Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-03-06
SOCIETY IN WASHINGTON
Gen. Grants Reeeptions-RecePtien VI
the President aud MIR. ColinN.h

to sketch life IN washington:
much as one a do to live in It. EVent
follows event, scene follows scene In
such rapid succession, like the pictures
in phantasmagoris, one a scarcely
name them as they pass. one slips lnso
the tide-goes with it, and wakes up
some morning so tired. Yet the human
tide rolls on the same ; and watching u
from ones window, say it is decidedly
pleasant. ,u..:.or.o
It is a reception day. All equipages
move toward the West End. Inc enan-
eled coach, the liveried driver, the tnor-
ouphbred horse, the fine ladies in ermine,,
velvet, and jewels, all move on toward
the West End. The shack" with its
tattered trappings, its shabby driver, Its
dilapidated horses, and its ladies' II sec
ond-rate, "fxed-up' finery, Jolts on To-
ward the West End. Why not! rms
is a democratic country, or ought to be;
and if Mrs. Clerk wishes to delight her
eyes with the sight of Mrs: CABINET 5
latest costumes and refurnished salons,
has she not as good q right, pray, rs
Mrs. Congress2 As these rights are ne
cessary to her peace, happy for her that
the Government of her country gives
her the privilege of enjoying them, other-
wise society would not. Human nature
is the same in Washington as in Lon
don, and yearns to eIalt itself by o priv
LEGGED order, by the escutcheons OF no
bility and the impossible bars Of estate.
These yearnings are manifested oy d
superior air." and an exclusive devo-
ton to the Corps Diplomdtique.
Such aspirations are very amusing 70
impartial beholders, and tempt one to
probe a little below the surface, to see
in what manner Of soil the family tree
took root. The humble individual y
is not the only one Of our public men
who from the smallest beginnings has
worked his way to place and power. 1t
is the glory Of their country that this is
true. We doubly honor the man who,
against the odds of fate, has struggled
up to success, until he begins to ''put
on airs" then it is human nature also
to begin "to take him down." The
Hon. Mrs.- taught a district school
once. And now in her high estate she
scatters the gifts Of atluence and Of fame
with u lavish hand. Simple, sincere,
loving-hearted, her blessings fall upon
lowly and lofty, and if she is not
reyerenced it is because she is so be-
loved. Another Hon. Mrs. was a
chambermaid in her youth, Now this
delicately uurtured creature is unable
to dress or uudress herself, or even to
hang up her own clothes, although per-
fectly able to endure any amount Of dis
sipation. She is very aristocratic. She
appreciates lireried coachmen and coats
OF arms. We object to neither. Only
give the real family insignia. Let the
scissors, the shoe-last, the broomstick,
flourish where they belong!
Among the most popular of the day
receptions are those Of Mrs. Grant.
Carriages crowd the street for a block
from the house, and gay cavalcades OF
ladies are seen ~alighting and returning
through half the hours Of every Satur-
day. The spacious parlors are thronged
with beauty, fashion and youth. People
like to come here for they are certain
of a kindly welcome. No matter how
great the crowd, nor how brief the space
allotted for words, they are sure Of re-
ceiying something more than a merely
conventional welcome. Mrs. Grant
does not 'receive" with the air OF a
martyr, or an automaton. She evil
IDENTIFY enjoys it, this elegant crowd Of
bright faced women, all lavishing sun
shine and kind words on her! She is
pleased with so much attention, and
natural enough to show it, in an unaf-
fected womanly way. Everybody feels
kindly toward the Grants. An I'M
wonted state of mind for everybody to
be in toward a family raised from
poverty and obscurity to a%fiuence and
power. Yet this is true, the spacious
house, the costly library, the SNOWY
coach and horses, gifts rs they are,
seem to stir neither envy nor malice, in
anybody's heart. The secret Of this
good will does not lie wholly in the
fact of General Grants military reuown;
that if he were selfish and exclusive and
"set up" would not make him socially
popular. But the Grants have q pleas
ant way of sharing their good gifts with
others. If you see the carriage on the
ayenue it is filled as full as it can hold,
and is evidently rolling about, not for
state, but for a good time. You 60 to
the house; that too is full to overflow
ing, and whoever chooses to come, is
certain not of an o%stentatious, but a
sincere welcome. Alady said the other
day az don't see how Mrs. Grant can
open her house to everybody, and re-
ceive people promiscuously."
The lady's feelings were natural, but
in connection with the Grants she for
got a number of facts. The house they
inhabit, its very furniture, is the gift of
the people. With unstinted hands 9th
ers pour out for them the wealth and
luxury Of life. They have the good
sense and the kind hearts to remember
this. If they receive largely, they share
as we'll, and make many people happy.
Ifthey i~ntrenched themselves in exclu-
sive state to receive the elect and 7ele-
CANT few, no doubt their carpets would
last longer, but not their many friends
nor their growing prospect of still great
or honors.
The second Of their three evening re-
ceptions to be given this season occurr-
ed Wednesday evening, and was even
more crowded than the first. A mass
of splendor. it was too vast to be indi-
yidualized The Corps Diplomotique in
glittering court costume, officers of army
and navy in full uniform, women re-
splendent with jewels, music and dan
cling, warmth and cheer, crash and suf-
location, fading flowers, robes ~despoiled
the old story, you know it all if ever
there once; if not, can't tell you. %
Speaker Colfax's weekly receptions
hold their wonted sway. Like the Pres
idential levees Of palmy days, they in
clude everybody, from the Chief Justice
and Cabinet Ministers to the poorest
clerk who rooms in an attic. No stran-
ger visiting the capital is content TO
leave it without attending one Of these
popular receptions. Mr.. Colfax is en-
phatically a man of the people. Strug,
Cling up from a fatherless boyhood
to his present eminence, through all the
way he has kept with the people. He
has not grown away from them, nor
striven to rise above them. He Isl with
them in sympathy, in aspiration, in
nr;ncinia Tbe neonle know IL, and re-