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Story
February 9, 1878
Public Ledger
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
What is this article about?
Article previews elaborate, enigmatic invitation tickets for the Ulka grand ball at Greenlaw Opera House in Memphis on March 4, 1878, highlighting owl motifs, Sanskrit-like inscriptions, and symbols of wisdom and emerging ideas for an elegant social affair.
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Full Text
A Mystery that Begins to Unfold its
Noiseless wings.
We have been favored with an advanced
proof of the tickets to the grand
Ulka ball to be given at the Greenlaw
Opera House on Monday evening, March
4th. The design is unique and the work
exquisitely finished. It has five corners,
the one at the top forming an obtuse
angle, from the hypotenuse of which
the lines slightly approach each other to
the two lower corners on the base line.
It is composed of a double sheet of fine
card-board, highly enameled and ornamented.
On one side is an old large and
solemn owl, minus wings. The owl is
supposed to represent the genius of the
Ulks—a bird with solemn face,
open eyes and a silent tongue, and sits
the impersonation of wisdom. In the
center is a golden egg, supposed to represent
the incubation of ideas yet to be
hatched out in the view of a wondering
public. On this egg appears the date,
"March 4th, 1878," and mysterious inscriptions
in Sanskrit, or some tongue
unfamiliar to our reporters. The wings
of the owl are concealed between the
card-boards, and when drawn out complete
the picture of a large green owl
on a blue background, with gilt trimmings.
The opposite side is nearly all gilt, with
a large open hand dimly stretching forth
as if to grasp some mystery in the future,
or in the dark. In the center is a young
owl just hatched, we presume. On one
of the wings is a gorgeous young owl
with huge pens and ink. He is the grand
secretary doubtless. On the other wing
is a highly respectable and venerable
looking monkey with a pipe in his mouth.
There are other figures and characters
having reference to the theme of the
grand procession of the Ulks, which will
move at seven o'clock on the streets Monday
evening, March 4th.
We are assured that this affair and the
ball will be as elegant and as select as
anything that has ever been witnessed in
Memphis. The theme has not yet been
developed, but it has been well worked
up, and will no doubt strike the popular
mind. The question now which these
typical owls are asking is, "Who-who,
ho-hoo will get these elegant invitations?"
Noiseless wings.
We have been favored with an advanced
proof of the tickets to the grand
Ulka ball to be given at the Greenlaw
Opera House on Monday evening, March
4th. The design is unique and the work
exquisitely finished. It has five corners,
the one at the top forming an obtuse
angle, from the hypotenuse of which
the lines slightly approach each other to
the two lower corners on the base line.
It is composed of a double sheet of fine
card-board, highly enameled and ornamented.
On one side is an old large and
solemn owl, minus wings. The owl is
supposed to represent the genius of the
Ulks—a bird with solemn face,
open eyes and a silent tongue, and sits
the impersonation of wisdom. In the
center is a golden egg, supposed to represent
the incubation of ideas yet to be
hatched out in the view of a wondering
public. On this egg appears the date,
"March 4th, 1878," and mysterious inscriptions
in Sanskrit, or some tongue
unfamiliar to our reporters. The wings
of the owl are concealed between the
card-boards, and when drawn out complete
the picture of a large green owl
on a blue background, with gilt trimmings.
The opposite side is nearly all gilt, with
a large open hand dimly stretching forth
as if to grasp some mystery in the future,
or in the dark. In the center is a young
owl just hatched, we presume. On one
of the wings is a gorgeous young owl
with huge pens and ink. He is the grand
secretary doubtless. On the other wing
is a highly respectable and venerable
looking monkey with a pipe in his mouth.
There are other figures and characters
having reference to the theme of the
grand procession of the Ulks, which will
move at seven o'clock on the streets Monday
evening, March 4th.
We are assured that this affair and the
ball will be as elegant and as select as
anything that has ever been witnessed in
Memphis. The theme has not yet been
developed, but it has been well worked
up, and will no doubt strike the popular
mind. The question now which these
typical owls are asking is, "Who-who,
ho-hoo will get these elegant invitations?"
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Ulka Ball
Mysterious Tickets
Owl Symbolism
Grand Procession
Memphis Event
Where did it happen?
Greenlaw Opera House, Memphis
Story Details
Location
Greenlaw Opera House, Memphis
Event Date
March 4th, 1878
Story Details
Description of unique, mysteriously designed tickets for the grand Ulka ball, featuring owl imagery symbolizing wisdom and incubation of ideas, with inscriptions in an unfamiliar tongue, and elements referencing a procession and the event's theme.