The bee., 1883-12-29
CLARA TO LOUISE.

q companion my christmas hXins." j
had no presents, not single thing; /
expect anything. l bought me some mis-
tletoe, sosme moss, cedar and ivy, and
have arranged my little home, ever so
sweet. | wished you Xmas morning,
and now would that you were here to see
what an Interest / manifested in absent
friends. put garland about Sues pic
ture, and on either side of Letitia. had
choice flowers, few marchioneils and
and some choice buds that Matte left at
the house Sunday. The great leaders, pic
ture surrounded with rare collection
of natural flowers and wild leaves that
got Sunday afternoon over in Fairfax Co.,
and there he is majestic and grand. AS
gaze upon his grand face an6, form, the
sentiment of my heart is, health, happi-
ness and long lie to Frederick Douglass.
Well, dear child, what did you do Xmas
day don't think me inquisitive bnt de-
sire to know. No; did not get bid to
attend the choice select sociable, but 1 eX-
pect to be there next time. Clarence i'll
formed me that he intended to ask me;
in fact had me down for this time, but
Lena's arrival in town to spend the holi-
days at the Ms put me on the outside for
this occasion. Ella will attend. She told
me this morning that sne would send either
you or myself complete list of who was
there and what was worn. Yes, Minnie
is here; she left Providence Sunday even
ing. Twas she who told me of the death
of Mrs. Bowers. Maggie heard that Mr..
Parker of Providence was very i'll. How
sad it is that so many Of onr dearest and
best friends are passing away. Twas very
glad you liked the entertainment at the
18th Street Presbyterian Church. The
Colonel, so / hear, intends to repeat it
sometime in February with change of
programme. Miss L. G. is under tuition
now to appear On the occasion in light
German and Irish comedy. There is no
use attempting an entertainment now un-
less it is to be interspersed with mirth.
People like to laugh, and those win who
make others laugh. Lou, have you read
the Washington letter to the New York
Sun On Washington eolored society. If
you have not, do so; it is rich and remark
able-ttat is to say rich in producing that
which nobody here knows, and remarka-
BILE for what it does not contain. 1t was
i'm the Evening Star OF this city last We'd
nesday week. BY all means get it and
read. Have yeukeard of the forthcoming
reception of the Ugly Club? Madge,
whose brother is Oh executive officer OF it
Informed me that the affair would be sim
ply immense. 1t will be under the guild
ance and control of cosmopolitan gentle
men and will have national significance
and none of the i'll fetched miserable local
local botched up business to d. Speaking
of the letter on cOlored society, referred to
above. l do hope that some one qualified
for the task will take the time to write out
or ND a truthful discutient discriminative
letter on the subject. s'WashingtOn SOcie-
Nv
that have never seen or felt it, or known
about it. Some people form an opinion
that the constituent element both IN per-
sonal and numbers is made up of persons
native to the soil and the manor born.
What a miStatye?s Washington society
really is made up of natives (and they the
fewest, sOjourners, strangers, and those
connected with the affairs of government.
Nine-tenths of the society people Of both
colors and all degree of society at the Ma
tional Capital are Government people.
Nearly every dress, wrapper, piece OF jew
elry, carriage, horse, footman, servant, or
| what not, that forms a portion of the es-
sential that make up society here, has the
| means Of the Government to uphold it.
Those who make and form the center OF
society under this Administration will not
do SO, probably not, under the one that
will be the successor of this, for the social
| business, and the court circle of Washing
ton derives its prestige from the "man
| behind the throne" | believe that soci-
ETY. now is on higher and certainly a
more uncurruptable plane than in the days
| of yore-when negro drivers, negro ira
| ders, gamblers. and men of the knife and
pistol had entree to its best gates. The
pure. home-like, solid, reliable New Eng
land custom that prevails in the social
circle here now, surely is far above, and
| decidedly more to be wished for, than the
ante bellum custom. What is true of
leading white society Is true of the other.
How could it be, otherwise? The same
| education, the same books, magazines,
/ and periodicals are perused by each. The
same kind of domestic training is incul-
Gated in the children, and the very identi-
cal customs, manners, and adornments
/ that follow at receptions, dinners, balls,
/ levees, ETC., etc., is the same. Mr.. Free
l erick Douglass said, at Louisville, that
there was large element of white people
! in the country that insisted that all col
ored people were alike. Indeed it is true
!, that this hypothesis is one of the refugees
4 of that class who have serious distaste for
4 educated, trained, and refined people of
our race; hence, they are hyperbolical,
| but ithas, are too many that know the
difference between "a hawk and hand
saw 1t IL not necessary for anyone to
write that our leading colored people do
not seek whitr society. Society takes
care of itself. / have seen some of the
Heading people Of this nation, especially
in "court circle :" and that, too, of both
colors, pretty Well mixed, socially, and
vet there was nothing very remarkable in
it. There was simply an equality, social
ly. morally. and intellectually that was
all. Well, must stop. You will accuse
mo Of q tedious letter. Good bye.