The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-02
THE CHINESE BALL AT THE cApITAE.


time of the singing of birds is come, and Tho
voice of the turtle is heard in our landw
suppose that is the way solomon would havs
communicated the fact that Lent is over. If he
had made poetry in Washington at this later dag.
Indeed, if anything could have brought about
an improvement upon that exquisitely fashioned
jubilate, it would be Washington weather at this
present writing The capital is neither Paris
nor paradise, but it is Partisan and paradisaie.
1t is the incarnation of Solomons Song.
The lenten season was observed with emi-
nent propriety in Washington. Sackcloth and
ashes have not been affected to any visible ex-
tent, but they have been initiated in charming
shades, and the process has been repeated
spiritually with the most satisfactory results-
And now society has finished its devotions for
the season, there is pronounced revival in mil.
linery, and the feet that lately trod the tempIs
with humility have resumed their legitimate
occupation of tripping the light fantastic with
frivolity
The occasion was recent of course; the frat
available day after the last Lenten austerity had
spread its gray wings and sailed away into the
illimitable past-Easter Monday. On the night
of Easter Monday the ladies of the Garfield
Hospital Association gave calico ball ~
Stuart Castle, the headquarters of the
Chinese legation Everybody knows Stuart Castle
"a stately pile-the ground floor of which is
coveted for social assemblies than any other
in Washington. The ground floor only was re-
vealed to marveling public; anxious to survey
the mysteries OF a Celestial diplomatic interior.
on Monday night. Somewhere in the labyrinth
inc upstairs the new Chinese minister enshrined
his plenipotentiary proportions. Below all was
light, and laughter, and fragrance and the scrap
ing of the festive volin but the thrice honora-
BILE mandarin. with the red button, had not been
presented to the chief executive and was reluct-
antly compelled to remain in seclusion.
The absence of Mr.. Chang Yen Hoon. how
ever, was amply compensated for in the pres
ence of his staff. The staff was overwhelmingly
present 1t stood in long row aud gepuflected
before every individual calicoclad maid and
matron who presented herself before it, It's
face the full moon in the harvest season,
its garments were fearfully and wonderfully
made. SO far as was visible to the naked eye Is
wore no buttons save for decorative purposes I
was infinitely struck by the symmetrical ar
rangement of the row. The robes of the man
DARN at the head fell simply and pro-
fusely over figure much the general out
line of the ordinary washtub; his queue was ex-
traordinarily long, and black, and shiny, and his
acres of oleomarginous flesh. He was first
and latest. There were mona that could
compare unto him. Next stood an exact
reproduction on lesser scale of avoirdupois his
shrank visbly all along the line to the very last
He. poor fellow, was quite peaked by contrast
and looked depressed, probably a victim to the
Chinese substitute for dyspepsia It was sol4
emn occasion for the newly arrived attache. His
countenance bespoke it. AS he stood around in
various immovable positions during the evening,
here confess to wild and unappeasable longing
to administer to him that gentlepersuasion that
makes his wooden imitation squeak so plant
lively. But refrained.
Nhot oil 0vac pder f,,I nd ho.
wldering scale. The calico toilets were
ravishing in the extreme. Miss Cal
houn wore one Of the prettiest of sprigged
muslin with a towering bunch of jacqueminots
her head Miss Calhoun is the young actress
that scored such a hit in London last season.
Dark eyes, neZ retrousse oval face, sparkling
complexion saucy chin The object Of the wost
intense devotion on the part of innumerable cal
leo ties and waistcoats. This would not be q So
ciety letter if I failed to mention the fact that
Miss Daisy Ricketts, wore a charming costume
of pink and blue, with a vatican plat and q
generally Frenchy effect l have observed Miss
Rcketts's costumes In so many society letters
that am convinced 1t is seal which the truly
valid document cannot afford to dispense with.
Miss Elizabeth Bryant Johnston, the we'll
known author of Washington" wore q
pretty gown. 1t was organdie muslin,
with great lilac flowers running riot all over 1t,
made in the delicously old-fashiond way our
grandmothers affected. Miss Johnston is one Of
the wittiest women in Washington. Her liter
airy work is chiefly historical, and ponderous
with fact and conclusion, but her personality is
very gay and gracious. The prettiest and
brightest face among the ladies of the reception
committee was Mrs Crawford's wife of r.. G.
Crawford, the gifted genial, good looking CORE
spondent of the World Dear, dainty, little Mrs.
Lily Macalister Laughton was there in marvel
of silk and laces that diffused, know, delicate
perfume of lavender. like to look at Mrs.
Laughton, she is so fragile exquisite, like
bit of translucent china She wears her hair in
yellow curls like Dresden shepherdess, and
everybody bows down to her in the social circles
of the capital, even the chief magistrate.
Very radiant amid the giddy throng that
tripped through the lancers to the music OF the
"Mikado," l saw several varieties of diplomates,
and the army and navy came en- masse. The
army did its terpsichorean duty, as it always
does; the navy stood around and looked statu-
esquely bored, as is its invariable custom. The
local society reporter fled in and out, notebook
in hand, there was sound OF wassail and Of
feasting, the stringed instruments gave forth
the thrilling measures of the waltz the blue and
yellow mandarins blockaded the doors with 81
lent, stolid admiration, the lirt hirted the dow
ayers gossiped, and the ball went on.
Washingtons present sensation was there. Mr..
Edmund Russell. Perhaps only half of it, for
Mrs. Edmund Russell is quite as important a
factor in it as the fortunate gentleman to whom
she owes marital allegiance, and she wasn't
Mr. and Mrs Russell are the newly arisen de-
sciples of Delsarte They are atpresent preach
ing TO the Washingtonians the poetry of motion
and harmony Of color, the possibilities of the
voice, the laws of @stheticism generally And
these Athenians who dearly love new thing to
flock to hear them The lectures, which are de-
livered alternately by Mr. and Mrs. Russell, are
given in the drawing-rooms of the truly elect
This keeps the rabble out and insures
the sensation. 1t is the same old
protest that we are always ready
to enjoy listening to the protest against the COM
monplace, the ugly, the stupid, and the crude in
our modern ways of talking. and walking, and
dressing-the protest that must, in the ma
ture of things, be eternally made and eternal
ly disregarded. Of course, it is easy to ridicule
but it is not altogether matter for ridicule. IL
we are so straitened by the iron circumstances
of the nineteenth century and the North 4Ameri-
can climate, and the necessity of making a liv-
ing being none of us precisely like the lilies Of
the field as not to be able to make beauty Who'll
ly our own it is at least good and refreshing to
have our attention called to it occasionally.