Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-20


over dinner and wearing everyone out
but he has gone to the other extreme BY
limiting his cook to an hour and a half
and requiring that all the courses
shall be served within that time
Ii 'bolting" were possible in fashion.
able society this would suggest it.
The dinners at the White House
have been remarkably handsome this sea-
son. The new steward, Mr. Miller. a
portly parsonage of aldermanic propor-
tons, seems to be the right man in the
right place. 1t is curious TO know how
very little trouble these dinners are to their
givers A list of the guests is made out
! from the list of those whom etiquette de-
mands should be invited az least once dur
| ing the season. The names are given to
the clerk who has charge of the invita-
tons, aud he sees that those selected are
invited. Should any decline, others must
be invited in their places. The stated
dining-table seats thirty six, and vacant
chairs are inadmissible When all the ac-
ceptances are received, the dividing of the
| guests into couples and the assigning of
| places at table is done mainly by the clerk
| before mentioned. 1t would be well if
this matter were entirely overlooked by
Mrs. Grant, for mistakes sometimes occur
for want OF attention from some one know
ing all those invited. Il is a great art, as
every dinner-giver knows, to put the right
persons together.
Mrs. Grant, however, attends to very
little herself. She never writes {. note.
When her husband was General he wrote
all her notes and answered those she re-
celved. Now that he is President, one
OF the military secretaries attends to her
correspondence. With regard to this and
to her wofully short memory, mamma
had something TO say not long ago. Mrs.
Grant had some friends in the city to
whom she wished to give lunch party.
She concluded to do so only two or three
hours before the time appointed. When
she gave her orders to her hOusekeeper
about the lunch she also gave her to be
written down the names of several ladies
whom she wished invited. Leaving this
list with the hOusekeepor she began her
toilette, and, by the time it was finished,
had entirely forgotten to have the invita-
tons prepared and sent. Nor did she re-
member that she had not done SO until the
time came when she expected her friends, |
and, not seeing them, it occurred to her |
they were still unlimited. Fortunately,
most Of them were near neighbors, so it |
was still possible to send for them. When
the ladies arrived she frankly explained |
matters, and her aversion to writing and |
her short memory were so well understood, |
no offence was taken.
And, while speaking of White House /
matters, mamma says | may as well tell |
you something more of what she has said
about the way the Prince was treated. |
You have heard much of Mrs Grundv's |
sayings on the subject, but you have not
heard all yet. You know that a special
point was made by the President not to
make any official parade about the royal
visitor. The state dinner that week was |
the usual one, and Arthur was only an in
cidental guest. The other guests, WITH
the exception of those Immediately at
tending the Prince, were the same who
would have been invited at that time IN
der other circumstances. Besides this,
the President would not go out TO dine
with the young man anywhere. 'This
being true" cries mamma, ''why did he
90 to the ball!" ''As the guest Of the
British legation" says some one. ''Be-
'ides Grant always does go to balls"
;ays some one else. at has not been Gus
omary heretofore, says mamma, ''for
Presidents to accept invitations TO en-
" Thereup0n ensues a dis
usslon and an incident of five years ago
S related. And this, he it known, was
irst told by a high official who knew
whereof he spakc. Immediately after
he fall of Richmond Mrs. Lincoln made
Up a party TO visit the captured city.
some of the Cabinet officers of those days
nd some distinguished ladies were invi-
ed, On the boat, Mrs. Grant said, in
with Mrs. Lincoln. that she .
expected her husband TO be the next
President, and that she intended to do
way with the observance of the usual
iiquettc, which did not permit the Pres
dent and his wife to visit or accept in
'it2tions. Mrs Lincoln at once stopped
he expression of these views by inform
nc the Generals wife, in a most crushing
manner, that she (Mrs. L. expected her {
husband to be reelected for a third term,
o Mrs. Grants intentions in the premises
natteTed little. So it seems this, setting {
,recedent aside, is no hastily formed reso-
tion. a
One incident Of some importance to E
which occurred during the
'rince's visit has not yet been noticed, it
GEMS in print. When Admiral and Mrs.
)ahlgrcn gave their lunch party TO his
Royal IIighness, Miss Kellogg was pres
nt Miss. Goddard, Mrs. Dahlgren's
laughter, isquite a musical genius her
elf, and whenever Miss Kellogg is in
Washington Miss Goddard shows her
much attention. So Miss Kellogg delight
d the goOdly company assembled on this
occasion with some of her sweetest songs,
nd Arthur neglected to thank her in per
on for the pleasure she gave him! He
cnt his Acknowledgements through Mrs.
)ahlgrcn. The hostess Of our gifted
,rima donna could not but notice this ap-
,arent neglect Of her guest. What Miss
Kellogg may have thought of the Princes
ction is known only TO herself. So it
Gems with all the golden opinions Arthur
las won for himself he has not succeeded
n satisfying every one. Mammahas said
hat it was because of his neglect of Miss
Kellogg that the Admiral and Mrs. Dahl
,ren did not attend the ball, but then you
now (between ourselves) mamma is not
,bcnys right. Miss GRUMPY.