The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-01-14
MORLEY.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
(FrOm our Regular Correspondent,

w WASHINGTON, Jan. y, lScO.
The only event since the adjourn
ment of Congress, has been the lst Of
January, 1880 1t was marked by
the usual receptions, official, non-offi-
cisl, diplomatic, and military. Every
man arrayed himself in bis best
clothes and called upon the ladies
wherever they were prepared to re-
ceive. The ladies were eli dressed
most ex9uisitely, and many of them
stood under gas-lighted chandeliers,
with the blinds of their parlors closed.
instantaneous photographs of the
tableaux of presentation on that day
would be interesting to those who Ge-
light to study modern manners, and
who discern in bows, and smiles, and
dress, and attitude, the material that
IS the basis of so much psychological
dissertation in the modern novel.
With the beginning of the New
Year, the social season. IA il is called,
will be fairly opened iu Washington.
Many members of Congress, who
have been home during the holidays,
will return with their families. aud
many others, unconnected with off.
eial or public life, but to whom wealth
lends means, will come from distant
cities and towns to enjoy the gaiety
ana excitement that q season at the
Capital affords and which will con-
tinue from the first of the New Year
until the commencement of Lent.
Our way of pretending to enjoy
ourselves is not peculiarly American,
but, like Jaques', melancholy, "a
compound of many simples," French,
English. German, and heathen-of
which dancing is the chief. In
Washington nearly everybody and
her husband dances, in spite Of age,
dignities, and rheumatism General
Grant, during bis Presidency, was
seen, on more than one occasion, TO
tread measure with ease and grace.
General Banks went through the
square dances with a gait half mill
tary, but with technical skill that
has for its explanation the fact that
long before he was Governor of Mass
achusetts, Speaker of the House of
Representatives, or General of the
Army, be was teacher of the Ter
peschorian art. General Sherman,
barring slight rheumatism. which
gives him a peculiar jerking gait,
may be seen in the evolutions of the
ball room, and always with g young
and pretty partner. / am told that
be Is also proficient in those round
dances against which Mrs. Sherman
welded her pen; but in the matter of
round dances | do not speak from OBJ
servation. 1t must not be supposed,
that there are no dignifed
exceptions. There are some who do
not dance, at least not publicly. |
never heard of Mr. Evarts dancing.
Judge Senator David Davis is too
heavy 10 dance, but Speaker Randall
is not. | believe the American habit
Of dancing comes not from passionate
ove of the amusement, but is persist
ed in because no great leaders Of ton
have the genius to invent anything
better to do.
Among tue elite in European cities
The men are accomplished, while the
are domestic and only slight
y accomplished, With Us, women
have all the accomplishments and
men, as rule, are valued only for
heir capacity to make money. The
.esult is that in every social circle
while the ladies may be able to con-
.ribute music and to talk intelligently,
md even brilliantly, on variety of
subjects, the gentlemen, with their
utilitsrian education, are
Unable TO hold the foil upon which
Ill real conversation depends. The
lancer is maa or woman of action
ather than of ideas, and dancing is
common democratic plane to which
he etherially minded eondescend, and
N which the heavy witted find q
oarse stimulant to that aesthetic life
which is not quite extinct in even the
'rossest of men and women.
G. A. s.