The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-05

by participant to your correspondent, ex-
hiblted this charming though careless crea-
ture surrounded by no less than seven young
men, one Of whom sat on the sofa by her
presently said:
Now, Mr.. Jones. your Eve minutes isup;
it's Mr.. Smiths turn"
Upon which Mr.. Smith took the place on
the sofa, vacatiDg it five minutes later IN
favor Of MIR. Robinson, who in turn gave
way to Mr.. Brown, and 80 on until each one
Of the seven had had his share Of the EN-
brace, when the game began over again. In
defense OF this system of receiving her ad-
mlsers, the young woman imply remarked
that such was the manner in which single
lover did his counting where she came from,
and that, receiving so much attention as she
did. she was obliged out of politeness to
divide the thing as fairly as possible. No
body could accuse her of any impropriety
Of conduct-at all events, not without hav-
ing her nose slapped-and she was pretty
enough, and her father was rich enough to
do what she pleased
The worst thing, by the way, about the
chaperon system, as il is pursued in Wash
ington, is the carelessness shown usually In
the selection of the persons to do the pro-
priety. Mammas seem disposed, as rule,
not TO question who the chaperon is going to
be, SO long as a chaperon of some sort is on
baud. But it is obvious that chaperons are
Of all qualities, and it sometimes happens
and such things have been heard Of in
Washington-that they lead their charges
choice is ordinarily in favor
of a poor chaperon. rather than g good
one. At almost the last party of the
post-Lenten season this spring a matron
Of stern and even ostentatious virtue
CHANGED to lift aside curtain OF heavy
drapery in an odd corner and beheld, with
out herself being observed, a tableau that
struck her all of heap, SO TO speak, with
horror and amazement. For in the corner
known in society, in the act of being re-
peatedly and INTERESTINGLY kissed by good
looking young man. Anxious to make such
use of her accidental observation as would
be calculated to do the greatest possible
damage to the girls reputation, the matron
restored the curtain noiselessly to its place,
and, tip-toeing away. brought three other
old hens more virtuous than herself. had
that been possible, to take look and bear
witness.
"Yon wouldn't have believed it if I told
you" she said, $50 just lock for your
selves"
Sufficient ocular evidence having been
thus obtained. the four virtuous ones pro-
ceeded the next day to organize, with some
success at first, social boycott against the
young woman caught in the act. But the
circumstances of the conspiracy having
come 10 the knowledge Of the best and most
fashionable set of young men III the Metro
politan Club, they got together and agreed
that they could not afford to have such a
penalty set upon kissing. Furthermore, they
sympathized with the young lady, and so 1t
was agreed among them that for the next
month two of them should call upon the
boycotted fair one each day and take her
out walking. This plan they conscientiously
followed out, and the result was that at the
end of two weeks all the young women
who had agreed not to speak to her were
overwhelming her with attention, and the
conspiracy was exploded. You will under
stand this perfectly if you know how scarce
bachelors are in Washington. Such rare
birds are they, in truth, that the chief
reason given for the fact that a certain girl
here is the belle par excellence of society is
that "she does not refuse to speak to other
girls if she is talking with a man."
fragrant instances do occur o. misbehvior
at Washington social observation-disclosures
too frequent of gross intoxication on the
part Of guests, and even such exceptional
freaks Of improperly as visitors helping
himself to bite out of lady's plump arm.
This little Incident did once occur here.
But the foreigners are certainly not to be
accused of participation in such offenses.
which are directly attributable to the mixed
condition of general society here. There is
an exclusive set of cultivated, and for the
most part, wealthy people, into which ad
mission is not easily obtained; it is to So
ciety at large in Washington what the Aston
set is to society at large in New York. How
ever, society at large at the capital is al
ways willing to accept pretty nearly any
one-certainly any one who has money and
entertains lavishly. People come here from
all parts who could not possibly be socially
received where they have dwelt and made
their fortunes, but who quickly rises to the
top in Washington and migrate from hence
to Newport and Tuxedo, by Jovew As
for the young unmarried man who has
social ambitions as yet unfulflled, let him
travel hitherward and be welcomed into
a paradise Of pretty girls and desert of
this respect of the youth
Shepherd, now languishing in Jail
for petty forgery, who came
to Washington awhile ago and became the
dude of the town, retiring to his dungeon
cell at length with the proud record of hav-
ing compromised a score of young women
in the fashionable swim, a senator's daugh-
tiers among the number, whose letters he
sold to their family for good price. And
let the gay bachelor remember that this is
the greatest hunting ground for heiresses
yet discovered. No end of rich people come
here to live, and there are no available
husbands for their daughters, save a num-
Der of young gentlemen, CLERKS in the de-
partments, who chiefly compose the bache-
lor element at the capital; for the men who
cannot make their living in that way here
must go to other cities for bread and butter.
If the foreigners are disposed to amorous
dissipation-and, after all, it is actresses
they chiefly affect-they are sufficiently
well bred to keep their intrigues quiet.
Maybe they are naughty, but they do not
make scandals. Almost the only exception
to this, easily recalled, refers to time not
very far back when Chinese prince, nomi-
nally attached to the legation, fell in love
with an American damsel residing near
Dupont Circle. He gave her enormously
valuable presents, all of which she accepted
with complacency; but when he proposed
matrimony she laughed at him. why"
said she, "do you suppose that would
marry a man with a pigtailF'
Whereupon the enamored prince deliber-
ately went and cut off his pig tail. Per-
haps you do not know what such an act
meant 1t signified the abandonment of his
princely prerogatives-nay, more, his ban
ishment from the empire of China. And
after he had made the sacrifice. the young
woman again refused him with scorn.
Early next morning q body was seen