Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-16
SOCIAL MATTERS.
Penitential Duties and Mild Lenteu
Designations.

season of social designations in which eyerv
day of the calendar and every hour in the day
had ITS imperative social engagements, the
counting extra-are doubly welcome to FASH
ions followers. This long season of abstinence
from certain forms of social endowment
Is. BY the common consent of society.
occupied by milder forms Of endowment
into which are introduced a modicum of
prOpitatory penance in the way OF acts that
rebound to the benefit of the poor and suffer-
ing the improvement Of the health and the intel
lectual and spiritual life. So WashiDgton's so-
eiety leaders and besux and bellies are deyotipp
themselves TO sewing circles that work for the
orphans, the poor and the heather; reading
circles, the organization of various charitable
enterprises riding driving and athletic clubs.
and 10 attendance upon special church services.
There are people who profess to believe that
the Lenten quiet IL mainly valued for its free
dom from social duties because j; gives needed
time for the spring shopping that every house
hold requires, for the spring cleaning and the
taking stock of closet belongings and for long
list OF dinner and luncheon-gying and receive
ing. In New York city the scoffers vow that
the Fifth avenue bellies spend the spare hours
that this season Of cOntrition brings them in
darning their dainty silken hosiery.
Il Is not upon q narrow basis OF thought and
action that the season IL spent in the capital
city. IL - too cosmopolitan to be fanatica and
exclusive. In the matter of church works
take tor instance the daily 4 o'clock services at
ST. Johns. when prayers are read and some
hymns sung. and on Fridays DR.. ". A. Leonard
reads short lecture. the house is always
crowded The congregation is not composed
entirely OF EpiscopalIans. for members of other
churches are found listening 10 the service nor
with all due respect to the conclusions OF the
Six O'clock club. can II be said that the
congregation is composed entirely Of women
The reading circle Is an interesting mode of
minghng solid information with entertainment
II Is much affected by American women east
and west. A dozen or more ladies elect them
selves INTO a class. They select a course Of
reading that Is at once edIfying and Instructive:
they select day and hour for meeting. and
then each member Of the class takes turns in
entertaining the sodtlity. Some one is elected
10 read each day, the others listening. and, of
course. the best readers are soon dis
covered. 10 would scarcely he cred
tied that jealousies often arise over
claims Of the friends Of rival readers and yio-
lent partisanships thus arise, but such Is said
10 be the truth.
The best known reading circle now in
organization is the Lenten reading class that
Meets on Thursdays. The ladies meet at
n o'clock aud listen for two hours, one of
their number reading; the luncheon is served
and after some visiting the meeting Is adj
lJuTned The first meeting OF the season was
held this week at Mrs. John F. Rodgers. The
members are Mrs. Edward Macauley, Mrs. Geo
Bradley. Miss Mary Waite, Mrs. y. =. Lincoln
lrs. Edward brooke. Mrs. Geo. Wheeler, Miss
julia Scheuck. Mrs. Warder, Mrs. Bugher and
Mrs. A. +. Magruder. Mrs. Tiffany, Mrs Pay
son and Mrs. Ackley. Who are members. are in
Europe and Mrs. AuGenreid is in mourning
Mrs Lincoln. who has fine literary taste and
acCOmp lis hInent, ls the favorlte reader of the
club.
The Lenten Card club is composed of
a score Of young people who meet on
Thursday nights and play cards. The
first meeting held at the residence OF
the HaytIan minister this week. Some
Of the members are the Misses Preston. Miss
4 IT, all.
Idle, Miss Biddle Mr.. Jack Bid,ile. Mr.. Pres
ton. Mr.. Pickering Dodge. Mr.. Webb. Mr. Row.
AN stevens Mr.. HendrIcksOn and Mr.. Ander-
son.
Sewing for charity is one of the most de-
hghtful pastimes OF Lent. Among the most
successful classes IN progress this year are Mrs.
Nelson Browne ). Miss Del Monte :, and that
known the 1T. Johns Orphanage class.
