Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-12
STARING PHILADELPHIANS.
Mr.. Curtis Breaks Up the Union League
Reception.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12-The Union League
club had invited the delegates to a reception at
o'clock last night and W. E. Curtis, repre-
senting the State department was asked to at
tend at $50 O'Clock. He did so, accompanied
by his wife. The wife was admitted, the hus-
band was shut out upon the steps,
III you VIII not admit me at least permit my
wife to rejoin me-" urged Mr.. Curtis. At 3
O'Clock Mr.. Curtis got in. Soon after the del
egates with their wives and daughters In full
evening attire began arriving. They were
directed toward the basement of the club house
to lay aside wraps, but we're detained there by
the reception committee until all attractions
should have arrived. Then they were led to a
large room above, where the entire party was
ranged about two sides of the room in a semi
circular row. Then hundreds of people were
started on tour of inspection, the guests
being the subjects The local ladies nearly II
not all wore bonnets and seemed TO have had
no notion that the amenities of polite circles
would be understood, much less observed, by
the Central and South Americans.
Many evidently had expected to find the
women wrapped in Indian blankets and the men
perchance with feathers in their hair. This
was evidenced by frequent remarks as the
crowd, every one of whom had come to the
Union League club by card of invitation, moved
past the row of visitors four abreast
why, these seem to be very ordinary looking
staring hard at the guests. ''ies, madame. and
they understand every word you utter" shot in
an American member of the visiting party who
stood with the string of attractions.
There were few, if any, introductions of the
local people to the guests, who stood awkwardly
to be gazed at, the ladies being indignant and
mortified and the men wondering that such in
civility could possibly be the result of an
oversight of the local managers.
MIR. Curtis at length went TO Mayor Filter
and expostulated against making the party a
show for idle comment and impertinent star
ing. 1t was in vain.
Our people have come here to see these
folks, they expect to do so. and it must be, "
was the response of some one.
This shall not be continued any longer "
protested Mr.. Curtis to Mayor Filter soon
after.
''Our party shall not be kept here on exhibi.
ton any longer and if you do not break this up
l shall feel 1t my duty to interpose the prior
hospitality of the government to protect these
guests from such indignty. l shall ask the
party to leave and return to their hotel"
This was effective and without any breaking
up for introductions the visitors were led to d
room, where they we're fed and soon after sent
to their hotel
The delegates at IL o'clock this morning in.
spected a sugar refinery, after which they spent
an hour in the University of Pennsylvania
where lunch was served. At lunch the party
was joined by the ladies, who had previously
been rendered an extremely pleasing reception
by MIR. George W. Chilcs at the Ledger office
The rest of the day is being devoted to Cramp',
ship yards and several iron industries.