Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-02

ARRELS of terrapin
]. Z ! ! ! !: !. !. !. !. !. " ! J.
~ - S\at S25 per dozen; crates
N1YMASJof canvass back ducks
>sN%EkY EM& at S. per pair; thou
EZ9%kA EG\\ sands of ices at 81 per
| Mg&ET BAl lplate; these are some
HEETNpI V&/of the extravagances
TS\~ that are slipping down
some of the throats
Of the Capitals visiting population
this season. Then the flowers. Who can
compute the gold that has gone up in the
odor of orchids at 81 apiece, roses at $40 per
dozen, white ilacs at 30 cents per spike and
lilies of the valley at 10 cents a stem. On
the altar of New Year week SO, 900 worth
of blossoms were sacrificed, for during that
time Roswell P. Flower put $1,000 into the
flowers of his only daughters wedding.
The fruits we use are also costing gold
galore. Twice in the social history OF the
Capital opulent hosts have foated strawber-
ries in their white wines when it cost 25
cents apiece to bring each berry from Cali
fornia to Washington. Ex-senator Palmer,
our present Minister to Spain, treated his
guests to such a luxury last year, and this
winter these 25-cent strawberries rolled over
the palates and through the larynxes of
Senator Stanford's guests when he dined
Mrs. General Grant. From all accounts
that dinner of Senator Stanford's to Mrs.
Grant was one to make your eyes bulge out
and your mouth to water. There were only
IL guests and they ate from plates OF gold
and silver. The queen of plenty" had
scattered roses all over the table and under
each bit of crystal there was a napkin of
point duchess lace while the long table
cover had border of the same priceless web.
Instead of linen the finger bowls rested on
napery of lace and the lordly terrapin was
served in individual silver tureens. Every
piece was of the same costly nature and the
epicures Of the Capital describe the dinner
as gastronomic poem.
A CHINESE MINISTERS FEAST.
The last Chinese Minister gave a dinner
before he retired, at cost of S28 per cover,
and the wines usedat this feast are not in
cluded in this estimate. His bill OF fare in
cluded sharks fins and birds nests. The
two best dinners of the present season have
been the state dinners of the Executive Man.
sion and those given by Vice President
Morton. Both series have necessitated re-
form in the number of courses. The time of
sitting at the table has been cut down, and
the first state dinner at the White House
this year consumed only an hour and three
quarters, and at Vice President Morton's
the guests were at the table only an hour
and half Secretary Blaine and Mrs.
Zach" Chandler pronounce President Har-
risoh's first state dinner one of the best they
t.n nNrn nyVn naT - L
OF our, dinner hours promises To- bea asueeese,-
The cost Of state dinners makes one of the
serious inroads on the Presidents salary.
Most governments feed their Presidents and
pay their society bills Uncle Sam gives
him house and he finds himself. Custom
makes him give at least four State dinners
every year, and inasmuch as each one of
these costs him at least $1,000, it will be
seen that the sum total is worthy of consid-
Grafton. Demonet who has for the past 30
years, been caterer for the White House.
tells me that Presidential viands are going
up. He says he served ices to President
Buchanan at So per dozen, and was glad to
get the money. Now he charges 81 a plate
and does not think this at all too high.
MRS. PRESIDENT HARRISON.
Mrs. Benjamin Harrison enjoys dinner
party more than any other entertainment.
and next to q dinner she is fond of a
luncheon. She makes an admirable hostess
for both and she intended to give many
little affairs of both kinds had not her pro-
gramme been changed by the deaths in the
administration circle. She will say nothing
of the cost or extravaganza of Washington
dinners, but only states that she thinks they
are very pleasant feature of the Capital.
or as her daughter, Mrs. Mckee puts it: ri
begin to think I am growing old for enioy
dinner so much more than a dance, and it
used to be that never thought of the
dining room when was out in the evening""
Mrs. Morton has made number of inno-
vatlons in table appointments and menus.
She will not have an atom of coIored en-
broidery or lace in her linen. She uses
very few flowers and many fern fronds,
does away with buttoniers and uses bombs
instead of individual ices. A dainty con-
ceit with her is to scatter few violets and a
bit Of lemon verbena upon the water OF the
finger bowls. She has a most elegant table |
service of silver. Her dinners would de-
light Brillat Savarin. What they cost no
one knows, but it would not be strange
thing if the amount of the Vice Presidents |
salary is several times eaten up by his din- |
ners. When Evarts was Secretary of State |
he spent, it is said, $50, 900 more than his
salary in entertaining, and Senator Sher-
man once told me that the expenses of his |
during his Secretaryship of |
the Treasury was greater than the amount |
he received from the Government.
THE AVERAGE DINNER.
The extravagances mentioned at the be- |
ginning of this letter, however, are confined
to the wealthy few. The average dinner in
Washington COSTS $12 and upward per
cover, and the following interviews which |
1 have had during the past few davs with |
the leading ladies of the Capital give much |
of interest regarding the successful dinner.
as to how long it should last, and as to what |
it should probably cost.
My first talk was with Mrs. John Wana- |
maker. She said: 81 attended dinner the |
other night which required one hour and
ten minutes for the serving, and it was one |
of the most delightful affairs of the season.
The host told me that one hour was all |
he would allow his wife for din
ner courses, but that she always took
ten minutes grace. OF course the service
must be faultless aud the courses few. and
am glad to notice that the latter has been
adopted this season. Washington people
90 so much In season that thev are too
weary to remain long at table. Mr.. Wana-
maker thinks dinner should not be given
during the social season, for he says that
people should be at their best at dinner,
which, according to his view, is the highest
type of entertaining.
eyes, it is true" continued Mrs. Wana-
maker, that I do not favor anything but
white linen both tor luncheons and dinners,
Ind do not in the least believe in e1trava-
rant embroideries and laces about the table.
The only color, I think, should be produced
~ ferns and few roses. l never serve
vines"