The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-01-12
Sketches of Society at the National
Capital
Olivia in Baltimore Time

character. The great drawing rooms that wei
thrown open to receive guests from all parts
y thecivlized world aren now closed forever, whi
a new set of people are pressing forward I
blaze in the social sky as stars of the first MAJ
nitu,le. CHANGING at the banquet halls, deserted
one sees with establishment the path cut by tn
reaper Dsah. 1t requires no stretch Of th
imagination to call to mind the grand old HON
r IN the West End, so long occupied by Ad
nral and Mrs Powell (he latter lately dc
ceased), where all that was most cultivated ant
refined in what is known as Washington
society,"" gathered to do honor to this lat
American queen. Mrs. Powell was the peer 0
; Dolly Madison, the bosom friend of Mrs. Poll
and Mrs. Tyler, and her remarkable vivacty
and piquant wit lost none of its charm in az
vancing years. This made her old age just az
attractive TO youth as to people in the ful
bloom of life. So il may be truthfully sale
that this society belle never saw her. sceptrt
, gaming. 1t is true that only the ladies con
aiected with the army aud navy have the OPP
portunity to officially perpetuate their reign
Our Republican court is so constructed that
no matter how much womans success may
prove to be, like her husband, she must "step
down and out, sacrificed on the gulotine OF
rotation in Office. The closing of the Steele
mansion, which became for a great many years
the headquarters > of the elegant hospitality
was caused by the death of both Mr. and Mrs
Franklin Steele within ten days of each other
| Ire no Il,
made her home attractive to the elite of the
capital, for in addition to nhertiug to a large
degree much of the talent enjoyed by her
| gifted father long residence abroad had given
her advantage of every social requirement.
i But she, too, has joined the "innumerabe
throng. Capt. Carlisle Patterson, late head
of the coast survey, was gentleman whose
hospitality was boundless, so much so that his
fortune at his death was found to have melted
away. But whilst he lived what grand good
time he had The Myer mansion tor so many
years occupied by the English legation, but
purchased by the late head of the signal bu-
reau, was closed by the last summons of its
master. During his life this fairy dwelling,
with its works OF art, was thrown open and
enjoyed by those who feel they "neer shall
look upon its like again" No doubt finer
houses will be built, and the Bonanza kings
will import the ancient ruins of Greece and
Rome, but every year our receptions are grow
ing colder, and our drawing rooms" resemble
those held IN the monarchical palaces of the
Old World
| Coming back to the closed habitations, the
homes OF Justices Hunt and Swayne pass be-
fore the minds eye-the first closed by affiic-
ton, the latter by death And long will lnger
In the minds of our old residents the unosten-
tatious hospitality OF the late George W.
Riggs, banker, and whose business house"
was felt to be the safest in Washington Though
avaricious, Mr.. Riggs was known to be
clean-handed, and he inspired the public to be-
lieve that his bank was as solid as the founda-
ton of the earth And who will forget the
klngly hospitality of our late Mayor Wallach,
so superbly assisted by his accomplished wife
The death of the eX-nlayor, followed so soon
by the death of Mrs. Wallach's father, closes
this mansion indefinitely.
Coming to the houses occupied by what is
termed in Washington official society" de
seraed within the time specified, memory re-
calls the costly dwelling occupied and owned
by the late Senator Chandler. cold Zach, Z"
as he'was familiarity called, had no taste for
society proper but he had great respect for his
wfes feelings, and when she gave the order
that he should stand in the proper place with
lie M a,,lc IL
and welcome the coming guest, it was done
with the same vim and audacity with which he
would conduct campaign. One grasp of his
solid palm would pat the visitor at ease if the
ardor could be made to last through the cool
ing process of passing the gauntlet of the
handsome hostess. Mrs. Chandler conducted
society on the Victoria plan, everything per-
feet, superb and grand, but the thermometers
always indicated the freezing point, unless |
dear old Zach" was around to warm matters |
up, and infuse little life and spirit. Senator
Carpenter, with all his faults-the mould was
broken when he went away-on the floor of
the Senate could be statesman, but in society
he had all the rollicking abandon of a school
boy. Who can forget the charming Carpen-
ter home, the little spinning wheel in the par
lor, at which sat the sole daughter of the |
house, with the flax slipping through her slen-
der fingers All, pretty tableaux. Gone never
to return.
Nailed to the stony turret of the celebrated /
Shepherd mansion floats the yellow flag of the
Orient. Within its rocky battlements may be
found that which represents in the highest |
senseImperial China. The solid walls around |
this legation must remind the occupants OF the
famous one OF their native country. 1t is very
painful to those who have basked in the pro-
digality of the Shepherd hospitality to find
them gone, and the magnifcence usurped by
Eastern pagans-one hundred thousand dol |
lars worth Of furniture, carpets and 'silken
hangings." 1t would take the space of col |
umn to describe this modern dwelling from
cellar to turret, and leave out the terrapin,
white grasses and champagne. BOSS Shep-
herd, rather Alexander the second, Just now
in eclipse. We can afford to wait until pa
tlpolas" has been well stirred up, then the
Shepherd will return to his flock who, it is |
said, were once well sheared. But in the mean
time our wool will grow, and if we mus
have King give us one ofthe Shepherd kind.
From one of the most elegant and superblv
furnished Washington homes, the "Bryans''
departed to form new associations in far-of
Colorado. AT the Bryan fireside used to gath
er the most distinguished people known in
science, literature and art. The only daughter
of the house is one OF Healy's most promising
pupils, and it is safe to say that Miss Bryan |
is the finest portrait painter of either sex of |
her own age in this country This compli.
ment is not paid her by the writer, who is I'm I
able to judge upon so important a point, but |
it is the decision of men who have studied
art both at home and abroad. The only son
very young man, is already a successful law
yer, and serving his adopted State in her leg
islature. These instances are given to show
that children reared at the capital amidst the
surroundings of the most luxurious wealth
need not necessarily be spoiled The closing
Of the "Kilbourne Mansion and the DEPART
ure of the wife and two beautiful daughters to
foreign lands, which happenedin this interim,
like the fitting of the Bryans, created loss