Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-15
About Cabinet Calls and That Sort of
Thing.

About Cabinet Calls and That Sort Of
Thing.
The hore has been expressed that the burdens
resting hitherto ON the ladies of Cabinet fam-
lies will he to certain extent lightened during
the approaching season by their visitors cOnced-
Ing to them the privilege of not returning
calls in person during January and February,
when so many demands are made upon their
time. During the weeks of the gay season din
ners and evening parties which members Of the
Cabinet and their wives are expected to attend
are of almost daily occurrence, and it is too
much to expect of any lady that she will devote
every afternoon beginning by one O'Clock,
except on Sunday and her own reception day.
to the business of returning calls. out OF
which she can. owing to necessary haste
derive but little pleasure. for every moment Is
valuable when lady has as long list of visitors
n the wife of q member of the Cabinet invaria-
bly, has.
ii is understood that the ladies of the families
OF the Cabinet. "a at present constituted. desire
to give all who call upon them a cordial well
come and to return calls upon those living here
as far they are able. before the gay season be-
gins and after it concludes. To relieve them of
the duty OF visiting during the season will be
to rid them of the task of hunting up
strangers who are here i'm greatest
numbers during January and February and
who rarely stay long enough for their calls to be
returned Yet of course. in the multitude of
cards that are left on a reception day those be-
longing to transient persons cannot be distin-
guiShed from those of residents who live in
hotels and bOardinT-houses. and whose calls can
be returned at leisure. All ladies' who have
tried to find at hotel or clearinghouse some
one , lpOrarily dwelling therein know how
much tilne is consumed i'm finding out whether
such a person is in or out. and how frequently,
after wasting an hour i'm fruitleSs inquiries it
proves that the person sought has removed else
where or left the city. 1t is from such unneces-
sary and unsatisfactory pursuits as that. it is
hoped. the Cabinet families will be emancipated
when they are no longer expected to make calls
in person in January and February.
One good term deserves another: and if the
Cabinet families are not expected to return
visits during the months when the city is most
crowded. might they not make a concession,
also. and agree to oblige their acquaintance by
choosing as reception day that observed by
the majority of those living in their neighbor-
hood? For instance. Secretary Lincoln lives in
a neighborhood where numerous Senator's
families have long dweIt and where the most
generally observed reception day has
been Thursday Secretary FOlger lives
quite near Chief Justice Waite, and
to the other families in that immediate neigh
borhOod. that is to say on Rhode Island avenue
and the part of Massachusetts, and Connecticut
avenues near by. have for two or three seasons
seen visitors on Monday, because Mrs. and Miss
Waite had that reception day. The Senators
last few years have invariably received visitors
on Monday, instead of Thursday. because the
residents of Capitol Hill do so on that day.
Some appear to think thattO speak of abolish
ing reception days belonging to one particular
Class OF officials, and to expect those of the
same class to receive on different DAYS, merely
because they don't all live in the same neighbor-
hood. is to break down old established and
time hOnOred customs. and is almost icOnoclastic
and savers positively of communism. But
OF hay will ho LODI 70, have
made SO they can meet at their OWE houses
Others of the same status in official life as them
selves. with whom when all receive on the
same day, they only exchange calls by card and
never meet, save at the houses Of other people.
Simple Tales for Little Children.
From The Denver Tribune.
l. Here We Have an Album. 1t is Full of
Pictures for little Children with Dirty Fingers
TO Look at. Here are two Pictures of Papa.
This is one Of Him before he was Married to
Mamma He looks like Two-year-old Colt be-
hind Band of Music. Here is Picture of
Papa after he Married Mamma. Now he Looks
like Government Mule hauling a Load of Pig
Iron. See if you Can put your finger on the
Nose and the Eyes and the Mouth OF Each Pic
ture- Turn down leaf when you Come to a
Pretty Picture you Like. The baby is Eating
Bread and MOlasses Let him Take the Album
and Look at the Pictures. too.
q This is Lamp. 1t is full of Nice Yellow
Oil. Can you Light the Lamp? If there is Too
much Oil pour Some of it in the Stove. Mamma
will not Miss the Oil if you Pour it in the Stove
bat she May miss You. little Oil on the
Carpet Is not a Bad thing for the OIL but it is
bad Thing for the Carpet and You.
3. DO not Make Noise or you will Wake the
Policeman He is Sitting on the Door Step
asleep 1t is very Hard on him to Have to
Sheep out of Doors these Cold Nights. There is
Bank being Robbed around the Corner and q
Woman is being Killed in the next Block If
the Policeman Walked up he might Find it out
and Arrest somebody. Some people Believe
this is what Policemen are for, but the Police
men do not Think so.
4 Who is this Creature with Long Hair and a
Wild Eye! He is a Poet. He writes Poems on
Spring and Women's Eyes and Strange unreal
Things of that Kind. He is always Wishing he
was Dead. but he wouldn't Let ANYBODY Kill
him if he could Get away. A mighty good Sau-
sage Suffer was Spoiled when the Man became
Poet. He would Look we'll Standing under a
Descending Pile-driver
). The Girl is at the Gate. A young Man is
comm" down the Lane. The Girls papa is Sit
ting oE the Front Porch. He is very Old He
has Raised Family of Eleven children What
is the Poor old Man Thinking about. and why
Does he Gaze so Intently at his Right Boot?
Maybe he is Thinking about Raising the Young
Han who is Coming down the Lane