The morning call., 1890-12-07
RUHAMAH'S
LETTER.
Events and Gossip in The City of
Washington.
Tie ChsrmiDg Daughter Of the secrstary of
Safest. Elias. the JUMPING Mountain
Of the Nor,hland.
Special to THE SUNDAY CALL.

IN A:S family have been setting their
dates and making their plans with referenceto
the coming OF the Brazilian Admiral SIlyelra
and his feet, which is to return the visit OF
our Admiral Walker and his white squadron,
and TO express an appreciation OF the
prompt recognition of the Brazilian Re-
public The decorations of the mansion
were hurried forward, that the State apart
uents might lie ready for a ceremonial re-
ception, and the engraved invitations have
been ready for a fortnight. waiting for the
date to be written in. After keeping
every one on edge for days, and ships
ard men on the lookout at the en-
trance to New York harbor for week
past the Brazilian Admiral and his
feet arrived in New York on Wednesday,
took Thanksgiving dinner in Washington
on Thursday and lunched with the Presi-
dent on Friday. The Admiral and his Off
GERS nearly persisted in the nipping Novem-
Der air ot New York. and whole crews were
beBumted and nearly petrified by the time
they were anchored there The Admiral
and his officers even found Washington q
little TOO autumnal TO be comfortable and
viii only stay until Monday. The Admiral
is anxious 10 get his ships away to lower
ATTITUDES before lie loses all his men by
pneumonia, and the warmth of the official
welcome extended him cannot altogether
keep his teeth from chattering. The official
presentation Of the medal and papers from the
Brazilian Republic took place before high
official company at the White House at noon
on Friday and was followed by a luncheon
in the state dining-room. In the evening
the house was Illuminated The first state
function of
THE WINTER
W. baIl ~, 4bo
society came together and was surprised to
find itself SO large body without the pres
ence OF Congress, and besides all the diplo-
matte, naval and military uniforms there
was display Of toilets and jewels worthy
of the high season. The blue rooms new
decorations, the soft and evenly diffused
light from the many electric lights hidden be-
hind prismatlc masses Of cut glass, the even
temperature of the apartment and the
breathable ar came IN for much praise.
Mrs. Harrison wore n charming heliotrope
velvet gown with much white and silver bro
eade i'll combination with it, and carried an
exquisite bouquet of Rink roses and orchids.
Instead of the line Of Cabinet officers wives at
her right there was Admiral Silveira and his
officers to whom the guests were next pre-
Sented. The house was at no time crowded
and twice during the evening Mrs. Harrison
left the blue paflor Oh the arm Of Admiral
Siveira, and making the tour of the rooms
gave him opportunities for meeting again
AiOSG VIII udu pdSStu III succession before
him. The Admiral speaks English per-
ifectly, and has delighted all who have met
him by his ready conversation. Mr.. Blaine
was surrounded all evening after lie had
gone through the formality of presenting
the members Of the Diplomatic Corps to the
President and he had with him his young
est daughter, Miss Hattie Blaine. Miss
Blaine Is one OF the most charming young
girls IN society, simple and natural i'll man
ner and dress, so graceful and gracious as to
" ana Hla Of har
the easy, dropping, half courtesy which she
made 10 the President were matchless. Her
brown hair was drawn loosely to a soft
Knot low down at the back of her head. and
the severely simpleswhite gown without re-
lief. ornament or flowers was
PERFECTLY IN KEEPING
With her style and manner. However much
the young men may admire, older men, her
fathers friends, are united in eXtolling Miss
Hattie Blaine as the most charming girl they
know. Mr.. and Mrs. Letter brought their
second daughter 10 present to the President
and Mrs. Harrison very opportunity ON the
night before her formal debut. The second
Miss Letter is more blonde than her beauty
sister and has not the classic regularity of
features which has made Mary Letter the
success OF Washington, Newport, Lenox and
London seasons. She wore the gown which
the greatest arbter of fashion in Paris had
decreed should be the thing for a debutante
10 wear on her presentation. 1t had almost
tAC oCNCIIlS anu Vi d wedding
gown, having straight, clinging skirt Of
white satin that lay an inch on the floor at
the back, and was utterly devoid of
trimming. The bodice was a tight jacket
with long hip pieces and the full sleeves of
null were banded lengthWiSe with narrow
White ribbons. Mrs. Letter was so dazzling
by reason OF her tiara and necklace of
diamonds and sapphres that none could
take their eyes away to see what Worth had
laid down as the law for a debutante's
mother "a Of
uniforms made the few civilian officers Of
the Government and the small contingent of
Senators and REPRESENTATIVES conspicuous
ID Their e1farlng black clothes.
That was a nice little trick the Geographic
Society OF Il Pacific Coast played upon us
OF the National Geographic Society of Wash
L gton in stealing the first thunder of our
Mount st. Elias expedition. When this So
c!ety, to which pay my annual dues, de-
cided last winter to distinguish itself and
actually add to geographic knowledge
AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION
Was determined upon, and an exploration
fund started by volunteer contributions
OF the members and their friends. 1t was
decided, alter much discussion. to stay by
our own continent and country and 20 TO
the whitest peak OF Alaska rather than to
darkest Africa, to New Guinea or the Ant
arctic. Major Powell, Director of the Geo.
logical Survey, and also member Of the
society, allowed Mr.. l. c. Russell to so in
NhoiS ~ VI VIC GUILTY. cAptUltlOu WITH one
topograpner from the survey corps. These
Two were considered as detailed for prelim-
mary survey work by Major Powell. and
allowed their regular salaries and the usual
GIMP expenses which they would incur
should they have gone with any Of
Inc Government surveying parties to
Utah, Arizona Or Idaho. All the other ex-
penses of the expedition, the hire of camp
hands and packers at Seattle and Juneau
the provisions, ETC., and the TRANSPORTATION
10 SftE9 m at from no cOciat W. al,
ton fund. The results of the expedition
belonged TO the Geological Survey and to the
Geographic Society, and no publication or
reports could be made by right or courtesy
without the permission of the Director
OF the Geological Survey and the President
OF the Geographic Society When the ex-
petition reached Puget Sound Mr.. Russell
fastened directly to Washington t. report to
the survey and the society. His young
topographer, Mr.. Kerr went to San Fran
cisco, where the Geographic Society OF the
Pacific Coast waylaid him and had him give
to them lecture on the 23d of October, a
month before the National Geographic So
ciety had arranged to have the first
be honor even between geographic
societies, and the sharp practice and enter
prise OF the Pacific Coast society is much
more he line of the beats" and scoops
of sensational journalism.
The National Geographic Society. how
ever, h d its field-nght this week. Lincoln
Han was rented for the occasion and packed
by The members and
AN INTERESTED AUDIENCE.
Professor William T.. Harris. Commits
sioner of Education, introduced MIR. Rus
sell to the audience. The President and
Mrs. Harrison having been previously en-
gagged to attend the wedding of the daugh-
ter Of an old Indianapolis friend sent very
sincere messages of regrets, and deputized
Private Secretary Halford and Mrs. Har-
rison's niece, Mrs. Dimmick, to represent
them in their box. The British Minister
and Lady Pduncefote, Miss Paun:efote and
two of the legation secretaries filled the ad-
joining box. while Gardner Hubbard Secre-
larry Window and the Faculty of the Johns
hopkins University, General Greely, the
Russian Minister and innumerable celebri-
tles dotted the house. The lantern pictures,
showing peaks. glaciers and moraines, were
received with applause. especially one show
ing the huge lnoss-hung trees of one of the
dense spruce forests, and another showing
knee-high tangle of wild flowers on