The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-12-22

years ago. Most 81 these measures are
old acquaintances, but few show the
spread Of new ideas.
RUMoRED CABINET CHANCES.
The rumor which has cropped up from
time to time for more than year past
that Gen. Arthur wished to change the
head of the Treasury Department is live
ly again. Gen. Arthur wishes to insure
greater political efficiency in the depart
ment, and laterally q more direct exercise
of its great power with reference to his
pursuit of the Presidential nomination.
Judge Folger is poor politician, and
under him the Treasury Department has
been no better in political sense than
lying.in-a-hospital. The importance to
Gen. Arthur's fortunes of activity in that
branch of the service has long been fore
seen, but not so actually felt as Of late.
Any number of local bosses are waiting
for Arthur to decide whether he will
keep Folger and lose delegates, or by
asking for his resignation secure for
himself the delegates which may nomi-
nate him.
THE COMING ''sEAsoN."
Though "the season" in the official
social circles of the capital does not opeu
until the first of January, there have been
few informal receptions, etc., and on
some days the door.steps Of certain resi-
dences have been pretty well Uttered
with the little tissue slips dropped from
packages of visiting cards. 1t must be
AN awful bore to be the wife Of an official
and receive this stream of callers on Ger.
tain days, yet the ladies seem to like it
and are even more ambitions than their
husbands to occupy the positio rs plac-
ing them high in the social scale. There
being no Mrs. Arthur in the White
House, and Senator Anthony who is to
be President of the Senate, and really
Vice President. being bachelor, Mrs
Carlisle, the wife of the new Speaker,
will occupy the position of society-leader
this winter At all official dinners Mrs.
Carlisle, like Mrs. Keifer last year, will
rank her husband. and if the President
is present will take the position cores
pouding to his. This official etiquette
seems very strange outside of Washing
ton, but here where so many guests at
entertainments are official it is absolute
ly necessary that there should be some
rule Of precedence, or else there would
be bitter jealousies. At dinner the ole.
est Senator in point of service takes pre-,
cedence of all other Senators present,
even though he may be the dullest and
most uninteresting one present. In the
same way the Members who haye served
the longest take precedence of The young.
er ones,
Mrs. CSrlsle is n woman who will
grace her position. She isa Kentuckian,
her father having at one time been Mayor
of CovinRton, and she inherits the splen.
did physique for which Kentucky bellies
are famous. She is blonde in com
plexion, with blue-gray eyes, and fig
IRE MS 1.-THE as young girls. 1t is diff.
icult to realize that she is the mother oi
two grown sons. She is dignified, but
unassuming in manner, loyal to hei
friends and kind to every one.
Even had Senator Edmuuds remained
President Of the Senate Mrs. Edmunds
would not have taken her place rs society
leader, as she is in mourning for O
daughter. The Presidents house will
be unusually gay this winter, it is said
Mrs. McEIroy, of Albany, the Presidents
sister, will be here with her beautiful
daughter 10 do the honors there. They
say MIR. Arthur is remarkably fond Of
music, though the stories about his ban.
jo playing and jig dancing are not quite
true. One of his friends says that ever
a well-tuned hand organ has charms fol
the President, and relates the following
incident; Zone day few weeks ago be
was driving in from Soldiers Home nc
companied by Miss Nellie and myself
We had just turned into Fourteenth
street when q hand organ was heard
playing lively air near by. In an in
stant the Presidents face lightened up
and when we reached the spot where the
organ grinder was standing he ordered
the driver to stop. For fifteen minutes
we remained there until the italian ha 4
exhausted bis repertoire and his monkey
had climbed into the carriage twice.
Each visit of the latter was rewarded with
quarter of dollar, which seemed to
astonish his master when he received il,
and then we drove on and the organ.
grinder and the children grouped arour d
never knew that the distinguished audi.
tor mt that singular musicale was the
President of the United States"