National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-29

The tendency in the human breast TO act
OF standard regulations is
daily manifested in the most trivial affairs
Of life. Convenience is the great arbitrator
And what tanglemeuts result when indivld-
uality is abandoned and the strange gods Of
aliens are raised. The system Of chaperon-
age, adapted from the Latins and an excel
lent custom, nevertheless, gives us no end
OF difficulty. We have not grown into the
spirit OF the matter; IL is with us the obser-
vance Of form. To put 1t more plainly, an
afrectation. At n large evening party
we have one girl saying to another, "Why,
who is your chaperon ~ which query be-
ing put the queried must, on pain OF being
caught trespassing, produce matron or
male relative to whom she is accredited for
the evening. We are on the outlook to sec
that the regulation is enforced. The new
order must be enforced. In New York city,
where matronizing and the restrictions that
do hedge unmarried persons OF opposite
sexes in their associations grow every day
more and moro rigid, curious lapses occur.
A man and a girl taking a walk may not
leave the fashionable portion OF fashion
able avenue, and would suffer seriously in
the estimation Of everybody II seen together
in n side street. IL the girl live IN one of
families do, the attendant youth must leave
her at the corner to walk half block alonel
A duenna escorts the couple, in this case,
to the thoroughfare, presumably. Why not
continue In their company. That is Eng
lish, quite. And now they are discussing
the proprlety and improperly OF u couple,
man and girl, riding together In q hanson
cab! II is q high misdemeanor to drive in
close carriage with gentleman unattended,
hat fp natah
som presenting front open to the world,
the notion arose and prevailed for time
that the young folks might ride therein
without ofTense. The trail of the dragon
whose protection had been invoked was
over all things mundane. A cold-blooded
observer discovered that the half doors Of
the hanson when closed In front concealed
the hands, and gave warm palms an oppor-
tunity of being clasped In love-inspiring em-
bracel And thus the metropolis is divided,
some for and others opposed to the hanson
driving, and the people had better hire
n hall and DIR. Dix and Lille De-
vereauX Blake TO discuss the whole bust
ness for them. In the meantime the fact
that IN London, the home OF the hanson,
ladies strictly eschew the use OF that cab
is entirely omitted from consideration.
IL Is this same half knowledge of the mod
els we fain would form ourselves upon that
causes us to commit all sorts Of incongru-
tiles in dress. Or IT may be carelessness.
In passing along The avenue Of n morning,
how many men do you meet who wear high
hats with their cutaway coats and the
Derby with Prince Alberto The women
make fewer blunders In dress, and the dis
cordances are not so rasping. Married
women wear the round hat here, although
tits never seen upon British matrons Of good
taste. The matter Of appearing upon the
public promenade sin her figure" SO pop
ular with the American woman, is receiving
correction through our contact with i'm
ported modlstes and milllners.
@@e
The widest interest is felt throughout
the country in the council, now in session, Of
the Ladies' Association at Mount Vernon.
The regent End number OF the vice re-
gents assembled on Wednesday, and held
their first meeting on Thursday. When the
W. w. Corcoran, the steamer that carrie!
visitors from the capital to the honored
grounds, arrives the council adjonrns. Mrs.
| Laughton, the regent, with customary
grace and becoming dignity, met few ex
pected friends In the great hall. 1t II
| pleasant to record that a lady SO eminently
fitted as is Mrs. Laughton for the high
| position has accepted its responsibilities
By her distinguished manners and beaut,
| and brilliancy, Mrs. Laughton Is In her ele
ment doing the honors OF Mount Vernon
AS the ladies sat about the great table In
the banquet hall, the room chosen BY
| New York, they made most in
teresting picture. Around them were the
crumbling relics OF period OF 100 year
ago, the grandeur and pomps OF genera
tion gone by. And to these revolutionary
mementoes they bring the more progressive
order of things. Mrs. Laughton as regen
sits at the head Of the table;opposlte TO her
sits well.known society leader OF this cit
in the capacity of vice regent for the grea
state of Illinois. l refer to Mrs. l.. u
Letter, who is one of the youngest. II no
the youngest, lady in the council. Mrs
Letter, who has broad culture aud wild,
knowledge, enjoys with zest the historical
values OF the house and all the art gem
and antiques II contains. Miss Alice Long
fellow, the daughter OF the poet, is her
from her home In Cambridge. She has
graceful 1.-the, figure and wears her earl
whitening hair parted over her low fore
head In ripping waves. She wore glasses
and dark dress Of cloth, with red waist
coat braided with black. Miss Longfellow'
idea Of the vice regents is that they shout,
be devoted to the study OF all that per
tains to Gen. Washington, his friends, ant
his environments-in short, that the
should be wholly given up to Washington
ogy.
Mrs. Walker, of Leaksville, N. c., is Al
affable, agreeable lady, who is one Of tn
original panel Of vice regents. She wear
hergray hair In rings, glasses on her eyes
and diamonds In her ears.
Mrs Cornelia l.. King, Of Vermont, occu
pies with Mrs. Letter the famous Lafayett
room, named In honor of the marquis, VIII
was assigned to 1t on each OF his visits h
Mount Vernon. An engraving Of Ar,
Scheffer's portrait OF Lafayette is In tn
room. Mrs. King 10 richly attired In al
elaborate toilet OF black satin, garnishet
with lace, and her gray hair is combed bacl
straight from her face.
Mrs. Townsend, OF New York, wore
robe of black silk trimmed with jetted lace
and lace cap garnished with lavender rib
bons.
Miss Harper, of Maryland, occupies tn
Nellie Custis room.
Mrs. Judge Ball, of Richmond, Va, is
tall, graceful woman, her eyes are dark ant
her hair brown, and her husband is q grea
great nephew Of Gen. Washington.
Mrs. Judge woodward, Of Lexington
Ky, is tall woman, dressed In black. Sh
had not yet laid aside her bonnet and wrap
from her arrival at her first council.
Mrs. Eve, Of Georgia, is woman O
weight. She has a clear judicial mind
dresses In black silk and wears her gra
hair In cLrls that fell over her forehead.
Mrs. Halsted, of New Jersey, wore
white null cap over her black hair, dres
OF black bombazine, black gloves, and old
style gold-rlmmed spectacles.
One Of the most fascinating women
have ever met is Mrs. Lewis Washin gton
OF Charlestown, Jefferson county, vice re
gent for West Virginia. She is directly dc
cended from Lady Washington, her grea
grandmother having been Mrs cambridge
who married Col, Bassett, revolutionar
hero, and is the great grandnlece of Lad
ersSt greStnonhew of GeS V Wos % I
Col Washington was conspicuous In tn
John Brown raid was a staff officer b
Henry A. Wise, then governor OF Virginia
Her only son is w. d'Hertburn Washington
named for Norman ancestor, and ut presen
our consul at London, Canada. Mrs
Washington has splendid figure, fin
presence, and vigorous, intellectual life
WaVaa nHpurlinp hnIr ara anunhnd hoolr frnT