The New York herald., 1871-02-15
TEE REPUBLICAN, COURT.
Kra. President Grants Last
Reception.
Life at tho White Eouss-A Peep rnto ths giuo
Room-Nobls Exerap'o for American La-
diss-Elsgan. Toilats-lIrs. ssarctary
Dslano's second Card Reception.

Dslano's second Card Reoeption.
WASHINGTON, Feb. H. 1871.
It has been said that Mrs. GRANTS receptions are
so entirely written out that nothing moro can be
said concerning them except to describe the va
rietie5 OF dress; ard indeed the same dresses are
Worn SO often that it requires ssfui hand to touch
them up lightly enough to Keep In tho good graces
OF the wearers and sometimes 1t IL necessary to
pass them oy, for whal woman wishes her toilet de-
scrlbed on more than one occasion, unless Its ele-
gance Is particularly not!ceahlo2 This custom Of
having several handsome dresses and frequently ap
pearing in them Is Of course, conmendabie cnej
but it does not AFFORD q very broad field for the
fashion correspondents pen.
MRS. GRANT SITS GOOD EYA'frIE
to hcf countrJwonlen by saying that 1t is mater
OF no concern 70 her II her dresses arc described
over and over. The habit OF wearing evening
dresses ana jewels not prcctisci any extent In
Washington, although tie custom prevails to quito
an alarming degree in some Northern Cities This
wou.d not do In Washington, where every petty re.
cept!on bah or socianle hat Is made mention
OF and dresses are described preIascaously whether
dowdy docking OF elegant, just as they chance 10
come within range OF the correspondents
eye. 1t would afford considerable emhauass.
ment TO gay be!le 10 have her unique toilet
given In detail, aud o few days or weeks
later to the tc Si',e dress description attached
TO the name Of another lady. Although Mrs.
Grants rece sions occur with cockwork regularity
III sunshine or storm, week after week, the season
through, they are not really monotonous. To be
snre the same routine is gone over every Tuesday OF
Wen dressed people and grotesque looking charac.
ters waiting in the East Room until something IA
satisfactorily arranged behind the scenes, when an
usher appears IN tho doorway and in his blan1est
tone imparts the welcome Intelligence thai gentle
men and ladies' can pass through which, being IN
tnspps'ea n & eals rs fhai the day oysw o. Blue
open for inspection. Then, Of course, the
r,spressbe ren @ bic, Mcaer s On raa, nad mi, 70 per.
or Airs. OF Lord ana Lady SO and So,' Titi very
meek repettion OF ner name Il Mrs. Grant has
chanced TO Gi,erge rom tie regulation right about
face position aud Is not paying strict attention.
Next on the programme is the solemn Misunderstanding
ceremony, with al Us accompanying stG little bow.
Mrs. Grants position il trying oBe -Slis has 10
the public faithfully ana tie nation has luil
value received Tor the gtterirg noaor which Il con.
fers upon the man whom tsends 30 the White House
as It's President With tho patrg srY OF $1,000
year, out OF whch lie Is expected 10 give masnIdcent
stale dianer5 dine ana wihc niA friends VI whom
every President hes liOerai number. aud keep up
appearances generally. Il man IS ever elected TO
the position who Is so unfortunate MS TO be entirely
dependent upon the salary that me Nation allows,
his wife VIII probably often eel tho peed OF pocket
much pay Tor amusing the tnodsal DIS OF people who
go TO Plymouth church every SnadAY anu certainly
paces at its head douoie OK quaaruple the salary
tlat the congregation OF Plymouth church pay
Beeche.. At Mrs. GRANTS receptions one becomes
familiar wi the faces OF many who frequent tlem;
but some Of these are
ERroBT ATTRACTIVE GENIAL FACES,
which are ever welcome 10 the eye, and pleasant
variety Is Afforded by the presence OF many s,ran.
gers, who thins they have not seen all the points Of
Interest in the capita unti they been presented
to Mrs Grant at one OF her receptions. II some DO
call these receptions rcsome affairs, perfect Dores,
there are others who profess to consider them de-
Cabinet
remarked recently that she thoroughly enjoyed Mrs.
Grants receptions. Perhaps size was sincere in
lhis perhaps fear and trembling regarding certain
weighty political matters are the Cause OF her
high appreciation OF them. There was not quite as
great crowd at tho Executive Mansion to day as
usual but many or the toilets rar exceeded in ele
gance any that have been worn al Gay receptions
Hiss Felt, Of Galena, were the only ladies' assisting
Mrs Grant to-day. The dresses OF this io were all
dark and tut little orLamented, but reception de- !
scriptlon IS not complete without them. Mrs. Grant
wore danlia co!0rea SILK, trltnmed with same
gold cable necklace without which she is seldom
seen. MIS-. Pitcher and Miss Felt appeared IN black
gros-grain.
4 DRESS WHICH ATTRACTED MUCH NOTICE
was worn by Mis-. lbrowsAI. 1t was a black silk,
with deep black thread lace rounce over d
band OF white sik; black silk oyersklrt was
looped beneath broad rose color sash white point
lace covered her meek and was iasteaed Win dia-
with white lace aud The costume might have
passed for an evening one but Tor dainty mass OF
niaek yeet was pons ass pnk and hao
Mrs. Whitney was handsomely dressed I'm black
velvet trained dress, with white point lace shawl
and color velvet bonaet, trimmed with white
lace and feathers. Z
Lady Thornton wore purpie satin, with black
velvet oversklrt and ruby velvet bonnet
SECRETARY AND MRS. DELANo's RECEPTION.
AS the gay season -apprSxlnates its close balls.
parties and receptions are beng crowded into the
nights and everybody is trying 20 get just as much
enjoyment as is possible during the brief time inter-
vening between this and Lent. No house is q more
popular resort Tor the fashionable crowd OF pleas
ure-seeker5 than that OF Secretary Del an0. This
fact was forcibly demonstrated by the Immense |
crowd who attended their second card reception
which they gave last night. You receive such
q good, honest, hearty, welcome and 50 many
means nre devised for yonr enjoyment
which these receptiohs present with the cereuonl-
GUS, hollow forms through which one mas to pass IN
many cold and unaJtractve drawing rooms which
are thrown open in all their stately oppressive
fortunate IN having such valuable reserve force TO
sssist in the duties OF hostess as her daughters
Mrs. Ames and Mrs. Cox, and her attractive little
daugnter-r-law, Mrs. Jonn q. Delano. Though tile
presence OF one or all Of these ladies' adds greatly TO
the enjoyment or the evening there Is, per.
haps, no lady in Washington Society whose
cordial manner and friendly words render
her better calculated to dispense With galaxy OF
assistants the wife OF the secretary OF the In
terror. Last night Mrs. John 9. Deano was tho
only one or the charming trio who divided tho
honors OF the evening with Mrs. Delano. Mrs
Delan0's figure Is very much inclined 70 eHntoR-
p0tnc. and nothing could have been more becoming
than her black velvet dress, with It's handsome lace
trimmings. Mrs. John Deano's toilet was very ele-
CANT and consisted OF white satin trained dress
with sc arlct satin oyerskrt, lace trimmings and
bertha ami her heavy dark brai.is interviewer with
scarlet flowers.
TERRORISM N SOUTH CARO-. MA.