The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-18
Washington Gossip.

GnEssMAN WOOD TOILETS OF MARVEL
Otfs LONELINESS.
Correspondence Of the CourerJournall
WASHINGTON. Feb. This Is the sixth
week OF gayety. It Is no longer round
Of pleasure. Monotony, satiety ana
WEAKNESS are frequent guests at every
festival. With difficulty are the eyelids,
heavy with sleep and WEAKNESS. kept
open while conversation Is going on.
A constant succession OF dinners, balls
and entertainments seems very delight
FIJI I'm the imagination OF those who are
weary Of q quiet life, and wish to gain IN
insight Of the gay world with It's men
and women OF rank. How surprised
such would be To hear or tho suffering
endured by these supposcdto-be On
viable people.
Many of the large dinner parties last
four hours. One lady said she was 50
worn out recently mt u dinner, that sne
thought she would never again complain
of the fatigue Of standing. To rise rom
the dinner table Mt 10 O'Clock, ana nave
to attend two or more receptions Delore
going To rest, Is u severe test OF endur
ance. Thursday night there was u new
element to battle with The snow com
menced falling about dusk, and soon lay
heavily on the ground. Locomotion
was slow. The distance was great be-
tween Tho British Legation and the resi-
horses were not prepared for the snow,
which balled on there feet. fThe poor
animals did there best, and u thousand
people were safely deposited ut the loga-
ton A brilliant scene was pro
scnted upon the opening OF t tho
front door. A hall. thirty feet
wide. with marble floor, over which
was spread Persian rug, looked still
more spacious by the vista of brilliantly
lighted rooms on all sides. The broad
staircase, about thirty feet from the
y front door, IL In the middle Of the hall.
At the first landing, and facing the front
door, Is a large picture OF Queen Victo-
The stairway here divides, and the steps
10 the hall above are on both sides OF
the landing The stairway was deco
rated with vines and pots OF blooming
plants. Rooms on the first floor were
lifted up FOR cloak rooms FOR both ladies
and gentlemen. The drawingrooms are
~ keeping with the spacious entrance.
The grand salon IL modelled after those
OF tho finest palaces In Europe. There
II look Of solid, substantial magnifl-
cencc about the entire establishment.
Said young lady who was trying to
cat some salad with a ponderous silver
fork. Don't you think that this must
be more than usually hospitable man.
sion from the size or the. forks and
EDOOnSl we IucIl ODScINSu iItitJ IL utu
require some dexterity to handle them.
Sir Edward and Lady Thornton have
been here so many years that they seem
TO belong to us. They are very cordial
in their manners and entertain delight
fully. Lady Thornton is u great sufferer
from neuralgia, and Is very fragile look
ing. She was dressed In rose pink silk
with trimmings Of damask silk. She
wore single couture OF curls, with roses
and lace. Her jewels were handsome.
Mrs. Fish wore high-neck dress OF
cafe an ldit silk with black Brussels lace
Hounces. Mrs. Fish has strands of
large pearls with clasp and me-
dallion of diamonds Mrs Robson wore
an ivory tinted silk with low neck cor
sage of rich purple velvet. The drapery
mt the back and q succession OF bows on
the left side were OF the velvet lined
with the silk, with long train. The
trimmings Of this dress were entirely
composed Of flowers. The Misses Bell,
of Louisville, have been the guests OF
Mrs. Belknap for the past week, and nc
companied her to the reception. The
young ladies looked lovely and received
much attention. They leave for home
to-day, after enjoying two weeks pleas
ure In this city.
Mrs. Bristow wore an exquisite toilette
OF n delicate shade OF evening silk,
made In the latest and most becoming
style. Mrs. Jewell wore white silk with
point lace overdress. Mrs. Chandler
wore Worth dress, white silk petticoat,
bordered with u garland OF flowers, and
n tlouncc OF lace. The basque and court
train were OF narrow-ribbed gold and
brown velvet. or course there were
many indescribable things about this
dress. The Baroness de Overlook wore
dress, tufted with flakes OF down. The
front was trimmed with wide, crimped
fringe, and loops Of narrow white satin
Ibbon beneath the illusion puffs. The
Spanish minister's wife wore blue Grape
over blue silk The low corsage and
skirt were trimmed with silver leaves.
The hair was dressed high with large
bow Of garnet velvet and silver leaves,
through the centre of which was passed
u spray of diamonds. Madame do He
german, nee Moulton, wore diamond
stars through her hair, and superb
robe OF silk with rich embroidery.
The entire corps diplomatiqe were
present in rich and becoming toilcttes
Where there Is 50 much, II Is impossible
to know which to select for description
Sir Edward Thornton led Mrs. Fish to
Judge Field. Chief Justice and Miss
Waite were present. Mrs. Waite's health
has not permitted her accepting invita-
tons this winter, and she Is rarely able
to receive in her own house. The COM
pany, Of course, comprised all Of the
most distinguished society now gathered
in this city.
Many Of the most noted New Workers
are passing the gay season here. They
are, one and all, delighted with the
friendly, social spirit that pervades our
society, and which is so different from
that Of their own city In New York
introductions are never made here they
are never omitted. The New Yorker,
who has as her guest friend or relative,
will give a party and allow her guest to
be as totally unknown ut the conclusion
of the evening as she was at the begin
ming. The same New York lady visits
Washington, and expects to be intro
duced to every one. She says it is so
nice, but that it is not the fashion in
New York, and she would give offense il
she did it. The best politeness is
that which springs from a desire to
make others happy. Such politeness is
rarely found in the selfish composition
of a wealthy, fashionable New Yorker
when at home, but they are different
when outside of the atmosphere of their
own city.
All went we'll at the reception at the
British Vpcotinp until fba t;r,a - III,