Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-10
Written for THE EVENING STAR
SOCIETY AND POLITICS.
What Mrs. Whitney Thinks Of Wash
ington a. q Social Center.

HER INTENTIONS DURING THE COMING srAsoN-
MISS ESDIcorT's MARRIAGE-THR oRooM, HIS
CAREER AND HIS HoME-LoRp sAcKvrILE's
DEPARrURE-How HE WROTE THE LETTER.
The latest turn in the wheel of fortune hay-
| ing made the republican party the possessors
of the national prize, the official and social life
| Of the capital will in few brief months witness
| another shifting Of scenes and the appearance
| OF new characters to play their parts in the
| fashionable drama Of the next auadrennial
epoch.
The leader in the gayeties of the present
Administration has been Flora Payne Whitney.
She has filled the sphere of social leadership
| OF the Administration as did the stately Mrs.
Fish during the eight years of President
| Grants term, and as did Mrs. Frelinghuysen
during the fractional executive career of Presi-
dent Arthur. 1t is interesting coincidence
that the brilliant entertainments of the premier
OF the last Administration were given in the
! same historic mansion which has been the scene
OF the fashionable hospitality of the wife of the
Secretary of the Navy. The unfavorable out
come OF the election will not change the plans
OF Mrs. Whitney. 1t was her purpose to re-
| sumo the varied and interesting gayeties which
have made her home so attractive for the past
| three winters, and then to surrender her res
ldence In Washington and return to her ele-
CANT home in New York at the close Of the
present term of the President. Speaking of
her experiences in Washington social life Mrs
Whitney said:
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
II had heard great deal of the attractions Of
fashionable life in Washington before came
here, but never had an opportunity to judge
for myself We determined when we came
here to do our share in public entertainments
which contribute SO much to the pleasures of
any city during the season, and particularly to
the enjoyment OF the many persons who come
Washington is the social as well as
the political center of the nation. We
understand that New York and Phiia-
delphia and the other metropolitan cities
have their social pleasures, but taken at their
best they do not afford the diversity and nov
city of Washington society. In New York, for
| instance, the seasons gayeties have become
| too much of a routine. One or two grand
evening entertainments and the rest of the
| time filed out with the opera, and the theater
| makes up the sum of New York season.
Now, what is it at Washington? Drawing
rooms so enjoyable to hostess and guests for
their informally and genuine social feeling;
evening receptions where official and unofficial
life is represented. A social gathering at Wash
lngtOn Is always q source Of interest. 1t may
be said to be reflex of the national social life
as 1t embraces persons from many sections of
the country. 1t is cosmopolitan, as it often
| includes the diplomatic representatives of
almost every nationality on the globe. 1t
Is representative of the Government through
the officials and has also the additional inter-
est OF the presence of officers of the Army and
Navy and the prominent personages in the I'M
official social life at the capital The unofficial
society within the past three or four years has
grown almost into Overshadowing importance
1t is now well established and will from wear
to year become more and more national in its
character. There was a time when fashionable
people went away from Washington to enjoy a
season OF unofficial social gayety. Now the
tide has turned the other way.
There is one thing in Washington
not found elsewhere, and that is the ever
changing figures in social life. While these
changes are frequent there is Just enough of
permanency not to have all the changes come
at once. At Washington people from all Sec
tions have an opportunity to meet each other
and get acquainted. This exerts a very benefi-
ciai effect upon public sentiment and strength
ems the feeling of union and nationality. A
season at Washington is really an education"
", Mrs Whitney will be at home informally on
Wednesdays after December l. and after the
opening OF the season on New Year Day will
begin series Of social entertainments which
Will close her residence at the capital. The
record OF the social life of Washington will al
ways keep III conspicuous remembrance the
elegant Inequalities of Mrs. Whitney.
MISS ENDICoTr's WEDDING.
to MIR. Chamberlain, was not an entire surprise,
but there was no authoritative Acknowledgement
OF the engagement or of the time of the pro-
spective event until the fateful day of the pres
ent week when the people were exer-
cising their highest prerogative in
the selection of chief magistrate.
The subject was then preached to the Pr o.
dent and Mrs. Cleveland. and since that time
Mrs. Endicott has made formal calls of an
nouncement Of the engagement upon the ladies
OF the Cabinet Miss Endicott has also sent notes
to the same effect to her most intimate friends.
The affair will be very quiet. No invitations
will be issued, and but very few persons ont
side Of the President and chief members of the
Administration and ladies and relatives and
family friends will witness the ceremony. Miss
Endicott has gone to Salem, but will return to
washington next week.
THE BRIDAL COUPLE.
The distinguished groom has been twice a
widower. In 1861, at twenty-five years Of age.
when still with his father whom he had Joined
in 1854 in the wood-screw manufacturing bust
ness at birmingham, and before he had
achieved name as even local celebrity, he
married Harriet kenrick. daughter of Arcbi-
bald Kenrick, esq. Borrow court Edgbaston
His first wife died inH863. Five years after he
married Florence. daughter of Timothy
Henne. esq, of Maple Bank. Edgbaston. who
died in 1875. Mr.. Chamberlain is a native of
London. where he was born ffty-two wears
ago. Miss Mary c. Endicott whom he will wed
next week, is only twenty-five years old. On
her fathers side she comes down through more
than two centuries and half of Puritan descent
from the gubernatorial settler of Salem in
Massachusetts Bay. and on her mothers side
has the blood of the ancient Salem Pea
bOdy's. Miss EndicOtt has had all the advan-
tages Of Boston culture. She is skilled in the
feminine social 'arts. and will grace the
surroundings Of her husband, whether
at No. 40 Princess Gardens. or IN the aristo-
cratic section of the British METROPOLIS. or at
H1ghbury Moor Green. the Birmingham home
OF the distinguished British radical
THE CONSPICUOUS CAREER
of Mr.. Chamberlain will place the young Amer
lean girl in the first rank Of the social life of
the British gentry which may go higher with
the progress Of his public career. In his public
services thus far he has scored many important
triumphs. He has been chairman of the execu-
tive committee of the educational league. He
has been councilman. alderman and three
times mayor of the city of his residence. Since
1876 he has sat for Birmingham in the British
parliament. He has been the associate of John
Bright, the liberal leader On the formation
OF the Gladstone administration in 1880 he
was made president Of the board of trade with
a seat in the cabinet In the political oues-
tons current in English affairs he is opposed
to Gladstone's Irish policy; he is in favor of
disestablshment free schools and free trade
which. with his experience in affairs and
huency of speech. will make him more or less
potential and prominent. as the ups and downs
OF British politics shall determine. As MAYOR.
minister and memher NJ Cborcha.lo;r