Savannah morning news., 1885-12-03
SOCIAL WASHINGTON.
,oUTN MILLER ON THE RE
~ CyycIJTION AT THE CAPITAL.

- changes which a Quarter of Cen
- HAS wrought In its Streets, Arohi-
.scture and social CustOms-Exclusive
Diplomatic sets.
Fron, the P1iladelDhia Press.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.-This city, in
,rbicb every citizen of the United States
'aIds some pecunlary interest, il nothing
&c is peculiarly new city. To ride
INCH its wide wooded avenues or look
,o,gn upon it from Arlington Heights or
n the tumbled and oak-set hills that
oircle il. YOU see but one prevailing
Ior 1t is a red city. And so new in its
t~iebt red dress, that you almost feel as
Wt5ere ought somewhere to be set up a
s1sn warning the stranger TO beware of
paint .,o.4oa 49,. Co.-
sLonberd. who once tore down the city
"a built il over again. did not carry his
Sustr,lcti0n to the very doors of the White
go,se and overthrow the hideOus iron
Hncas that surround it. The stranger
yondprs to see the Treasury building set
W. In the open streets, while the White
Gonse and Lafayette square have abomi-
noblv rusty fences around them that
rponid do good service al Sing Sing. The
beir-apparent to the presidency, every
now.born American, to lie kept back by
Tis iron fence with its pitifully initiative
o6 feudal gates. The iron fences
oround Lafayette square and the White
uonse must come down, even at the
cosf of raising up another "Boss Shep-
berd.'
me already-famous buildings here are
nnioue. You might fancy yourself at
G0ne Branch but for the abundant trees
and the perfect pavements, so airy and
artist c are the miles upon miles of won
Sarfnlly-beautiful houses. OF course,
these airy castles are of the lighter and
more trivial kind Of structures here; but
. tbey are not the less beautiful for be-
inc light and less massive. Indeed,
be ponderOus structures that gather
sbout the White House have almost
compelled these light and artistic little
castles to blossom here by way of con-
trasJ.
simply indescribable in it's picturesque
eopiuson. There is nothing arbitrary
about it, There seems to be no law. 1t
salaw unto itself, with this one simple
nurpose of expression: Be beautiful. And
It has succeeded in this purpose as no
eN stye of architecture has succeeded since
E the red palaces under the three towers of
" San MarinO, on the Adriatic.
n Social life has been borne forward IN
N the new city in equal pace. The politi-
clan is no longer the chiet object of inter-
~ est Literature and refinement are de-
Ng posing min, and are quietly, but firmly,
demanding TO be heard in his stead. Leay-
,o Ing the body and looking into the soul of
0E our capital, it may safely be said that
that indefinite term "sOciety" is just now
about to find a higher and nobler defini-
h ton here than in any part OF the world.
This IS said adYisedy and by one who has
seen the world fairly well. The social
w0rld that YOU have read Of, however, is
- n0J the soul Of our federal city by great
deal. There IS a prevailing belief that
la de army and navy make up the centre
az ana core OF social life here: but YOU must
IN reflect that the army and navy of America
hat are not made up, as in Europe, of men
and born to social eminence. Not that $50
)es eal eminence" is a thing for a man or a
ail Woman who can do anything to thirst af-
tqrm Ter at all.
To be an idle gentleman about town is
s certainly no great attainment and no al
y ae urement to a man OF brains. But, to put
. frankly, the young army officer who
STY- elt mis- iatheTs farm or country store to
4 " enteT West Point, and sees little else till
up airs his buttons in Washington, is GER
nay u "a ainy the peer or even mas er, only in
,s nanhood, Of the etfeminate French mar
l. uls or German baron to be met at his
/. C. st Introduction. The young American
- older could probably meet the German
nd the Frenchman, too, both together,
- etus venture to assert, in fight and win
~ be battle braYely. But it will be frankly
oneeded that the American is not at an
lyantage with these men from over the
- "a IN contest for ''sOcial eminence" in
pecuItuTed foreign circles here.
Uur scientific men are greatly respect
by this large and influential foreign
enent at the capital. Our literary men,
n We except such Nestors as Bancroft,
held IN but little better. II any better,
teeM than our soldiers. The secret OF
sis found in the tendency of American
Iers to spill over into careless newspa-
work. Set it down as a notable fact
q q AZ the American soldier is not sought
RN Ter al all socially by the cultured for
- Sners comprising the "legations' in
npaFisOn with our civilians of equal
sunctl n, however the tradition runs 10
, contrary These foreigners, rightly
wrongly, seem to think our military
sl 70 TOO many cases, Iliterate and
Orsh.
As to what ladies or what class of Ia
hE y mEe nrst rank in the esteem of those
III u9aled men from over the sea it Is not
,ouro y 10 decide. Beauty, however, and vi
|. nao lly seem 70 be the hrst requisite. Back
ooun utse, OF course, the "attache' turns
hquring eye for gold. Yes, 1t is to be
ceded that our ladies are greatly
nj kll after at the Federal city; let us
u ~ 'N'f HVb al tut liuit lOE tuG sake Vi
'Sh money. Ia truth. the cultivated at
ae sees more beauty, more real heart
me and soul in the American girl
J 1FIls ne can see in the other sex at home,
ause loey are here TO see. This must,
10 Ie I measure, excuse his ardOr, which we
a ~" y ue permitted to believe is not always
=, zen. oehefy. For some OF these cultiya-
ana apparently frivolous foreign
IA utMen are not only sons OF wealthy
"eis' but men Of high honor and integ-
W 9 colony Of the legation is a large
=, IL Is clannish too; It is very select,
: AN ~ lts way, absolutely exclusive
NAV come 10 Washington and spend
,hler and Imagine YOU have seen so.
nom top TO bottom, aud yet 20 home
'us even having seen the front
VI lhis most arisDcratio portion
a n ,oe urst place, oil members of the for.
q u ekat0n talk French perfectly and
1DIe or less acquainted in some way
. m oue' Then they have lieir literature
~ uay' their little teap1 tempests at
aozen little thing indeed thai
american neither knows nor cares
W draw them togethr and tighten
9G.l OF exclusiyenes. They have
.'Ahers' their card parties, every
naW o' social entepnle going on con.
ntoT1 sj, iittie word unto themselves