The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-29
TURNING TIE YEAR.
FELIX COMMENTS ON DECEM-
BER'S LAST WEEK.

.,a the Complimentary Fancy Ball
mia rrincctonlans Entertsined-Hsp-
peuings.
There are especial seasons when topics
low ripc for gathering and are passed
round upon the social board, like as the
.,,1nctions Of nature in their own time are
s.r,ed for our enjoyment. just as in the
.orins time when the lilies blossom and
Cine roses bud, we linger over strawberries
and cream, SO when the year is dying and
,., DAYS are chill, do we dandc over the
,beme Of the 20 be or not 10 be Of festivities
e.. herald the birth Of the new year. Why,
Chi, question for 50 long scarcely permit
tinr of debate from the unanimous aflirna-
live that sanctioned its decision, should
,,,,, Doe greeted with a shrlg Of the feminine
fashionable shoulder an uplifting OF
tha brow and scorniul curling
~ the thin lip. We wet not, for certes once,
and the time not long since, did we, one
.nl all. account IL the very crown jewel OF
iii io,ous occasions. IL was day when
f...l,itv made light the air we brcathed.
,,hen badness unallOycd made light our
l.4ri. that beat. when buoyant spirits
made light our lCcting steps, when we
framplcd upOn form and cOnvcniionalitv,
ike the twin tyrants they are, and under
fbe dominion Of the charmed day extended
.uch hearty hand for greeting clasping,
and such a cordial. earnest wish for "a
usrnv New Year thai il seemed a speedy
mlhilmcnt Of the Christmas blessing,
.peacc and good will on earth TO men,
When "a child has the privilege
offo.uc what oiGor ones do. II thrills with
5rlle. 80 with us in comparison with the
ald world. q new world. and a new people,
ID i- something 10 cherish that we could per-
f.uatca custom that Taciius praised a.
worthy 0f observance In his day, festival
iilf bon England was accounted Of such i'm
fa.rf that IL late rs the reign Of Charles II,
,f. cost, were rcck0ned among the public
D.trnditurcs Of the court Who disiains
f.. sweet clear note Of the hooking bird,
because 10 echoes the music Of other ihro"ts,
,aI IS hO could trOwn down the sentiment
f|1f nu the first day Of the year found MS re-
sounding the echo Of jahr' which,
waited bF the winds Of good wishing, comes
with sladue-s laden from the distant Ger
man land. the land where's Goethe, where
schiller. and where llcinne sang Of the New
J car JOYS.
But despite these coupled reasons, practi-
cal and romantic. for preserving the ancient
en.f.n of New Year receiving, IL must be
confessed that they stand for naught under
fhe Stern cdict Of fashion. The king offolly,
with the royal signet. stamps veto upon
fhr cause. and the mob cries, Down with
NV Years receptions, Death 10 the ola
customs. and long live the new.
Politically We may be and are a glorious
and free Republic. Socially We are mon
arrly. fttcrcd and bound under a sway
fhat should make us blush 10 own such
tyranny. Germany says. You have no ola
customs. uo sentiments NO. we say;
.fhnr are chesfnuts now. They make It's
fri. They are not SWELL England says,
..,0u have no ancestral homes, homegrown
churches" NO" we say; "some ivy ana
-.ln begun 90 crow ON the church. but when
n-hf paint became fashionable for eNterl0rs
NO. core 10 down 10 frcshcn the paint.
Franco saws. ..you, too, have had great
vir 100 this country, but you have no MS
f0r.r monuments Of it, NO. we say;
.fe had prison. II was upon site iuil
off stirring war "reminiscences. but blg
Western city bought IL for a dime museum
-Hw."
A., usual with Xmas week. the gaities
were tangled together with queer but
charming diversity. The Fledglings, the
ml-fcdecd. aud those on the downward
sweep of DIE. hqNe all made merry in various
WAYS. mH AN 10 the same end oi happiness
ani Xmas cheer. The week was ushered
DOB ht the Richmond German. Most ENJOY
abb. 10 was. bat rather less crowded than
u-ual. Those present were: Mrs. Phillip
UnNau Mrs. Connolly Mrs. George Ross,
Nr- William Royall. Mrs. Sallle lie
fnl Mrs. Thomas x. Marshall. Mrs.