The literary societies also go forward with
increased interest during Lent. Justice and
Mrs. Bradley Will entertain the FortnightIy
club on Monday night. Judge and Mrs. Drake
have invited company to meet the members
OF the Literary club On Saturday night, the 23d,
and the Classical society holds large assemblies
and animated discussions i'll Miss Ransom's
studio.
beautiful charity has been carried by a
number of ladies to a successful footing, one of
the sort that sOOthes and comforts and blesses
those who give well those for whose ben
EFT the donations are made and appropriated.
Every year helpless invallds are being turned
adrift from the city hospital and infrmaries, for
whom nothing more can be done by medical
skill. The work undertaken by these ladies as
"A Lenten sacrifice is to provide and equip a
home for incurables. They have obtained
means and have purchased "a house IN Mount
Pleasant. and it will soon be in readiness to
receive helpless homeless invalids. Contribu-
tions of money, furniture, groceries and other
articles will be gratefully received by the board
Of officers. The president IL Mrs. Sidney Ev-
erett; yice-president, Mrs. Z. Sowden Bell
treasurer. Mrs. T.. Phillips. at whose home all
the preliminary meetings have been held; sec
Rotary. Miss COrsOn; managers, Mrs. j. y. Nor
ton. Mrs. George Il. Loring, Mrs. A. Hopkins,
Mrs. George y. Beale, Mrs. Chas. S. Hill. Mrs.
D. ?. Morgan. Miss N. Z; Blair, Mrs. Wallach,
Mrs +. Frances Riggs, Mrs Bancroft Davis,
Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Julia Strong.
The art loan exhibition and the afternoon
ts.s that are given in connection with it by the
lady managers of the Garfield hospital grow
in favor every day. The rooms of the Morton
mansion are fsvorite afternoon resort for
the roundup OF ladies who have been calling.
walking. or those who come with their prayer
books III their hands from church service
Mrs. A q. Bell was the hostess of the tea yes
terday. Mrs. EndicOtt. with Miss Thoron, pre-
sided over her own handsome silver tea things.
that had been brought from her home, and
Mrs. Endicott also had her butler Ill attend
ance. Miss Dawes. Mrs. DIR. Kerr Miss Brews-
ster, Miss Aileen Bell, and Miss Elliott assisted
and Mrs. Rutherford performed the olerous
duties Of cashier. Among the guests of the after
noon were Mrs PAYNE. Mrs. Taylor, Mrs Hoar
the Countess LeOpoldlne. Mrs. Cockrell, Mrs.
John Bancroft, Mrs. Iullock, Mrs. Van Wyck,
Mr.. and Mrs. Gardiner Hubbard and Mrs.
bentley. The concert in the evening was
great success. To-day Mrs. Hswley, assisted
by Mrs. Ruth. Mrs. Fox, Miss T.. &. Smith, Mrs.
4. l. Thompson, Miss Dahlgren. Miss Edny
Clark. Mrs. George Dyer, Miss sally Jenkins,
Miss Hodges and Miss Church, will preside in
the dining-room. On Monday Mrs. /. Thomp-
will be the hostess of the tea, assisted by
Mrs. Van Wyck, Mrs. Spinola, Mrs. George f.
Thornton, Mrs. Hastings, the Misses PralI and
1rs. McArdle.
An unusual number Of ladies' are keeping
their day at home during Lent. Mrs. Endicott
will soon announce day. Mrs. ID. y. Dickin-
son has taken Thursday and Mrs. j. g. Carlisle
will keep 20 Wednesday. Mrs. c. A. Williams,
Mrs. A. A. Wilson, and Mrs. Maury have Fri
day. Mrs. Fuller, who has been in Aurora "
u, for the past week will keep Monday, after
4oclock- Prof. and Mrs. Enmons, who are
back from their wedding journey, have H-street
day, and see their friends on Mondays.
theater party, in compliment to Miss Lola
Borden, Of Wellsboro, Pa, was given at the
National Friday evening.
Mrs. J. B. Edmonds presided at the Ladies'
Historical society Friday morning. Miss Mary
J. Stafford read an interesting legend of Greece
translated from the German. Mrs. Asaph Hall