Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-31
NEW PEAR PROGRAMME.
White House FestIvities-Other Coming Re-
ceptions atths CapItal-AIrp. Mckee TO
be First Lady Pro TemDoFe-nIrs. Nor
Inn Rfo elruA h. alo Ea.sv.

be First Lady Pro TemDore-HIrs. Nor
ton Attacked by the Grip.
TFRoM STAFF coRREsPoNDEsTI
WASHINGTON December 30-That most in.
teresting Of announcements to Washington's
official society, the programme of the White
House festivities, is out, and now fashionable
and official social elements will he able with
knowledge to prepare adequately for the grand
round. On Tuesday evening January 2, the
ministerial dinner will occur. ministers Is
now the pr opeF word, for a member of the Cab
met is no more merely Cabinet officer" or a
member of the Cabinet" He is a Cabinet
| Minister" This is select dinner, at which
only the President and Mrs. Harrison, the Vice
President and Mrs. Morton. and the .Cabinet
Ministers" and their wives viii be present. As
yet there iB no other way to designate the
wives OF the ministers except to call them by
! that homely name, but the advisability is being
discussed Of awarding them the title of ''hon.
oTable," as 'the Hon. Mrs. Blaine" and SO on
1t decided thas Mrs. Harrison will preside at
their first state dinner. as it viii be quiet and
exclusive, Of the nature of a gathering Of an
official family. As none of the other state din
ners viii occur until after the expiration of the
month allowed by society for mourning, Mrs
Aarrlson VIII take her place as the Presidents
wlIe and the 1rst lady of the land" and pre-
side at dinners and take part at receptions
ts-f-1
On January IA the evening will be given to
tne gorgeous reception of the diplomats and on
the evening of the 2lst these same gorgeous
diplomats will be diRed and wined for there
VIII be no prohibition atthe White House now
any more than in Cleveland's time, custom
giving excuse for an act which would otherwise
be left out of the programme The fat, good
feeders OF the United States Supreme Court
will be diRed and wined on tho evening of Feb
Fuary This is always one Of the -iolliest of
s!ate dinners, for the Supreme Court Justices
are used to 1t through long years, and are well
acquainted with each other; so there is not the
least serness nor formality.
These are all the official dinners that will be
given previous to the Lenten season, which be-
gins early this year, and is observed by society
because 50 many Of the leaders of fashion are
Catholics or Episcopslians. The receptions
viii begin with the great mob of New ears
ay,when everybody and his neighbor squeezes
into the White House. the only regulation
being that which prescribes the hours for
eacn class|diplomats In full feather, Supreme
Court Judges, Cabinet Ministers, Senators,
congressman and newspaper men and women
being admitted comfortably, each in their
proper turn, before the masses are permitted
nounced that Mrs. Mckee, the Presidents
daughter, will take the place of Mrs. Harrison.
and "tor this occasion only act the role of the
First Lady of the Land.p The Cabinet ladies
have decided, in many interviews. that this is
quite the proper thing, in view of Mrs Har-
rlson's late bereavement, and there is no jeal-
quently. Mrs. Morton, the wife OF the New
York millionaire Vice President and Presi-
dent OF the Senate, will stand second to the
wife OF the obscure indianapolis shopkeeper,
who holds no official position whatever ana
thus Illustrate in way that even the upper
tendon of official and social life can be
graciously and gracefully democratic when it
chooses.
The grand Congressional reception, exclu-
sfvely for Senators and Representatives ana
their wives, will be held the evening of Janu-
aFy e. On the evening of February IL will
take place the reception of the officers of tn
army and navy. about the only time cavalry. ar
tillery and infantry and the Jolly jack tars get
q chance to show their uniforms together. The
last great reception will be held the evening of
February lS for the general public, and there Is
usually crush and jam enough to last even the
curiosity-loving public for the rest of the year
Ihe fashionable people are counting on very
brilliant poSt-Lenten season, as the early ad- |
vent of Lent will end that period Of somber-
time when Washington is full blown with foil
age and flowers, and reVelIng in natchless |
weather. Congress will yet be In session, and |
everybody will be in trim for lively whirl Of |
social dissipation.
It IS learned this evening that Mrs Morton is |
attacked by La Grippe" and may not be able |
to assist at the New Years reception, or to en-
gage IN the supplementary New Years recep- |
tion Of her husband, the Vice President Some |
spiteful ones are already saying that it is a very
influenza which comes around just |
when Mrs. Morton does not want to stand sec
oud to the Indianapolis shoeman's wife at the
White House. but this is really malicious, as
Mrs. Morton is known to be perfectly satisfied |
with the arrangement, and has insisted that it
couldn't reasonably be expected TO be planned |
otherwise. If Mrs. Morton be too i'll to take |
part in either reception, the Vice President |
will either hold a reception by himself or i'm
port relative from New York to assist him.
This. too, will be sort of opening of the re-
modelled Bell mansion, now owned by the Vice
President
The New Year will be q dull day at the resi-
1ences of most Of the Senators as many of the
are out of the city, and among them
both Quay and Cameron. LLGHTNER.