The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-23
THE SOCIETY PROBLEM.
Curious whispers from the National So
cIety Galley About the Reception
of Mrs. senator Bruce.

The Washington CORE spondent OF the
Louisville C0urier-.Jotunat writes OF Mrs. Sen
ator Bruce as follows:
"H,len of Troy was not greater disturber
OF the peace, nor did she give rise to more
gossip and twaddle than the VIE OF the
colored Senator from Mis- issippi does. AS
long as Bruce remained unmarried MS sena-
torial career was unruffied His brother
Senators accorded him the courtesy OF the
senate. which was total oblivion as to his
presence among them. 1T was an Utmost Ior-
gotten fact that the colored race had D repre-
sentative In the Senate. Social recognition
was not Thought OF, and so little was known
of the private life OF the Senator that when
his marriage was announced 1t surprised every
one, as they supposed he already had wllto
| Newspapers have aScribed great beauty and
| accom- plishments to Mrs. Bruce, and the
attempt has been made to endow her
with more culture than that OF any lady
| In Washington. Ever since her advent III
| this city male correspondents have been de.
termined to keep her before tne public an ~
was reported that Mrs. Hayes had invited
Mrs Bruce to receive with her on New Y ear s
Day. The reception took place minus Mrs.
| Bruce Then the interchangeable apple OF dis-
! cord men called at the residence of the lady
| inst to see who was there and how Madame
appeared, This was chr0nicled In the most
sensational style. Next 1t was reported that
| Mrs Hayes had called, and was so please
| with Nj rs Bruce that she had called q second
| House. The writer had not the fear before
his ewes OF the ready contradiction to this, as
there Is no point OF etiquette so rigldly 90.
served as the rule which forbids the lady OF
the White House from making any Gala. III
this fact we're not sufficient, Mr.. Bruces vote
| on the New York nominations would clearly
| Indicate that there Is no social recognition o.
4 himself or wife at the Executive Mansion
Had Mrs. Hayes stepped aside from her RUE
OF non-intervention and called upon Mrs
Druce and invited her to the lunch which
she recently gave to forty-four ladies'
there is no doubt that Senator Bruce
would have recognized the duty OF support
ing the administration. 1t Is not kind 81
friendly for any one to advocate the socia
recognition OF Mrs. Bruce. 1t appears thai
, sbe is q native Of Cleveland, Ohio. He
parents live there. She was educated a
| bberlin College, and at the time OF her mar
! rage was teaching a colored school In Cleye
I land. No one In Cleveland visits the family
and the three times that met the Association
OF Ohio Teachers at their annual meeting a
Put-in-Bay, neither Mrs. Bruce nor an,
, colored man or woman was with the nobl
; seven hundred. spirit OF mischief ma
7 caused some correspondence to Keep continu
: auy prodding Senator and Mrs. Bruce to as
3 sert themselves socially; Two lanles iron
o Boston, who were stopping temporarily
one of the hotels, were prompted by shee
3 curiosity to call upon Mrs. Bruce on Ihura
!, day senatorial day.. They did not mentio
} this visit to any one in the hotel. 1t was
Il
o was full of elegantly dressed ladies receiving
o the highest ton of the city. "Mrs. Senate
Bruce" called out the usher a colored ma
t In q dress coat, white gloves and neckti'
: The buzz Of conversation ceased, an
d there was dead silence. Mr.
g Bruce, who is said to enamel, was ricnl
d dressed in velvet, with white bonnet, and
white veil over her face. She asked Tor MI
n Leopold Morse and Mrs. and Miss French
n The latter ladies, who were present, receive
l. her graciously and made her welcome. Wei
8 Perhaps It Is not best to reveal the seque
n but there was some lively and spirited COZ
t. versation that evening In the hotel, and IL I'd
d public is Interested to know what has bee
said, there is quite variety OF opinions an
It com rnents to select from, for am bound
9, confess that the ladies are not unanimous.
s is affirmed that the code OF etiquette require
e that the new additions to the Senate have
n call upon the older ones, and that Mrs. Bru
D. was prompt In performing her duty, and TIN
!, the calls have been returped. / have not m
70 either Senator Bruce or his wife. l am sori
vt that | am not able to crafty the curiosity
10 the public as to her personal and meDt
D attractions [ only know that the wife OF
1t Congressman was deeply affronted becau
20 some one asserted that Mrs. Bruce appear
much better than half OF the wives OF Go
a