The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-12-28
NEW YEARS IN SOCIETY.
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means fanatic l am nevertheless strongly op-
posed to the practice Of offering intoxicating
drinks to young men whose habits are not suf-
feiently formed to withstand temptation. be-
lleve that there are few but who will agree with
me that Postmaster General Wanamaker de-
serves high praise for his consistent adherence
to his principles In the omission Of wines from
his table in the face Of all adverse criticism
Were there more such men 1t would be better
for the community at large. l believe that one
should be governed in such matters by con-
science rather than by the mere following of
fashion. would rather run the risk Of giving
offense to the few than risk being the instru-
ment of evil to any. In private life each one
has the undisputed privilege of following his
own inclnations In entertaining, but In official
circles 1t is somewhat different Yet even here
there is much room for discretion, and should
never offer wines or punch upon an occasion OF
a promiscuous gathering, though do not Danish
them from my table. like the established GUS
tom OF keeping open house on that day, but
when 1t degenerates into merely formal round
OF calls upon comparative strangers 1t loses its
most attractive feature.
NEW YEARS HOUSE PARTIES.
IA charming innovation already INDUCED in
at the North is known as house parties, where a
pleasant company Of friends and relations gather
at some hospitable country place in the city's
suburbs and spend several days In merrymsking
after the old English custom of Twelfth
Night In this way true pleasure Is secured
WITH
THE DRESS COAT QUESTION.
1 asked Mrs. Window what she thought of
gentlemen wearing full dress when calling on
New Years Day.
"There is but one general rule to be followed"
she replied. "No gentleman should appear in
full dress until after o'clock unless he wishes
to be thought ignorant Of the propneties.
think that ladies also often make mistake in
appearing in evening toilet during day recep-
tion and display bad taste in adopting decol-
lete style OF gown upon any and every occasion.
Bare neck and arms are never pretty except In
the evening, yet l notice that many adopt the
style upon an ordinary morning reception. l
scarcely believe the sociable indulgence in New
Year visiting will be dispensed with at the Capt.
tai so long as official receptions continue OF
course we will follow the usual custom and be
at home to callers upon the 1st Of January after
my return from assisting Mrs. Harrison at the
White House."
STORY By MRS. SECRETARY NOBLE.
Mrs. Noble says that she has very decided
views as to the offering of wines and that she is
strenuously opposed to the use of liquor of any
kind during an indiscriminate assemblage II
usually take glass of claret or light wine every
day at dinner" said she, shut l should never
offer it upon the occasion Of public reception.
was some years since deeply impressed by
simple incident during an evening reception at
friends house at my home in st. Louis, which
influenced me to take decided stand. The
circumstance was conversation l overheard
between two young people. The young man
was offered glass Of wine by his fair hostess,
who upon his refusal urged the glass upon him.
DO not ask me to drink he pleaded, 'as it is
my weakness and fear to indulge In spirit
Of thoughtless vanity she ignored his excuse,
and, handing him the wine, said, only take
this to please me and drink to my health He
complied rather than to appear ungallant, and
was intoxicated for three weeks afterward.
shall never willingly be the means Of placing
temptation in another's way, and my New Years
receptions are no exception to this rule"
MRS. SENATOR CARLISLE WOULD ABOLISH THEM.
Mrs. Carlisle, wife Of the eminent Senator
from Kentucky, is an advocate of strict tenn
perance. SO consistent is she that upon the oc-
casion of the handsome dinner given last winter
by the then Senator to the Justices of the Su-
preme Court no wine whatever was used
When | asked her opinion she replied:
"Of course you are sufficiently familiar with
my sentiments in regard to the Offering of
liquor not to doubt my answer. l never touch
wine or punch of any kind during all the sea-
sons round of receptions and teas, and never
permit 1t to appear upon my table. 1t makes
no difference what the world thinks, l shall
always keep strictly to my principles"
DETROIT VIEW
Mrs. Senator Mcmillan, of Michigan, said:
~ can only speak from the standpoint of my
Detroit home, as have had but one New YEARS.
experience since coming to Washington. like
the practice in small community, where one
can welcome her friends in an informal social
way, but this can scarcely be followed here,
where the cosmopolitan character of the Capital
compels one to extend her courtesies to all 1t
seems to me, however, that when there are so
many receptions throughout the official season
as there are here 1t is foolish to 90 to 80 much
trouble for one occasion that will seldom bring
any return either In pleasure or profit. Dress
coats are decidedly out of place in morning
call, no matter what the excuse, and as to the
Offering OF wine | always have some simple
claret punch in addition to bouillon and coffee
to hand with light refreshments for hospitality's
sake, and each caller has the privilege of max
people indulge too generously in coffee upon a |
diligence may be carried to excess Let us be |
temperate in all things.'
MRS. SENATOR PAYNE.
Mrs, Senator Payne, of Ohio, mother of Mrs. |
Whitney, said "I often regret the dying out of |
the old custom, but realize that the original |
significance has been widely lost in these mod |
ern times Formerly we never thought OF set |
ting large table In Cleveland, unless for a |
winding up of the day, when large company |