Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-05-16
DINING OUT.
OF a WOMAN AT
NATIONAL TABLES.

4
In the White House-A Story OF
Gen. Sheridan - Dinners With
Charles Sumner.
''Think of me with envy" Thackeray said
to an English friend in Paris who had
called to take him to a dinner party at
which both were expected. Sir Joseph told
me that, so far from his being ready, he
found Thackeray had sent an excuse based
on very slight cold, and had settled him
self to complete comfort. In loose morn
ing clothes, with his feet to the fire, he was
established in q deep armchair, with small
table beside him; ON it shaded lamp, with
a roasted pheasant, claret and fruit, and by
way of company new French novel. This
made the entertainment he had bid his
friend remember ''with envy'' when he
found himself imprisoned for two hours
next an unknown person, possibly dull
one. 81 thought nothing was lacking to
my comfort, but TO see you in evening rig
and know I've escaped from what's ahead
Of you makes me settle down to complete
enjoyment of my book and my bird. Just
say you called for me, but found me cover
ing over the fire"
Thackeray's well-known dislike TO formal
dinners is shared by many who, like him
self, are fashion of the time and liable to
be invited because they are fashion, not
for the real charm Of the man, which can
never come out naturally in that sort of
company.
No way o. meeting IN society is more
thoroughly agreeable and refreshing than
the small dinner where congenial people
meet, where the six or eight chosen persons
at the table can talk freely together and the
different minds give freshness to each topic,
and where gay nonsense has its underlying
knowledge and bias of character. Such din
ing as this is the fine Towering of civlliza-
ton, and is best found in the great centers
where the easy play of minds together has
been growth. But all favoring conditions
are nothing without tact, that faculty COM
bining all faculties into harmonious and IN
slant perception and execution. This is
vital to social success, and, as the Scriptures
say Of charity, "all else is naught without
it," 1t is as much lovely gift of nature as
the artists eye or the musicians ear, an en-
viable charming gift which training and use
can develop, but not give.
Constantly one sees people puzzled DO
cause they are not the social success they
believed inevitably due their position or
thing in the finest way. They can not see
why some little house round the corner
succeeds where they fail and gathers the inn
portant and charming people whose verdict
makes the law OF fashion a law unwritten
but irristible.
Washingto eives'eminent example of thu
There, above all places in our country,
society tact is talent of value. For it is
the only city in our country where there is
fixed order of society whose established
1artf
precedence, which no other consideration
can alter. With the foreign representatives
the once voXed question is settled by the
date of arrival. The minister longest resi-
dent leads.
For years little Hayti has had precedence
OF England, Russia and Germany. At Off
cial dinners this rule governs and even in
the numerous delightful small dinners out
side the official people it is respected if Off
Gals are there. If these are nice, as well as
OF importance, they are treated with pleased
consideration, for as Mr.. Tom Appleton
said of man with half million of money,
''we must not think the less of him on that
account especially she-is not nice.
however they will be left OFT of the most
pleasant things.
AS for charming woman, though she is
an autocrat and power everywhere, nowhere
is she so much a power and on so high a
level as in Washington. The most truly
representative society OF our country meet
and numbers OF unusual and talented men
have 10 come for longer or shorter time to
represent important interests before depart
ments, in Congress and before the Supreme
court
The enforced leisure after the brief busy
morning makes OF them adelightful conting-
ent to the more established society.
And as Washington belongs 10 all, all feel
at home there in this beautiful meeting
place of the nation; IL is fit place now for
our nation, thanks to Gen. Washington and
tie French military eng neer, Mai pEnfant.
who designed its noble plan. 1t is the only
city which has had the advantage of grow
ing up on a fixed plan, as IL is our only So
cety ordered on fixed basis, and the re-
suit is a sense OF harmony and repose.
Except in London, have not known else
where the same variety and charm in din
ing out.
No one considers the stiff. formal dinners
at the Presidents as pleasure, hardly as a
compliment, for everything is so ordered
that the feeling of its being obligatory can
not be lost. 1t is no relaxation TO meet en-
masse the same people who must meet daily
on their affairs, but all the supreme court
and their wives come in one fell swoop, the
Cabinet and its belongings altogether dip
lomats, wanting and needing to meet the
best Americans, are confined TO their own
corps, and the Senate and House are told off
in lots of forty TO suit the space in the large
dining room. Once there was selection,
governed Oy rcaSOuS OF pOllJlcdl ana person.
al afhnitles- but Tor long time IL has been
made alphabetical, which has led at times
to unsatisfactory neighbors for those ''hours
of Imprisonment Thackerary dreaded
The unknown neighbor may prove a bore,
but the tOo-knOwn is worse, for in these
large companies your neighbor is your fate.
All the worse if a pleasant pors )n is on
your other side, for formal dinners exact
the letter Of the law and allow no poaching
on a neighb)rs rights.
The daytime receptions at the presidents
gather strangers as well as the fixed socie-
", and some of the most delightful little
dinners are given impromptu BY those who
know how to look around and gather bou-
quet. so to speak, from the pleasant people
met there. The space back Of the president
in the blue parlor has always its charming
little crowd.
Going around among these, ''Can you
come to-dayGn Clarkson Potter used TO ask
eff not today then tomorrow" With an
unpretending, but most comfortable
house, good cook and the company always
the very best and most agreeable, this
charming mans invitations were sure TO be
accounted IL nos siblo rhprn can navar Ia