St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-24
A SHADOW OF GLOOM.
The Vivacity Of Washington Social Life
Toned Down By the Death of
Miss Bayard.
A Novelty Imported in the shape OF
the German Jahrmarkt
Festival.
Brilliant AssembIage at the Army and
Navy German--Social
Chatter.
Correspondence of the Globe.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2O.-Soeiety has
been in mourning this week for Miss Bay
ard. 1t Is seldom that so much feeling has
been shown by what is generally supposed
TO be very heartless portion of the COM
munity, society. There have been evil
dences this week of genuine regret. and a
good many features of the week have been
postponed or laid aside because of this sad
event. The Monday afternoon receptions
by the supreme court ladies, the Wednesday
receptions by the cabinet ladies and some
of tine senatorial receptions were given up
on its account, and at those which did oc
cur the shadow of the sad and appalling
event seemed to hang over the participants.
At the Letter reception on Monday evening
the promised dances were dispensed with
and the presidents dinner on Thursday
evening was only given after n protest
from Mr.. Bayard against any change in
the official program at the White house be-
cause of this family misfortune.
The death of Miss Bayard viii do more
than 10 simply check the festivities of the
week, it will modify materially the speed
at which society is TO dispOrt itself this
winter. Or course it will close for the
season the home of the first cabinet officer.
the one whose family was expected to take
the lead in social matters. Then, too, it
will have a sort of dampening effect on the
ardOr of people who delight in running to
excuses III social way, for there is no
doubt Miss Bayard's death was the imme-
date result of over eXertion and exposure.
She was dressed for the evening in her
usual manner in lOw-necked dress and short
sleeves, and CHANGING 10 stand where tine
icy air from the frequently-Opening door
Iii 1ra
too severe when coupled with the exhauS-
ton of many late nights and long physical
OrdealS of this nature. People who think
society business. when attended from an
official standpoint, purely a pleasure,
are very much mistaken. The labor
and physical exhaustion attendant upon the
duties required of the society lady in Wash
ingtOn, especially in high official life, are
very great, and many women have either
gone down to untimely graves or been made
confirmed invalids by il. With the Bayard
mansion closed, the attorney general and
secretary of the interior doing
NOTHING IN A SOCIAL WAY,
there will be only four cabinet residences
open on reception DAYS. Whitney'S, Endi-
colts, Manning's and Villas. Then. TOO.
there is an unusually small number Of the
supreme court Justices families receiving
this season. Justice Matthew's family are
in mourning for Mrs. Matthew, Justice
Harlan has moved,to the country, the family
of one of the justices is in Europe, Justice
Gray is still a bachelor; so the number of
supreme court justices whose families will
take part i'm social matters is quite as small
prOpOrtiOnately as is the case with tine cab
met families.
MAD MoDISTES.
About the most thoroughly disgusted peO-
pie that Washington has seen lately are
some of the ''mOdistes' who have come
here from New York to make sale of their
wares to the gathering clans of society.
They make this annual tripj about this time
of the year each winter and as often go
back giving Washington society very bad
name. They complain that they can only
sell, as n rule, n very poor quality of dresses
here. The class of goods worn at evening
receptions and parties and that sort of
thing, they say. is quite shocking. The
material i'm them is of the very cheapest
goods, a class which nobody of any preten-
slonS would be guilty of wearing in the
daytime, but as it looks well' by gas OF
electric light they adopt it because it is
cheap. why" said one of the mOdistes
to your correspondent, 1--WE can sell ten of
these cheap evening dresses made of stuff
not fit to be worn in daylight when we sell
one decent one"
What do you get for these cheap even
ing dresses as you call them?"
well, from $50 TO 500 apiece. We
ought to have 500 on them, but Washing
ton people are great on beating one down to
the very lowest price, especially the society
people. You have no idea how they squeeze
a dollar before they give it up"
ARMY AND NAVY GERMAN.
The second army and navy german held
this week at the National Rifles armOry at
tracted a pleasant asSemblage of young
people. Mrs. Whitney, who was to have
received the guests, sent her regrets, and
Mrs. Schley, wife of Commodore Schley,
Officiated in her place very acceptably.
Mrs. Schley stood at the upper end of the
hall. looking very handsome in a trained robe
of black corded silk with jetted front and
sleeves Of black net. She carried an i'm
mense bouquet, the courtesy of the ball
committee, of half roses and half lilies of
the valley. The assembly was fashiOnably
late in gathering, but when the hall was
filed the company for the most part were
acquainted with one another. thus making
the gathering sOciable one. The music
was excellent. and in the first dances were
noticed several more or less grave senators,
who did the light fantastic step with great
animation and success. Senator Henderson
was one of them, and had the tutelage of
three of the prettiest ladies in the hall. who
soon put him straight through the intrica-
cies of half-fOrgOtten step. Among them
was foremost Mrs. Henderson, Mrs Michael
Sheridan and Miss Rucher. Among the
guests were Mrs. and Miss DOlph, Senator
and Mrs. CullOm. with Mrs. Barrett
Ridgely, Lieut.. and Mrs. Ray, Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Howe, Mrs. Drum and Mrs.
Tarr, Mai. and Mrs. Lydecker,, Mr.. Con-
ger and Miss Brown. Mrs. Henry Waite and
MissWaite. Among the prettieSt toilets were
those worn by Miss Mary Wilson, black tulle
with low waist and garlands of pink chrys-
anthemums festooning the skirt; Miss Paul,
pink satin, with fiOunced skirt of lace; Mrs.
Ray, white tarletan. with drapery held by
red ostrich tips and long bows of red satin,
with short bOuffant drapery of silvered net;
Miss CuliOm. red tulle, with high bodice of
red velvet; Miss Adler. white tulle, spotted
with blue chenille, square-necked blue satin
bodice with high waist of blue beaded net;
Miss Rucker, pink satin with front of tulle.
striped with ribbon; Miss Duncan, white
satin, with front of pink brOcaded velvet:
Miss Waite, white china silk; Mrs. NJ.
Sheridan, white crepe and white lace.
THE 'JAHRMARKT"
A novel feature of that class of entertain
ment, of which Washington society is
especially fond. is to open at the Light In
fantry armOry Feb. l. ii there is anything
of which Washington society is especially
fond, it is OF the opportunity to dress itself
in fantastic and unexpected costume
and parade itself in public. This Oppor-
tunity is offered it in the ''Jahrmarkt'' to be
held at the armory at the date mentioned.
What is ''Jahrmarkt?" is a question that