gold ornaments.
• Miss Vories wore a fleecy Paris muslin.
• Miss Hood - Pink satin, trimmed with point lace.
• Miss Lawrence - White muslin.
• Miss Brannin - White silk dress; black lace overdress.
• Miss Mattie Brannin - White Swiss.
• Miss Dora White - White Swiss.
• Miss Mary Boyle - White and green tarletan.
• Miss Gertrude Smith from Frankfort - Dressed very tastefully.
• Miss Dovie Summers - Corn-colored tarletan, trimmed with point lace; pearl ornaments.
• Miss Emma Brooks - Pink rept silk, trimmed with Duchess lace.
• Miss Hite - White tarletan, trimmed with pink flowers.
• Miss Anna Brooks in her graduating costume, together with several others of the recent Nazareth graduates, wsa quite a feature of the evening.
• Mrs. Benedict, in here usual exquisite taste, resplendent in diamonds.
• Mrs. Col. Irvin of Richmond, in an elegant buff silk; diamond ornaments.
• Mrs. Chas. Shreve, lavender silk, white Paris muslin overdress.
• Mrs. Bartlett, lavender silk.
• Mrs. James and Henry Buckner, elegantly attired in black silk.
• Mrs. Dr. Seymour, black silk skirt, with broche overdress.
• Mrs. S. S. Meddis, buff tarletan, exquisitely ornaments with black lace.
• Prof. Parsons' amiable and gentle wife graced the occasion. Mrs. W. A. Owen, Mrs. Paul Booker, Mrs. J. P. Cropper, Mrs. John Gault, Mrs. Southwick, Mrs. Shepherd, Mrs. Wm. Weller, Mrs. Ed. Wilder, Mrs. Davies and many other ladies were present, richly and tastefully attired.
• Miss Madeline Robinson, buff silk, elaborately ornamented.
• Miss Sallie Shreve, buff and black.
• Miss Lizzie Shreve, pink and white.
• Miss Gorin, black and white tarletan, alternate flounces; pearl ornaments.
• Miss Craycroft, rose-colored satin, trimmed in illusion; pearls and diamonds.
• Mrs. Breel, white tarletan, very simple.
• Miss Ferguson, Dolly Varden silk, trimmed with rose-colored crepe ornaments; pearls and diamonds.

---

If you, the reader, have an interest in any particular part of our county history, and wish to contribute to this effort, use the form on our Contact Us page to send us your comments about this, or any Bullitt County History page. We welcome your comments and suggestions. If you feel that we have misspoken at any point, please feel free to point this out to us.