The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-28
Notes from Washington.
The Eieesen Seasonal Refreshing Change
40 FashiOu's VotarIes-ReView of Nes=sIc
Receptions.

1 The G.es.sen Seasonal Refreshing Change
| 40 Fnshion's yosarIes-R Review of Ne.ssIc
Receptions.
| Especial Correspondence Of the Press.1
WASHINGTON Feb. 26.
The social season is ended. Where lass week
here was briIliancy and gsiety now there is sol-
| emnity. The vhirl of fashion has given place to
Lent ard The sacred rights of the church. lust .ad
srfuxurious dressing and brilliant lights and the
| dashiDg of diamonds there sombrs eolors seen
ia the subdued light of the church. and the prayer
l books give place to fashions token. Two day OF
l g iety during the present week ended the scene.
| ALondai the Supreme Court ladies' opened their
d their friends for the last time this SEASON.
ruesdsy-Shrove Tuesday the busiest Of all
the busy days of the season. The President gave
that evening his last reception for the season. Mrs.
Carlisle gave a tea party from three to six. The
| most brilliant of the many weeks in which fashion
has held sway, Senat t,r Sherman opened the doors
of his elegant mansi1n street again; Professor
Bell Of telephone fame gave large reception &C his
elegant home Scott Circle. Carriages whired In
every direction aud cards few like snow.hakes and
the day exteude far into the night, and ths morn
ing of Ash Wednesday broke with the last of fash
IONS votaries bidding adieu to the seasons festvi-
lies. Very few receptions will be held during Lent,
| and thev of the most "informa " character. The
| wives of the Jus.iees o. the Supreme Court an
u0unce that they will not receive. Mrs. Chandler,
Mrs.. Lincoln. Mrs. Gresham, all the Cabinet ladies'
ia fact, pit Mrs FreiughuyseD have closed their
1 Wednesday aftetno reception. Mr.. Frelinghuy-
(sen ami her dA ghters announce that Jhey wilt af
ter his week continue to receive informally
| Wednesday afternoon. few Senator's wives will
le0ntnue 10 receive lhougs ia very Informal way
during teut Mrs. Logan being among tue number.
he Presider. wilf continue ts dinne to mel smbers
| 1T Congress, aud Mrs. McElioy will receive her
friends Saturday afternooa but these events are
few aud so informal and quiet tn u one is driven
20 the conclusion that society in Wash ngton has
Ssuddenly dropped ont of eAi tence, and ,erLaiHly
Lent and the rest which it ings Ill be welcomed
ibv v'rY many. Society was never Ia greater need
| Sof rest.
anil rs of every Cabinet officer receive four and
Five hundred callers on sing afternoon. Custom
requ the hostess and assistants to It md while
receiving. The receptions gin at 2, and rarely
aud before $40 o'clock Ali OF thee .lls must DO
returned in person by the wife or daug err, Illness
alone bling a pardo"aele Ietso1 for sending carts
Consequ ntly the humble of ca is 10 be returned at
the en Of the ssOn is simply sppaliBg. Not only
| tfriends, but every stranger visiting the national
leisls having regular d.ys for receiving they are
to this extent public receptions. The individual
" can devise so means by which the burden of
society duties may be lightened viii Pzove q bene-
kfSetor TO women in otfci Il circles.
| , The hops at Wizards and tie Hamilton which
| {had proven great attraction to INV, ended
last week, and Wilh the exception of the few in
formal receptions mentioned above, there is no
IL Mr.Carlisles tea party on Tuesday was remark
4 able event. Six hundred cards had been issued,
A
| iresponse. it see ed as III ugh everyboi iy was
fanxi ns to enjoy this last event Of the The
Marine Band was in attendance and nothing was
lla king TO make the event m 81 enjoyable one 1t
| Twill be looked back upon with pleasure
(by many who attended, it. The Presidents
1 ! eception on Tuesday evening was largely at
/ ttended. IL was given 10 the army and
| lnavy ofhcers, and members of ngless AMI the
Fdiplom-tie corps were invited to attend. The invi-
atous wers very gsn- rail. accepted and g scene
was a most itlia"t one The y tTappngs of the
army and ma W ficers the bril- liant court Costumes
4 III dinlOmats ed y tof-
ettes IF the fair lad es in contrast with the sOmbre
black Of gent emens full dress suits made this clos
i,g scene Of the at the White House bril-
liant one, one long 10 be remembered. Professor
Bslrs reception the same evening at his elegant
home on Scott Circle was welcome tc those
we're fortunate as to Receive cards OF invita-
Iion. The Pro essor is a charming conversational
ist, rather han some man wilhal. and he stood
ia his beautiful home beside his etty, delicate
wife whom he had snatched from the terrors Of con-
gsant silence aud siven tongue and earr the picture
fwas striking and pleasa II one Mrs. Bell, as s
1 known to many, is a deaf mute,-was a deaf mute
ira her. until she was taught 10 read the lips and
(spesk words which she herself does not hear.
