The Indianapolis journal., 1890-02-02

surpasses other cities. unless Ii be in the
number of people who entertain"
The wife of the senior Justice OF the Su.
preme Court was next interviewed. Said
she:
Entertainments are not q whit more
extravagant now than they werc twenty
seven years ago, when came to Washing
ton. L distinctly remember the elegance OF
the first dinner attended. 1t was gwen
by Chief justice Chase, and he escorted me
to the table. He was then a member of
President Lincoin's Cabinet. Many time
since / have recalled the menu of that
night. and do not think any subsequent
dinner has surpassed it. Of course there
were no teTapin or canvas backs. as peo-
pie did not consider them a luxury then.
The table appointments were sumptucus.
There was one wine set of bohemian
glass that was the most beautiful
thing ever saw on Washington table.
Mrs. Sprague reserved il when her fathers
effects were sold. 1t was dinner to be
remembered" sighed Mrs. Miller muslngly.
I'VE sat nearly three hours at the table.
That reminds me of the modern fad, for it
deserves no higher name. OF rushing through
a dinner in an hour and half. 1t IS an ab-
surd custom. People do not go to dinner to
feed, but to talk. and IL the courses are
rushed through guest will not have time
to raise his eyes from his plate. The feed
ing process is death to the success of any
kind of entertainment. Positively / have
risen from q table hungry, although from
twelve to thirteen courses had been put De-
fore me. We ought to take even a longer
time TO serve our dinners than the En-
gllsh, for we have 80 many more courses"
"What makes the successful dinnerT
asked.
FIRST of all" replied Mrs. Miller, ''the
guests. They should not exceed eighteen
in number. although high official must
often have twice that number. Then they
should know each other so that there can
be current Of talk around and across the
table. / have been at dinners where did
not know either of my neighbOrs. Second,
the service. There should not be an in
stants delay in the courses. The moment
guest finishes one thing the other should
be put before him. Third, the
choice. and service of wines. Fourth.
| tho chef. / do not think house
can have a reputation for characteristic
dinners if they have a caterer. Everything
| should he cooked in the house and in an In
| dividual style. When q caterer serves you
| can shut ysur eyes and fancy yourself in
| good dinner, with wines. with twelve guests
| ought TO be gotten up for $50. Wines and
| flowers in certain seasons are the greatest
| expense and next to them the meats. The
total expense of getting mp dinner has
| exactly quadrupled since came to Wash
| ington and they tell me this year that can
| vas-backs are So apiece instead of a pair"
| Mrs. Justice Field Is also one of the most
| noted dipner-givers of the United States.
| She said:
''Of course. dinner is the most expensive
| entertainment that one can give. A lunch
| con would probably be next. for tea costs
| comparatively little. A good dinner can
| be served, If the host has his own chef, at
| sS per cover. OF course. that does not in
clude wines. They cost about as much per
| cover as the dinner itself"
Mrs. Sherman has lived in Washington
| more than a generation. She said:
Il think there has been reform in the
matter of dinners this year. They have
| not seemed to me as extravagant as in the
| last few years. and at all the places where
| / have been they have been notably simple,
| One thing, the courses have been short
| ened somewhat Washington has
| givers. and they are surely the
most pleasant, as well as the most difficult.
entertainments to give. | should think an
| admirable one could be given for SIS per
cover-that, of course. including wines. If
the hostess has a caterer 1t might cost con-
siderabiy more. Other entertainments
| have varied some. The evening receptions
have become larger and more extrayagant,
| and the teas less ceremonious. What we
| used to call high tea was q much more
| elaborate entertainment than it is to-day"
| Mrs. Senator Quay said: There have
| year than L have ever known, and
| / think it is because people have been
so depressed by. the epidemic of in
fiuenza Some dinners have been given
y
| en- last season. They are the pleasantest
entertainment for older people, but il is
equally true that they are the greatest
| trouble to hostess. When have given
guests, as think they lose their intimate
| friendly quality If more are at the table.
With one or two exceptions do not think
Washington dinner-givers are whit more
extravagant than those of other cities"
The wife of the Senator from Kansas
| said:
"The best entertainers In Washington are
not the most extravagant ones believe
Senator Evarts has the reputation of CIV
ners. and one never hears of their extrava-
CANT qualities but always of the men who
were there. and what they. said. Justice
and Mrs. Field give ideal dinners, and
1nsfs too a4 the gnsss fnsn Play more I'M
dinner depends for its success on
| three things-the service. the wines,
and. to me the most important part, the
| guests. 1t Is there the hosts tact shows
| itself. for he will give any number of din
| ners rather than bring uncongenial people
| together. There is some truth in the state
ment that Washington entertainments
grow every year more extravagant, but the
| reputation comes from a very few wealthy
| people who winter here and spend small
h fortunes on single affair. Their sumptu-
| Gus entertainments keep people of modest
| income from entertaining as they would
hho, out o.Ou tuoAt uoiuko dio SIodtly OK
aggerated."
Ifound Mrs. Senator Hearst at home, and
asked her as to the cost of Washington din
ners She said:
81 gave an entertainment last winter at
which 1t was reported the flowers alone
| cost $4,000. i was in New York shortly
| afterward. and q friend asked me if had
| heard the account. i told her that had
received papers from every part of the
| country commenting upon my extrava-
| gance, and then she asked exactly what
| had paid. / told her the exact truth when
| l said $3.50. Even if 1 had been so i'm
beetle, | could not have crammed S25 600
! worth of flowers into my whole house.
| What kind of an entertainment do
| prefer to givei Dinners, of course They
need be no more trouble to a hostess than
| any other entertainment, for the first one
| she gives she learns that worrying does not
| improve any accident that is liable to
| occur. like small dinners Twelve. TO nv
| mind. is the perfect number. although in
my new house the dining-room is large
| enough to seat twenty-eight. When came
| to Washington l was told that every one
| gave very large entertainments, and / said
| that / should stand by my prin-
| ciples and give small ones, even if
| had to give many. They told
ME that / could not do it. but
have, for / will not invite my friends
| to crush. 1t is not hospitality. At my
| dinners | serve fewer wines than many
| hostesses. as do not favor such a variety.
| do not use California wines entirely, but
to great extent. because of their purity.
! At luncheons use embroidered linen, in
| colOrs. but for the dining-table like all