The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-06
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON.
Society Events--The Charity BalI-A Busy
Week sociaIIy-The Theatres-miss
RIaiue,s Theatre Party-CnpitaI Chit

aoc;e1v Fveuts--The Charity Ball-A Busy
Week sOciaIIy-The Theatres-lEiss
RIaiue,s Theatre ParIy-CnpitaI Chit
Chat.
Especial Correspondence Of the Press.l
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.
This week does not promise as great things
to the social world as were given by last week.
The reception at the White House this Tues
day. evening, the Diplomatic dinner Of Thurs-
day and the usual Saturday reception of Mrs.
McElroy on Saturday promises to make the
week very busy and very agreeable at the
White House. There are also many pleasant
social events for the week in private and Off
cial circles, but no such succession Of brilliant
events as last week. There is but one Charity
ball year, and but one or two hops at the
British Minister'S, in the course of the season.
The charity ball was a great success fnsn-
cially, the returns showing that it surpassed in
this regard any event of the sort known to
Washington for long time past. The dress
ing at the British Minister'S ball was superb,
not surpassed at any event OF this nature dur
ing the present season.
Yet the fact that the week promises to be
rather quiet one should not be interpreted as
indicating that it is 10 be devoid of social
events. II will be busy one 10 social way.
Instead of several more important social occur
rences as last week, there are to be many OF
less general interest bnt probably quite as en-
joyable. Last evening there was a dinner par
ty at the residence of ex-Secretary Robeson,
very enjoyable to those who were so fortunate
as to be present Robson is good entertain
or. He lives in elegant style in his handsome
new house on Sixteenth street, and knows how
to bring together people who will like each
other. His wife is beautiful woman, and
lady of elegant tastes. Their din
ners, though not frequent and not
marked by any special display. are very much
enjoyed. There was also last evening rather
novel event at the National Rifles armory, in
the reception to the Illinois Press Association.
The association is having very enjoyable
visit here. Yesterday its members were driven
about the city, to the soldiers home and to the
more interesting points in town, trotted
through the departments, and in the evening
given grand reception, which was attended
hy large number of people Of prominence and
respectability,
Today there are the usual Tuesday afternoon
receptions by the wives of the supreme court
justices, except that one or two OF them have
announced their reception seasons at an end,
aud their doors today are closed. They find
these duties very fatiguing, and many Of them
are really glad when the time comes that they
can end them. Quite number OF ladies have
| announced the close of their receptions. To-
night there is to be the public reception at the
White House. 1t is the only public reception
| except that of New Years, that the President
| is to give during the season. Everybody is in
| vited. The companies attending on these oc-
| lu Ooiy Ad md
| study. There are some oiplomates, some
senators and members of Congress, some very
prominent society people, and some that are
not. The wives OF the cabinet officers are to
assist the President in receiving, and of course
| the cabinet and all prominent department
people will be there Then there is a recep-
| ton at Senator Sherman's, for the Senator and
| his wife have announced Tuesday evening re-
| ceptions for the month. There is to be also
fancy dress ball at Senator Millers this even
| ing. in which good deal of interest is felt
Tomorrow is Cabinet reception day, aud IL
| the weather is as good as that OF last week the
| receptions will be largely attended Washing
| ton has had great deal OF bad weather this
| winter, as indeed it has had for several years
past, but some of the weather of last week was
superb, and was thoroughly enjoyed. No
place is SO beautiful in fine weather as Wash
ington. Its drives aud walks are unsurpassed,
| the atmosphere is absolutely innocent Of
| smoke and the sky the bluest of blue. On to-
morrow evening the Illinois editors are to
attend the National Theatre, which somebody
| termed in conversation "a national disgrace"
| 1t is a curious fact that Washington has not o
| single theatre building that would make re-
| spectacle barn. 1t would seem too that of all
| places in the country Washington, with its
| large transient population, many OF whom are
/ anxious to "kill time'' while waiting for this
i or that measure to come up in Congress or in
| the Supreme Court or the departments, and
/ its large population of salaried persons who
| naturally spend their money freely, would be
1 ha MIA vuhp IN
| building are certainly wretched, and sur
| prise to all who come.
On Thursday evening Miss Blaine and
large party of young ladies give theatre
party" at the National, being leap year
event. There are to be forty young ladies who
| are-to take their forty young men and accom-
| panied by ten older persons as 'chaDerones"
making party of ninety in all. After the
| theatre the entire party adjourns to the resi-
| dence of Mr.. Blaine for a supper. There is
| also to be on Thursday evening the diplomatic
| dinner at the White House, which will sur
| pass in point OF attendance any yet given by
| President Arthur, the namber of diplomates
requiring the state dining room table to be ex-
| tended to permit fifty persons to sit. There is
4 also to be the usual Thursday evening recep-
| tion by the Secretary of State, "hop" at the
| National on that evening. and reception in
honor of Mrs. McElroy at Justice Blatchford's
| On Friday there will be the usual reception
| by the Russian Minister, at which-he will not.
! set out the deceptive "vodka," thA Russian
/ dFfnk, ludOeB IL ID 5alut sOmo VI MS
guests drunk two weeks agas; and hop at
| Wizards.
| On Saturday there is to be a card reception
/ at Secretary Chandlers.
NOTES.
The marriage of Commander Frederick
| Pearson, of the navy, to Miss Aver Of New
| York, TO-DAY, is a social sensation Of considera-
BILE magnitude here. Some titled Englishmen
| visiting this country within the past two or
| three gears, learning that Miss Aver was to be
| worth at least ten millions in her own right,
set to work to capture her, but failed. That
| naval commander should have won the prize
| and carried off the millions is subject OF
| congratulation to Pearson. Miss Aver is
daughter Of the late patent medicine man Of
| Lowell, Mass.
| Mrs. Judge BARLEY goes this week to Psna-
| ma, to join her husband, who is engaged upon
the DeLesseps canal works there.
Mr.. Blaine, it is said, does Io work on his
book in the evening, contenting himself with
about a thousand words a day. There are
newspaper men here who grind out from i've
| to ten thousand words day.
Miss Noguieras, the daughter OF the Portu-
guese Minister, added to the attractions Of q
"tea" which she gave recently, by thorough
ly artistic musical programme, given by mem
bers oS choral class of young society ladies,
| which she formed some months ago for mutual