Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-01-03
From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jal

| WAbtlNGIONb bs VI Jun. y, o.
The only events of Importance since
Christmas were the passage of the civil
service reform bill in the Senate and the
first of January, 1888. New Years day
was marked by the usual receptions.
official. non Official diplomatic. and
military. Every man arrayed himself in
his best clothes and called on the ladies
wherever they were prepared to receive.
The ladies were dressed most ex4uistely
and many of them stood under gas lighted
chandeliers. with the blinds of their
parlors closed. instantaneous photographs
of the tableanx OF presentation on that day
woul be- interesting to those who delight
in studying 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, as it is called, will be fairly
opened in Washington. Many members
of Congress, who have been home during
the holidays, will return with their fami-
lies. and many others unconneoted with
official or public life, but to whom wea lth
lends means. will come from distant city
and town to enjoy the gaiety and excite
ment that season at the Capital affords,
and which will continue from to-day until
the commencement of lent.
Our way of pretending to enjoy ourselves
is not purely American, but, like Jacques
melancholy, IA compound of many sim
ples," French, Eng lish, 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
his presidency, was seen on more than
one occasion to tread a measure with ease
and grace. General Banks went through
the square dances with gait half military,
but with technical skill that has for its
explanation that, long before he was
governor of Massachusetts,, speaker of the
House of Representatives. or general in
the army, he was teacher of the Terpsicho-
rean art. General Sherman. barring
slight rheumatism, which gives him
peculiar jerking gait. may be seen in the
evolutions of the ball room. and always
with o young and pretty partner. l am
told that he is also a proficient in those
round dances against which Mrs. Sherman
welded her pen; but in the matter of
round dances do not speak from observa-
ton.
& believe the Amer lean habit of dancing |
comes from no pas sionate love of amuse |
ment, but it is persisted in because no
great leaders of ton have the genius to
invent anything better to do Among the
ellie in reat European capitals the gentle
men are accomplished, while the ladies
are domestic and only slightly accomplish
ed With us women have all the accom-
plshments, and men, as a rule. are valued
only for their capacity to make money.
The result is that in every social circle,
while the ladies may be able to contribute
music and to talk intelligently, and even
on variety of subjects, the
gentlemen with their exclusive Unitarian
education are unable to hold the foil upon
which all real conversation depends. The
dancer is a man Or woman OF action
rather than of ideas, and dancing is
common democratic plane to which the
etherially minded condescrnd, and in
which the heavy witted find Il coarse
stimulant to that aesthetic life which is
not quite extinct in even the grossest of
men and women.