Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-09-29
EtIquerre in Washington.

Mrs. Dufey'S Behavior"
The wife of the Chief Justice, and not the
wife of the President, is the first lady in the
land, and takes precedence of all others.
She holds receptions and receives calls, but
she alone is excluded from all duty Of re-
turning calls. The life of lady in society
at Washington is exceedingly oDerous, and
more especially so if she be the wife of any
official. Next in rank comes the wife of
the President.
tis made the duty of the President to give
several State dinners and official receptions
during each session of Congress. Besides
which time the Whlte-HOuse is open to the
public, and every citizen of the United
States has a recognized right to pay his re-
spects to the President. On the days of the
regular ''levees' the doors of the White
House are thrown open, and the world is
indiScriminately invited to enter them.
No court dress is required to make one
presentable at this republican court, but
every one dresses according to his or her
own means, taste, or fancy. The fashion
able carriage or walking-dreSs is seen side
by'side with the uncouth homespun and
homemade of the backwOodsman ana his
wife. Neither are there any forms and Ger
emonies to be complied with in gaining33ad-
mittance to the Presidential presence. You
enter, an official announces you, and you
proceed directly to the President and his
lady and pay your respects. They exchange
a few words with you and then you pass on
to make room for the throng that is press
ing behind you. You lOiter about the room
for short time, chatting with acquaintan-
ees or watching the shifting panorama Of
faces, and then you go quietly out, and the
levee is ended for you. If any one wishes
to make private call upon the President
he will find it necessary to secure the com
panY and influence of some official or spe-
cial friend of the President; otherwise,
though he will be readily admitted to the
White House, he will probably fail IN OBJ
tanning a personal interview.
The ladies of Cabinet officer must hold
reception every Wednesday -durinGg, the sea-
son, from or 3 o'clock to $50. On these
occasions the houses must be opened to all
who choose to call. Refreshments and an
extra number of servants are provided.
The refreshments for these occasions may
be plain, consisting of chocolate, tea, cakes,
&c. Every one who has called and left
card at a Wednesday reception is entitled
to two Acknowledgements of the call. The
first must be a returning of the call by the
ladies of the family, who at the same time
leave the official card of the Minister. The
second acknowledgment of the call is an in
vitatiOn to an evening reception. The vis-
iting list of the family of Cabinet Minis
ter cannot contain less than 1000 or 5000
names. Cabinet officers are also expected
to entertain at dinners Senators, Represen-
tatives, Justices of the Supreme Court, the
diplomatic corps, and many other public
officers, with the ladies of their families.
The season proper for receptions is from
the 1st of January to the beginning Of Lent.
The season for dinners lasts until the ad-
isurnment of Congress.
The President is not expected to offer re-
freshments to the crowds who attend his re-
cepti0ls. The Vice President and Speaker
of the House are also freed from the ex-
pense Of feeding the hungry public.
1t is optional with Senators and Repre-
sentatiYes. as with all officers except the
President and members of the Cabinet,
whether they shall ''entertain." There is
a vast expense in all this, but that is not all.
The labor and fatigue which society impOs-
es upon the ladies of the family Of a Cabi-
net Officer are fairly appalling. To stand
for hours during receptions at her own
house, to stand at series of Entertainments
at the houses of others whose invitations
courtesy requires should be accepted, and
to return in person all the calls made upon
her, are few of the duties Of the wife OF a
high official. II is doubtful if her husband,
with cares Of state, leads so really laborious
a life.