The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-17
WYE IN SOCIETY.

1 his recent introduction into Washington society
 have just returned from a polite and recherche party here Washington is the hot-bed of gaiety, and general head would be hard to find bontonger az gregation than the one l was just at, to use the words of gentleman who was there, and who asked me if l wrote The Heather Chinee.
 He was very talented man, with broad sweep of skull and vague ycarn- ing for something more tangible-to drink, He Was i'll Washington, he said, in the interests of Mingo county. for got to ask him where Ming0 county might be. He took great interest i'll he, and talked with me long after he really had anything to say He was one ot those fluent conversationalists ire quently met with in society. He used one of these webperiecting takers the kind that can be fed with raw Ro- man punch and that will turn out pune tuated talk i'll links, like vanished sausagcs. Being d poor talker myself and rather more fluent as d listener, did not interrupt him.
 He said that he was very sorry to notice how young girl, and their parents came to Washington aa they would to d matrimonial market.
 was sorry also to hear it. It pained me to know that young ladies should al ] low themselves t0 be bamboozled into m.ttrlmomy. Why was it, asked that matrlMony should ever single out the i young and fair?
 An said he, it is indeed roughi"
 He then breathed a sigh that shook tn" sPeckled geranium near by, and killed an artificial caterpillar that hung on its branches
 Matrmony is all right" said he, "if properly brought about. It breaks my heart, though, to notice how Washing ton Is used as d matrimonial market It seems to me almost as if these here young ladies were brought here like slaves and exposed for sale" had noticed that they were somewhat ex- posed, but did not know that they were for sale.
 l asked him if the waists of party dresses had always been so sadly in the minority, and he said they had
 l danced with beautiful young lady whose trail had evidently caught in doorway. She hadn't noticed it till she had walked out partially through her costume. do not think lady ought to give too much thought to her ap- l parel, neither should she feel too much above her clothes. l say this in the kindest spirit, because believe that man should be a friend to woman No family circle Is complete without wo- man. She IS like a glad landscape to a weary eye. Individually and collee- lively, woman is great adjunct of civil lzatlon and progress. The electric light IS a good thing, but how pale and feeble 1t looks ty the light of q good womans i eyes. The telephone is great inven- tlon. It is good thing to talk at and ] murmur into and deposit profanity in, but to take up a conversation and keep 1t up and follow a man cut through the front door with it, the telephone has still much to learn from woman
 It Is said that our government officials are not sufficiently paid and presume that ls the case, so it became necessary to economzc in every way, but, why should wives concentrate all their econ omv on the waist of drcss2 When chest protectors are so cheap as they are now hate to see people suffer, and there k more real suffering, more priva- ton and more Restitution pervading the Washington scapula and clayicle this winter than l ever saw before
 But do not hope to change this GUS tom, though l spoke to several ladies about it, and asked them to think it over. l do not think they will. It seems almost wicked to cut off the best 1 part of dress and put it at the other end of the skirt to be trodden under feet of men, as may say They smiled good humoredly at me as tried to i'm press my views upon them, but should go there again next season and min- | gle i'll the mad whirl of Washington, where these fair women are also ming ling in said mad whirl, presume that will tind them clothed in the same gaslight waists, with trimmings of real vertebrp down the back
 Still what does d man know about the ! proper costume for woman? Heknows nothing whatever He is in many ways little inconsistent. Why does a man irown on a certain costume for his wife and admire it on the first woman he meets? Why does he fight shy of re- ligion and Christianity and talk very freely about the church, but get mad if his wife is an infdel?
 Crops around Washington are looking well. Winter wheat, crocusses and in definite postponements Were never in a more thrifty condition. Quitea number ot people are here who are waiting to be confirmed. Judging from their habits, they are lingering around here in order to become confirmed drunk ! ards
 leave here tomorrow with large wet towel in my plug hat Perhaps 1 should have said nothing on this dress reform question while my hat is fitting me so immediately. It k seldom that 1 step aside from the beaten paths of rec titude but last evening on the way home ! it seemed to me that didn't do much ! else but step aside At these parties no |