Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-01

Flush Times and High Eife-Px.
| pensEve TOYs-Church Decorations
| for ChrIstEas-NeIV Years. Recep-
taons-Br1iliant and Tasteful CoA-
tumes-The Bonnet of the Season
The Gay ThrOnG on PeAnsyIVanIa
| Avenue-SOmethiRg About Bern.
hardG-Fncrease OF Population
The New STYLE ResIdences-FamIIy
Flats-The Grant Family and DIn-
seers, Etc.
WASHINGTON, December 2S.-It is generally
remarked that the holidays are observed here
this year with a lavishnesS not seen for many
years-not since the financial crash of 1878,
The freedom with which money passes from
hand to hand must indicate flush times with
| some class. The shopkeepers admit it to be
an exceptionally prosperous season, and small
wonder that they Go, for every store and shop
| and stall has been bssieged for weeks, until
one is lost in wondering where all the multi
| tude springs from. The display of toys Is
particularly brilliant, and the perfection of
artistic beauty seems to have been reached in
their production.
There is an increased demand for toys also,
within the past two years, because, from some
caprice Of fashion or custom, children ars al
| lowed to turn into the old channels again and
| amuse themselves with play things" Five
years ego dolls were almost a drug in the mar
| ket; now, there is as much Of luxury and ele-
gance and expense in their makeup and estab-
| iiShments as there is in that Of society BELLE
In one Of the most gorgeous windows s dis
/ played doll the sizs of child Of ten, in full
| evening ttilette of blue satin, and the modest
price affixed was sixty dollars Elsewhere
there were king and queen on throne. at
| tended by the maids of honor and gentlemen
IN waiting ami all the parap phernaIia of q court.
There are dolls OF every complexion and grade
In society, from The exquisite lady of fashion
l in sweeping train and diamonds down
to the little plantation da,key in
| his simple costume of white shirt
and broad-5rimmed hat. TIE amount of
| money such presents as these represent fs
rather startling except to ,ne who never
! counts It as it passes from his purse One
ilttie Miss, the child OF prominent cff1cial
mas received enough of these costly trinkets
i this Christmas from family friends and sc-
1 quaintances 10 stand for a considerable por-
( t1on of a respectable income or to keep a
| pauper family in raiment for year.
Most Of the churches. especially the Episco-
| pal and Catholic. were handsomely decorated
| Tor the season, and in tbs greater proportion
] services were held on Chris mas morning. St
| Johns Episcopal and Epiphany are very hand
| some IN moss and holly and evergreen great
] quantity OF the beautiful Spanish moss Prom
:. the Southern woods is used ia these decora-
: tions. aud nothing seems half so beautiful as
I the no9ung, Wayiog feathery MOSES inter-
| mingled with holly and mistletOe After the
I congregation had finished the ornamentati0n
| OF Epiphany, there was a wedding there-that
| of Miss Fannie McAllister, a daughter Of Gen
efai McAlhster, ana William Stanley Rich
| mODd 4
There is to be the usual number OF oDen
! houses on New Years day-even more than
/ the usual number-it would seem from the ex-
tent or preparations. One lady is to receive In
| her ball room, an immense hall opening into
| the conseTvatories, where the refreshment
| tables are to be spread. The ball room is to be
| oanxed with nowers. the floors waxed for dane
l ing Wnen the first crush is over and soft rich
rugs laid about everywhere, and the lights in
| the lnHunerable sconces are to have male rose
colored shades, so that every one who minsles
| IN the brilliant company is to wear per-
| force, a lovely and delicate blush The hostess
| one OF the handSomest matrons In Washing.
| lngton, Is to receive, hanked by two lovely
| daughters. as opposite to each other in annear.
ance as night and morning The taller a
blonde is to wear q floating robe of black
tulle, not spot or white about it. looped and
garianded with scarlet fuchias and Marshal
nel roses, costume unique and striking
The oi her, petite brunette wears a dress Of
rose-clored grenedine over silk of the same
shade, richly enlbellished with hand painting
and beautiful. Everybody has new clothes
and seems to enjoy them. The wife of the
Russian Minister wore a costume at an enter
talnnlent lately that wsG a marvel Of heafItv
II was imported from Worth and consisted
OF embossed satin the color of ''old crustv
port, inlaid with panels OF cloth of
soia. 1he wearer has reddish auburn hair,
ana carried of the costume well Another
dress worn at recent wedding Vas g black
satin &c Lyon, the full train line with old
goId satin, and the entire front width OF old
(lna arnFfl fl,rha
whole cIly is lady, the mother OF married
children, yet with no gray threads in her
brown hsir, who is descended from old Quaker
stock, end who, though no Quaker herself
from some fsnta tic conceit ALWAYS dresses in
some fabric Of silver gray Perhaps IL is Re
cause it is SO infinitely becoming that 1t seems
nothlng less suodued would harmonic with
the soft complexion and clear gray eyes. and
the tones of the gentle voice. IL is always the T.