| he for day of Lent have SO treely begun how
fever and the of much needed is only
entered up VII plans for the renewal OF f. siiv-
/ tiles after Easter forming. Mrs. Brewster,
SMrs Senator Nil er. Mrs. Chandler, and large
number OF 0 her ladies' are already announcing
that they will begin re ewing after ent, aud plans
are OH foot for number of balls rites. germans
and musical ept rtaiumsnts AZ d other events of
snci tb and enjoyable natpre so soon the Len
ten will end. To-day is 'xtra quiet aud for
tomorrow there is abso ueiy no him. ia the social
! way. On Sa urday Nrs. McElroy will receive at
| ths White Hou g, and on Saturday evening SecTe-
tary d Mrs. Chandler give qui-t card reception,
AS they have done on the last IL Saturdays.
There is perhaps one reason why soclety may es-
p9cially be grateful upon tue close of the season.
and that is that 1t will put an end at last 10 he
seeuly duarrels about social prerpg4 4tives VIII ch
are s.id 10 we disturbed SO many Il minne casts
during the last few weeks 1hese stories have
probably been. in large degree, ma ,ufactured. II
aid by persons in position to Know, that there is
| 4 actually ill-feeling among the ladies' whose
names have so often besn us IN the newspapers -
dcA desiring to take precedence Of the other. it Is
Ger ain only that each of them wis the ther,
but that each has received and aceepte invitations
frnm the other. Ii seems unfortuna'e, certainly,
that the names of certain ladies have been pub
icy used in This connection, instead of the discus
/ ussion being confined the relative rank OF the
position ia the scale of official precedence tch the
| husband earh lady holds and she sharesWith
him All those best informed, through long resi-
,ence in Washington aud through having held at
various times, continuously. higb places In one OF
he branches of The government service, unite in
saving that no question has before been raised
| as 10 PRECEDENCE between the Speaker a the
| members of the abinet l. baving always been
known that thu former took preced nee OF the lat
ar and tue same is true of the wives Of these Off
Gals The OILY unsettled questi N hithrrio, has
been between the Chief Justice AID Associate JUS
aud the families of each. During the
Speaker that nearly as long as When M RAN. R1as
l AL held that pl ee, these ge tiemen made iirst
calls only on the President aud Vice President and
their families the fist only the families of those
tofHcers.
rGeneral Beale has received from Mecca most
tnovel and beautiful ornament which he had order
sed for his daughter Miss Emily. 1t is very large
tblood turquoise brooch encircled with diamonds
snd on the stone an inscription from the Koran in
ilcters OF gold General Beae has one Of the hnest
collections of diamonds and rare gems in Washing
ton and perhaps in the country and this he consid-
! ers quite valuable addition to tie collection
Sesator HIPS daughter is kee. ing house tor her
father here curing he mothers absence. Mrs. HilI
l a di-fEr IN Ia n
| aere early in the spring
II Mrs CTpeutee, Mr. Blaine's daughter who mar
ried YEAR ago aud has been spending most Of tho
winter at home with her parents Is report In i'm
borrowed health aud is preparing leave for The West
lt join beT hub 'nl
AIRS. VIE # Virginia, wife Of the readiuster MEM
her says she Cided not 10 come to WashiDg1on
| lwhen he husband y as elected but was advise bv
her frlents to get out her Old tam " lac cover her
iOld dresses and come, she says here am g Won
see with my grandpOther's lAee- over my tld gowns
these laces have been the envy OF all beholders.