The National tribune., 1885-12-31
WASHINGTON. GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOings at the Ma
tiOnal Capital.
THE SOCIAL BOOM"

give politics rest, in great measure, and de-
vote themselves TO social duties and pleasures.
Great preparations are being made ior Ne"
Years Day The principal feature of the oc-
cason will of course, be the grand reception at
the White House, when everybody, from Cab
met officials down to the humblest citizen, irres-
pectve of race, color, or previous condition OF
seryitude will have the opportunity to shake
the hand of the President and extend to him
the compliments of the season.
The White House program as officially an
nounced is substantially the same as heretofore.
At Ii a. H. the President viii receive the mem
bers of the Cabinet aud of the Diplomatic Corps.
At l1:15 the Justices of the Supreme Court and
other judicial dignitares viii pay their respects.
At ll:30 he will receive Senators and Repre-
sentatives. District of Columbia officials, ex
members of the Cabinet and ex-Ministers At
II officers of the Army and Navy, respondent
in gold lace and brass buttons, Will pass In re-
view. At 1870 q miscellaneous assortment OF
heads of bureaus and subordinate tunctionaries
will take their turn. At 12:45 will follow SOL
diers of the war of 1872, survivors of the MeXl-
can war the Grand Army of the Republic, and
members of the Oldest Inhabitants Association
of the District of Columbia. At p. m. the doors
will be opened to the general public, Tor one
hour, closing at 2.
The afternoon will be devoted to official and
private receptions in all parts of the city. lndi-
cations point to a very general observance of
the customs of the day, should the weather be
at all favorable. Nearly all the Cabinet ladies,
the wives and daughters of Government OIL
cials (civil and military, Senators and Repre-
sentatives, and society ladies generally, will be
"at home" TO their gentlemen friends
The etiquet of Washington society is very
exacting. Its laws are inexorable, only yield
ing to reasons that are good and sufficient A
mere wbim or sentiment Will not suffice as an
apology for their violation. The business of
attending to social duties and obligations has
been reduced to a thorough system, and is as
much necessary part of Washington life and
labor as the passing of appropriation bills by
Congress or the management of Department
Of course, there are many who merely seek TO
divert themselves, now and then, by padding
their modest canoes along the edges OF the social
current; but ladies whose husbands and fathers
are in active public life, and are themselves
fairly lanched upon the stream, find little time
for anything else during the three or four
months of the season.
1t is true that in the giving of large parties,
receptions, hops etc, care is taken that as far
as possible, they may not interfere. 1t often
happens, however, that three or four occur
on the same evening. Many persons have
invitations TO all of them. They may all be of
equal importance from a social standpoint. 1t
is not deemed prudent to skip" any OF them,
and it is not uncommon for guests, ladies and
gentlemen, to circulate around after the man
ner of repeaters at elections spaading an hour
to the hostess, one or both as the case may be,
mingle for little time with the other guests,
many Of whom are but transient, like them
selves, then say their adieus, put on their
wraps, and are whirled away in carriages to the
next scene Of gayety.
Every society lady has her particular day OF
the week for being " at home which is known
and read of all men-and women. 1t is gener-
ally as much as she can do to discharge during
the other five days of the week the obligations
incurred during her own day Of receiving
These are all debts of honor" and their pay
ment is most punctiliously observed. There is
somewhat vague and uncertain attempt at
classification in this branch of Washington in
dustry For instance, the Cabinet ladies have
one day in the week, ladies OF the foreign lega-
tions another, those of the Army and Navy an
other, and so on through the various official
and social strata. The many who do not be-
long to any of these groups select such days as
suit their convenience when the Goor-bell may
be rung. So it is that the incessant round OF
calls friendly and official-some made from the
promptings of desire, and many solely from
considerations of duty together with the
nightly dancing and feasting, tax to their ut
most limit not only the time, but the mental
and physical energies of the fair sex.
There is little opportunity during these busy
days for the minstrations OF dreSsmakers and
others who prepare the mysterious paraphernalii
of personal adornment These matters arr
uSnaliy aCteE0eu aS pOSS!Dlc, otioEt
the opening of the campaign. Preparations arr
made as elaborate as those for which
Miss Flora McFlimsey of Madison Square,
Made three separate journeys to Paris.
If haply one should at any time be confronted
with the dire extremity which overlook Mis-
McFlimsey on the occasion of " the StuckupS
grand ball." when she found herself will
nothing to wear" a considerable percentage
of the population of Washington consists o
hax,i
studied their art in the fashionable centers o
the world. They are always ready to make
good at short notice all loss and damage by
"wear and tear" Expense is hardly consid
cred as factor in the case, and the society
ladies of Washington array themselves In rar
fabrics and costly jewels that would have mad
the Queen of Sheba turn green with envy.
Nor do the eyactiOns of social life rest aiOn
upon the ladies' The silken bonds that en-
thrall them are scarcely less strong in the
hold upon husbands and fathers and sons. Off
cial etiquet requires that they, too must pa,
their devOirs to my Lord and my Lady. L
makes no difference whether they feel like it o.
not, the demands must be met. Age does not &C
quit. Heads white with years, or upon which tn
crop has long since been harvested by the scyth
Of Old Father Time, are numerously seen a
ali prominent society gatherings. 1t is also, L
some extent, necessity to draft the old mel
for duty upon these occasions, because 1t Is al
ways the complaint in Washington that ther
are not young men enough to go round. S
many young ladies come here to pass the Win
ter that there are more bellies than beauX.
social assemblage with either sex largely il
excess of the other is usually stupid enough
and the needs of the ladies for escorts must b
looked after in some way.
The younger officers Of the Army and Nav
are always lavorites among the ladies, who's
eyes are attracted by the glitter and tinseI c
their uniforms and the martial bearing an
studied gallantry3of the wearers. In some wa
good many of these officers cOntrive TO be i
Washington during the season. The attraC
tions Of social life at the Capital totally eclips
those of doing duty on the frontier, with
chance Of losing their scalps, or monOtonOu
cruising on the high seas. 1t is quite likel
that many Of them are as serviCeable TO thei
country in doing escort duty to the bellies
Washington as when at the posts where the
properly belong. Leaves Of absence are oil
tained on frivolous pTeteXts, and the gay youn
officers manage TO get them extended from tim
10 time, while they on with the dance" Som
of them are married and some not, but the
are alike welcome guests at every social even
Most Of them have studied the art Of flirtatiO
and gallautry with as much assiduity as the
have the curriculum at Annapolis or Wes
Point. 1t is = fact, however, that there al
fewer brass buttons in Washington this Wntt
than at any time for many years. Sccretar
Endicott seems to have a hcTetical notion th;
these men were educated at Government e.