N.fnDn Z. Freeman. Mrs. Pickerell,
Nr-. B.. T.. Patrick. Mrs. Allan DOnnan,
Mrs. William Talbot, Miss Rene OF ono,
Miss Gordon Of Baltimore, Miss Colds
borough of Baltimore. Misses Williams OF
New York. Miss Edith McCurley, MISS
Mary cullen. Miss Mary Anderson. Miss
con lH smith Miss Bessie Addison, Miss
Mary 1alcott Miss Nirgie Archer Miss
Fannie Archer. Miss Fannie Ross MISS
tuuio Camm Miss Nirgie Brock, Miss
Ha-aHe Winston. Miss Mary Lewis, Miss
Bessie Pace. Miss Helen Montague, Miss
Jennie Mcphan. Miss Mary loIng Miss
Mary Cameron Miss Leila Meyers, Miss
Columbia Hayes. Miss Elise strother, and
oilers.
Nma- night was quite given up to small
and informal gatherings, almost every
home being merry with the flowing boWl
and ioy-makng. Misses Sallie and Mary
Anderson invited. for some Nmas romps in
their home. several intimate friends.
The same evening Mrs. l.. I. Robinson
and Mis-. susie Mcdowell gave small,
though very elegant. cnisriainm mt IN
honor of the Misses Williams. Of New orh.
Tuesday evening Mrs. John Hunter en-,
tertaiuod "a few friends, and on Monday next
Will give very charming entertainment "
the frNay German club.
Prominently a social feature OF the week
was Wilson Barrctts engagement AT Inc
Academy. Every performance was greeted
70, the elite Of the city, showing their ap
Irecis;ion of high art IN the drama. ou
Thursday evening the audience was rem
dersd more brilliant by being partly com
posed at 70 large theatre party given by Mt
and Mrs. John l.. Branch. The guests
were an boz fun dress, making the iootlight-
flash upon radiance as rare below as aDON'
their taper. The ladies We're: Mrs. John Kerr
Branch. Miss Rene. Miss Ellie Branch. Miss
Sulit MAYO. Miss Leila Myers. Miss Mamie
Myers. Miss Mary Cameron, Miss Mary re
cram. Miss susie Mcdowell, Miss Josephine
LYONS. Mis- Rose Gordon OF baltimore
Miss Fannie Ross and Miss Mary Connolly
Messrs. John Il. Branch. Blythe Branch
.iOhu fyOns. Charles Sirngiei0w. Fred
Peasants. Freeman. of England; Mother
sin. of England: William Ferguson, james
Anderson. Edward llannewmckel, William
IauncW Fred Scott. Edward H01son
John Young. Barton Wise. DIR. j. Il. Nc
cav and Governor Fitzhugh Lee. After Tho
performance. the guests were entertained "a
70 supper. whose elegance has never peer
surpassed iu our midst. Mr. W llSOn baI
rett made one of the paaty, and sat at The
centre with Mr.. and Mrs. Branch Governor
lee and br. McCaw. while the other guests
were seated at small tables. sixteen
COURSES. with conversation rs sparkling AZ
tho wines that flowed, occupied the hour
until night was ready 10 give place todawh
Friday evening was fun of events, but the
one claiming the first hOnors and nrst no
ticc was tho largest, most brilliant "at
home" of the season. Mrs. Charles Wat
kin. wa. the hostess. and the honor was to
her sister. Miss ODER, of Baltimore. The
house Was here and there made shadowy by
ue Insurance Of palms and ferns, ana
sul, lighted in other places by agiow that
C,raped from the petals Of flowers ana
films Of lace covering the many lamps.
Prom a hidden vista in the background
cam. the unceasng sounds OF melody, ana
"A here n1ltu