Having a Ball on Purim

American Jews of the late 19th century were a sociable lot, filling their calendars with charity fairs, strawberry festivals, gala dinners, card games, ladies' nights and billiards tournaments at the club, Hanukkah pageants, and, as the holiday of Purim drew closer, house-to-house masquerades as well as a grand annual public soiree. "Oh, the Purim ball," recalled one of its patrons. "Life, animation, sociability and enjoyment ruled the hour."