The Portland daily press., 1884-03-05
Washington Notes.
A Refreshing Senson of Qnietness-G Gossip
Concerning Washington sooietT Mat
Gsrs.
WASHINGTON. March 4.

Concerning Washington sooteT MAT
terra.
WARRINGTON. March 4.
Society appears to bs enjoying the rest
which Lent brought. Some OF it is resting ct
home, some OF it is heing itself to Florida and
the sea coast to get the warm sunshine and salt
air. Quite a number OF people prominent in
social circles are preparing to go to Old Point
Comfort tn spend the Lenseu season. II Ia nos
perhaps very devout way Of spending Lent,
and probably It l. not TIE very devolt people
who are making this trip, but they are going.
o hers are heading toward Atlantic City,
though that place is by no means 80 popular OF
this season OF she year with Washington people
a. Old Point Comfort, Va, , or Jscksonville. Fla.
| rhe Old Point Is especially Wa hiDgton
resort. 1t ia a military station and naturally
| attracts military people, while It's fine hotel,
bracing sea air, its accessihlitY by boat down
/ the Potomac, and iis good climats at this
season r. nIers II esp cially popular Florida
/ Is very popular, though perhaps more 81 with
/ people farther North than with Washing
/ tonians Not week pa's but that p5ople OF
prominence from New GLAND, the lake
| region, or the upper Mis- sippi valley pass
thrOugh Washinet n en- rOuts Tor the hO~ery
fields OF that Stats. jacksonville Is the pSt9sf-
/ first aimed at, aud from there the>i6urisn
scatter themselves over thssSt fte OF 5miscunus-
ly. A project l. on fJot now for the construction
oi -SSfrNE%trOm the southernmost point IN
NJ ida TO Key sv.e., which lies almost One
hdndred miles out iu the Gulf, but Shtch may
0e reached by rail by the OF trestles along
the range OF keys or coral reefs leading ont 70
that point. bill ia now before Congress
| providing for the construction OF this sort os
road by the government, the srgumsnt used In
| it's favor being that Ksy Wes is an important
naval Sta ton for the United SIaies, and Ia order
to keeP It no satisfac. .ory this road should and
must be built.
Not all Of Washington by any means has
found IL necessary TO 90 to tbs seaside or The
South TO recuperate, mar has all OF it5 pDpula-
lion found it to its taste TO suspend festivities
| or social relations. The theatres are especially
well patroniZsd ilst now, and that by people
OF prominence, while informal receptions aud
| quiet dinner parties are numerous and ap-
| parently enjoyed. The President Continues
his series Of state dinners Ia honor OF mem.
bers of Congress, and Mrs McEroy, Mrs.
| FroliDghuysen, Mrs. Chandler, and others OF
prominence continue their receptions, some
what informal IN their way, bat we'll attended.
Not day Of this week fails To be marked oy
some social event Of importaace. On Monday
there was reception AT the Riggs House,
60 Susan b. Anthony, Eiizabsth Cady STAN
ton, and others of the universal sunraRistss
Who are holding their annual convention here.
L. was largely attended, for here in waning
ton where Miss Anthony and her co-laboreFs
are personally known, they are generally
highly respected. Mrs. SDOford, the wife OF
the proprietor Of the Riggs House, Is a cup
porter OF the cause and a warm personal
friend of Miss Anthony and Mrs. stanton,
and through her many society ladies are
brought INTO closer scqnaintapce with them.
On Tuesday Mrs. General HaZsn received In
f0rmallg. Mrs. Adams, wife oil one OF The new
members from Chicago, also received, ss did
quite number of Others OF social prominencs
and sanding. Mrs Letter, whose Tuesday re-
ceptiODs at the Blsiue mansion have been
feature in social lie here this winter, has gone
20 Fortress Monrae for short stay, but an.
nounce that she will continue her receptions
upon her return. Tomorrow after
noon, Mrs. FrslinghuyseD, who mas been qaite
III with bronchial troubles, has so far recover
ed as tn see few Of her more intimate friends,
while Mrs. McMichael. the wife OF Di'trict
Marshal McMchael, resumes her receptions,
which were suspended ON last (Asb) Wednes-
day. Thursday, the PTesideLt gives dinuex
to unmarried members Of Congress- and mem-
oers not accompanied In the city by their
wives. IL will De the first 'stig" party Of any
size at the White House this season. The
number of guests will probably be about fifty.
The President is making these stale dinners
to members OF Congress quite feature, and
intends TO carry them On until he has had
the legs Of every Congressman, be he great or
otherwise, new or old, experienced or inex.
perienced, under his t1ole. The large num-
Der of members to be thus di1ed has
moved the President to make these dinners
larger than the usual White House dinner has
been. Formerly t was supposed that not mer9
tha0 thirty-six persons could te seated In the
stsie diuiag room, but by an ingenious method
of extension at either end OF the table ire now
manages to seat fifty or more very comfortably.
Baron DoSruve, the Russian minster, who
announced some time since that his Friday evs-
ming receptions we're at az end, hBds it din
cult TO give them up entirely, and sees lev
of his more iutmsts friends at his residence
asyAr ErlA inn NJ. fms RaksuA
Elroy's Is reception ia the afternoon, SECRETARY
Cbandler's card reception in the evening", and
the reception by MIR. and Mrs. Lorlng will be
the events of the day. These Saturday events
are now more largely attended tnau heretofore.
tbs nun Der of s9cial duties elsewhere haviog
been materially lessened.
Those in s0clety who are inclined to con'inus
the round OF pleasures during l. Mt are thus. &
Vill be seen, readily enabled TO do Mean
time those who are keeping L snt more strictly
are quietly preparing for tue renewal OF the
social festivities ate the forty days shall have
passed, though of course the more brilliant Of
the social events are for the season at AN cod.
NOTES.
The theatsrs have been largely attended by
people Of prominence during the past ten dsya
Nillson and Living have bseu the attractions,
and to see the faces OF Senator'S, Cablnst on.
GERS and the President at the theatres has
been nothing uncomnon.
The President having closed his Tuesday ev-
eniug receipt us, Ssnat1r Sherms sn has closed
his series of receptions held on the same evea.
ing. The fact that Mr.. Sherman selected the
same evenings in February for lis receptions
as the President had publicly announced TO be
devoted at the White House to members cf
Congress and other officials has caused some
uniavorsble comment.
Aenator Williams aud his charming wife are
at Willares Tor the remainder of the season.
Colonel and Mrs. HaDllton, Mrs. Willislns'
son and daughter, having however, found IL
inconvenient to accompany them here this
winter.
DIR. Mumford, proprietor OF the Kansas City
Times. who has been visiting here several days
Is accompanied by his wife, who has been quits
prominent among the guests at most OF the
gatherings during their stay.
Mrs. j. b. Lpuden IN recent lecture to the
Philadelphia Progress, on Washington in win
tsr, says: Washington society is constantly
having singing newspaper paragraphs hung
at 1t. And whl2 Compare the social gather
ings here and elsewhere. In Washington lit-
tie osteutation and much hospitality Is the rule.
Marx the gracious manner of the hosyess End
her assistants to their visitors, many Of them
unknown by sight or name until they announce
themselves. Think how disagreeabe and im-
possible such an intrusion would seem at home.