same the heaviest Of silvery SILK and satin
and velvet, the finest furs and feathers, the
softest woolens, aud sometimes, on some very
festive occasion, a cloud Of silver game or
Guile over the shi ing silken robe until she
looks as though enwfapped in a morning
mist,
The rev evening trains are very long srd
full, and made without any stiff facings, They
are lined with satin in the most delicate shades
an1 1 are SO soIt and limp that they twist and
rold up behind the wearer and turning over dis
play the handsome Innings
Scarlet bonnets are seen everywhere, on
both blonde and brunette as is also that nhsn.
IL
shape and color reminds the beholder of moth
ing so irresistiby y as a mustard plaster
pennsylvania avenue is the place to see the
world or Washington in its gayest mood II
Is one stream cf carriages and promenaders
from noon until late at night Here are eli
the handsomest turnouts in town and the
most distinguished people. The Bartolomeis
the Russian Minister. and wife are a fine .Ook,
ing couple; they have rented Edgewood, Mrs
Sprague's homA, for the winter and she is to
take house in town
The President and VITA oil drir o,,k
quently and, General Ga field is often seen with
some of his colleagues on the avenue. but his
vile but seldom. Senator Lamar Is one of the |
most elegant and peculiarly handsome men that
one catches glimpse of, and is often seen driv,
ing here. The Hon. Roscoe Conkling is almost
perpetuslly on exhibition, always faultlessly
gotten up, and seemingly conscious and pleased
At the attention he exctes. He ia one of the
handsomest types # manhood, and one could
hardly imagine him growing common or peo-
pie getting tired of seeing him dashing about
OF course ell the patrons of the drama in
Washington consider it their bounden duty to
go TO Baltimore to see Bernhardt and of |
course all are properly indignant that she does
not come to Washington to allow them to be-
hold her bensath their own vines and rgtrees
as it were.
A fashionable Baltimore lady who has been
visiting In Washington this winter who is
accustomed to lead in her own GIRO g. and VINO
makes 1t point to entertain every lion who
crosse her path, be it great foreigner or
small homemade lion chuckled wiTh Inward
delight when Bernhardt set her foot ON
these shores, for Sarah bore letters from
Ols lngulshed people abroad, some of them to
this very lady, and this free-born American
had predetermined to give her a magnificent
reception that should be th4 ia of the dsv
But IN steps the husband, a club man and also
shining light Ia society, and in spasm of
virtuous Indignation puts veto at once upon
ali these fun blown plans. Fl wife should
never touch the hand OF such as Bernhardt
a has house should never extend to her the
welcome OF an honored guest. But when Sarah
play ed in New York, this severely exemplary
husband found urgent business in that citV
and when thus away from the watchful ewes
of his spouse turned UP as one of 8 select
dozen who gave dinner to the fair artistic
There Is large Increase ia the Washington
population this year, attributable in part to |
the fact that new buildings have been erected /
where rooms are leased in fats convenient for |
housekeeping in quite q RESPECTABLE manner
The boarding houses Of Washington have /
long been proverbial for their discomfort and |
extortions, and many officials, expecting to /
be here FOR only short term, have /
abeen content TO leave their families |
behind and loaf about the city leading
Bohemian sort Of a life in spite of themselves
since the subject of rents was such an iupor. /
tant item that it was out OF the question to i
bring on the ',womenkind, y take house aud go |
to housekeeping In regular order Turing the |
past summer the Hon. Fernando Wood finished |
block on street, near his own residence, and /
the fats W6T5 all taken before the building was
completed. Another large block has been /
nnlshed on Fourteenth and Vermont avenues i
end Il ese flats have been eagerly sought after
Inc rents are much less than the same apart
ments would command in the Eastern cities l
and the demand for this style OF hebitation IL /
such thas the architects are oyerrun with
contracts for the same kind Of work to be com.
menced in the apripg.