The house and grounds were decorated wherever decoration was possible.
Though it was wholly a daylight affair, Japanese lanterns hung by
festoons of handsome ribbon from verandas, trees, and around the new
pergola, the marble columns of which, in the absence of vines, were wound
with ribbons and roofed with bright flags, to form a tent for the
collation. In an arbour decorated in a like manner, an Hungarian
orchestra in uniform, much in vogue, Miss Lavinia says, for New York
dinner dances, was playing ragtime, while a dozen smart traps and road
carts filled with exquisitely dressed women lining the driveway around
the sunken tennis court, indicated that a matched game was to take place.
Yes, after every one had exchanged greetings, Miss Lavinia, meeting
several friends who not only treated her with something akin to homage,
but were unfeignedly pleased to see her, the guests divided, a dozen of
the elder girls and boys going toward the tennis court, where Monty Bell
seemed to be acting as general manager. I afterward discovered that two
prizes for doubles and two for singles were to be played for, not pretty
trifles suitable for children, but jewellery, belt buckles of gold and
silver, gold sleeve links, and a loving cup.
Meanwhile Mr. Vanderveer took charge of the younger group and led them
through the garden to where some young spruce trees hid the wall. Here a
surprise awaited them in the shape of two of the largest of the growing
trees festooned with ribbons and laden with strange fruit in the shape of
coloured toy balloons that bobbed about and tugged at their moorings as
if anxious to escape.
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