Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-03
Making Calls in Washington

washington Is unlike any other place
on earth, SO far as official society goes.
Your washer-woman, if she is respec-
table, may call on Mrs. Fish, leave q
card, and feel personally affronted if her
visit is not returned and an invitation
sent for herself and daughter for the
next reception at the house of the
Premier. sat in the carriage yester-
day, watching the outcoming of q friend
who had gone to make call on Mrs.
Fish, and watched the throng passing
up the steps and in the door, and down
the steps into the street. Some superb
looking girls and women, distingue men,
attaches of foreign legations, richly clad
and elegantly dressed; snowy equipages
and shabby hacks received their burden
and whirled off to the next cabinet
house" Then gave my attention to
the pedestrians. Of course many of
our best people were OF this class, but
there was a suital ility in their costumes
which stamped them to the manner
born" The trailing silks, blue velvet
and damasse over-skirts, green velvet
over-dresses with cardinal silk under
skirts, topped off by Virot hats, were
worn by those who could least afford it,
while cheap fnery, in the shape of
strlngy silks, poor alpacas, imitation
furs, hashy bonnets, with sundry gilt
ornaments on the heads of ordinary
blowsy-looking women, and frowsy
girls with wrists protected by bangles,
made up the lot of people who sigh
and grow lean with vexation after the
vanities Of the world.
Two years ago 1 was in the drawing
room of lady in public life whether
cabinet minister Or not I shan't saw.
The rooms were crowded. As I en-.
tered, my friend extended her hand,
and exclaimed:
az am so glad to see familiar face.
[ am at my wits end what to say to
these ladies, who are all strangers to
me. What can talk about that will
entertain them?"
AT this juncture the servant man
announced Mrs. Blank and her daugh-
tar, two as gaudy looking women as
ever saw. The courtesies of the day
were exchanged, and my friend was
no longer st a loss for subject, for
Mrs. Blank launched forth:
Il have seen you in church so often.
You never saw me, l reckon! No.?
Well, [ declare, that is surprising
Sarah, that's my daughter here, said
this morning, Now, ma, put up that
sewing [ was making some shirts for
Mr.. Blank) 'and dress up and let's 20
calling So SIS I had seen you so
often up to our church, I came here
first"
Others visitors were announced, and
In ten minutes this couple started up.
" l reckon we must go, for Sarah she
wants to 60 the rounds and Miss don't
receive after five. Do come AID see
u.s."
"Where are you living Madam ?"
said my patient friend
con the island, Eleventh street,
near the river. Come very soon. Good
bye"
"Good morning, Madame; I'll GER
tainly give myself the pleasure Of call
ing"
Now, this conversation is precisely as
| heard it. Would it not have been
better for the B ank to have remained
at home, finished Father Blanks shirts,
darned his socks, and sewed on little
Blanks buttons than to have been
rushing round from the house of one
Minister to that of another, leaving
printed cards and placing themselves
IN a position to invite ridicule =? And
scores of just such people saw yester-
day going along heart weary and foot
sore, now in this door aud now out that
of PEOPLE with whom they can have
nothing in common, and from whom
the receive courtesy because ofttimes
they lady in whose house they may be
knows how to show them nothing else.
Correspondence of the Oici7aaati Conn.,
1peYciQI