Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-03-06
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
Gayetie and Gossip at the Capl-
tal-Social People and PeculIari-
COrrespondence Boston Post.

| thc buJStlc VI thc NuplldAs IuuN ANn
| Wednesday has merely punctuated the
character Of festivities will prove
true in the course of q week or so,
when a new round Of pleasures will
doubtless begin, just SO soon as every
one feels rested. The Washington mo-
ton of keeping Lent is peculiar. Din
ner-giving is more practised in the six
weeks supposed fast than during any
other period Of similar duration through
out the year. Then it is not breaking
Lent to give or go to receptions where
there is no dancing, and to which the
invitations are not absolutely general
In short, every conceivable mode Of
whipping the prince of darkness around
the stump is devised by those who do
not welcome Lent AS an excuse to be
| quiet until some such excellent reason
as the duty Of making high joint com
mission enjoy itself, or Japanese EN-
bassy happy, is presented. For the for
mer last Lent was broken; for the latter
the present one is threatened with Sc
r;ous fracture. Why Lent should be
kept at all, by a mixed population,
where the strict members of the two
sects who regard Lent as an obligatory
fast, cannot certainly be in the majority,
is not easily understood by those unac-
quainted with the duties of ladies in
official circles in Washington. When
these duties are understood, the
keeping of Lent assumes different as
pect altogether. 1t is the release from
hard work eagerly anticipated bywomen
tagged out in cause altogether to be
despised
| When investigated, the reason for the
labor endured in what is usually called
the pursuit Of pleasure ceases to be
ignoble. The wives are sacrificing
themselves to make the brighter their
husbands career. "Do you know, said
one of them to another at the evening
party last week. +" was actually so ex-
hausted when my reception was over
this morning" (it is morning here in the
fashionable parlance until dusk that
threw myself, dressed as | was, on the
bed and slept without stirring until my
husband woke me at ten o'clock to
come here, and / came here without
changing my dress or even adding a
| flower to my hair. | am utterly worn
out and yet have twenty-five hundred
unofficial calls to return. twenty-five
hundred, said by-stander, " should
never dream Of attempting it" Nor
l." was the answer, were it not for
making the administration popular.
This is the secret Of it all. The ad-
ministration is unpopular politically.
1t rests with the wives of officials to
make it popular socially, and they have
| abundant opportunity in their hands
| Six hundred people call on each recep-
ton day, about half of whom-and that
is rather undertaking than overrating-
are new people, from all parts of the
country, or perhaps from all parts of
the world. 1t is not unlikely, one sees
many sheep of many kinds wherever one
goes in Washington-and to avoid risks
not one of these must be offended. Not
only must the manner of reception be
gracious, but the cali must be promptly
returned or dire consequences may
ensue.
Washington etiquette is altogether pc
culiar. When one takes into considera-
ton the public demand made on the
means Of public men, one finds that the
pay is vastly disproportionate. The
President, for instance, receives $25, 900
per annum, and his house and furniture
are his for four years, rent free, besides
other immunities from disbursing ready
money. The only entertainment he
gives are public receptions and State
dinners. His wife receives once week,
between New Years day and Ash
Wednesday, and himself when he
pleases, generally speaking in the case
of the present incumbent three times
during the session of Congress- AT
these receptions the President is at no
expense whatever. Certain rooms are
thrown open and lighted day and even
ing, and the government pays for the
gas and wear and tear Of the carpets
The State dinners only are given at the
expense of the President, and these
Grant does not give too often. The first
winter of his administration he gave
dinner once a week for perhaps three
months. ,ast winter not so often.
This winter he has given them once a
fortnight
The Vice President is another privi-
legged individual. There Is no tradition
airy social law in force to compel him to
entertain at all, so Colfax doesn't. His
wife is at home on Wednesdays during
the session, and gives refreshments, choc-
olate and cake, but no evening enter
tainments occur at his house, not even
do we hear of dinners. But Schuyler
smiles on all he meets, and that atones
for much. His wife, too, returns calls,
q duty from which the Presidents wife
is exempt, and the Presidents wife
alone. Mrs. Colfax works hard, though
she is very delicately organized wo-
man to all appearance. One day last
week she paid off twenty-five calls, at
tended . state dinner al the White
House, sitting three hours at table, and
went to two parties in the evening.
The Sneaker Of the House also is in a
great measure exempt from obligatory
expenditure. Custom allows him to
welcome an enormous crowd to his house
on certain evenings during the winter,
selected by himself, generally Friday,
as usually there is no session OF the
House on Saturday,, and TO furnish no
compensation whatever but his own
bland smile TO that crowd for coming.
His house is open and lighted, and as
many as choose to squeeze in and be
squeezed, are welcome, Young women
from the departments, who have no
other opportunity to dress up, crowd
in. There are no refreshments provided.
At the houses Of Cabinet officers, how.
ever, things are different The wives of
these, OF if they have no wives, their
nearest female relatives, are at home on
Wednesday, with lunch Of cake, punch,
or wine, perhaps boths chocolate aud
crackers, sometimes sandwiches or salad
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