The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-03-01
GOSSIP OF THE GIRLS.
Alice Confdes to Dear Louise the
Goings On in Washington.

woman's field of work. Carlyle, you may re-
member, quantity says, "The wages OF every
noble work do lie in heaven or Nowhere" and |
for many years the truth contained in this OBJ
servation was comforting to over-burdsned
women who believed that woman's work in the
nature Of things could not gain that eonss-
quence which belongs to the doings of men.
But the wheel of time, my dear, has changed
all this. Woman's intellect is God-commis-
stoned and has its work to do, and in the po-
ltical religious and business world her inhu-
ence is now felt, whereas formerly the social
world was her only field. l suppose you think
l am going to give you lecture on woman's
rights. You are mistaken, however, for don't
think you need instruction on that subject. am
only going to call your attention TO the fact that
one of the delegates to the Woman's Council
claims to have been the means of defeating
Senator Ingalls, This comically reminds me
of the lines:
II tell you it was dark and stormy night
When those big cats went out to fght
One had a bone-the other had none,
And that was the way the fight begun"
February waa month specially devoted
among the ancient Romans to services in men,
ory of the departed. In this month they cee-
brated their great festival in honor of the dead
it was called Ferdlid or Februa, and hence
the name February was derived For the year
of grace 1891 this name is singularly appropri-
ate, for it witnessed the funeral ceremooiss of
the most conspicuous survivors OF the war
Sherman and Porter. These men filled noble
places in the eternal world. March-their
hour on the clock of time was strickland
they "were not" OF Sherman's obsequies
you know as much as l do from the daily
papers. Admiral Porter's funeral took place
here, and the services were very beautiful and
impressive.
Since the 11th of March, 1889, when Admiral
and Mrs. Porter celebrated their golden we'd
ding, the former has not appeared in society to
oof -
been in poor health, and her place in the enter
tainments at the Porter mansion has been filed
by Miss Elena Porter, now Mrs. Charles
Campbell. On the occasion Of the golden
wedding two years ago 1 well re-
member the beauty of the scene and the ele-
gauce OF the entertainment. The floral decora-
tions were chiefly of flowers of yellow or
delicate golden tint. Jonquils, yellow tulips,
and Maresehal Neil roses gave glory to the
handsome suite of rooms; here and there an
nunciaton lilies were set in the mass Of yellow
bloom. The President and Mrs. Harrison sent
to Admiral and Mrs Porter large floral slipper
made Of golden asters and filled with white
roses. This slipper rested on pill
| roses. The Admiral wore his uniform
and Mrs. Porter superb gown of gold brocade.
| The central ornament of the table in the dining
| room was a towering wedding cake, three
stories high, decorated with golden ornaments.
Yellow tulips also adorned the board. All the
| world of society there. Among the COM
| pany particularly recall Surgeon General Bax-
ter, of the Army, who also has recently joined
| the 'great Majority Last Sunday night the
| Military Order of Washington In the District of
| Columbia, held Sublime Assembly Of Sor-
| row." and l never in my life witnessed more
| impressive and solemn scene. When the cur
tain went up there was at the front of the stage
burial casket wrapped in the Stars and Stripes
The grand officers Of the District organization
were grouped about on the stage, many of them
wearing the regalia-others clad in long black
and music by the Marine Band. Patriotic
as well as religious hymns were given
| in the bands most mastery manner
A ,quartette of male voices rem
dered Dolemn chants. Members of the order
| in long black robes with slow and stately steps
1 paced around the casket to the plaintive notes
| of the ''Marche Tenebre" After kneeng for
some moments around the casket they retired
| to the back part of the stage. A number of boys
| and girls, the latter in pure white the former
in black, now appeared, representing the youth
of the land. In their hands they carried lighted
candles. After pacing around the coffin and
kneeling by it they took position at the side of
| the stage, and then number of beautiful girls
from about seven to twelve years of age slowly
marched in. They were also clad in white and
carried baskets of white flowers. After render
! ing homage they took the flowers from the
baskets and heaped them on the coffin. These
beautiful children gave place to the Stanford
Rifles, clad in the dress of the Old Continentals
and commanded by Capt. George f. Pickett.
Then Mr.. w. g. Raines, the grand orator, land
never was name more deserved) delivered dis
course on the uncertainty Of human life. After
he had finished darkness enveloped
the theatre. In the deep gloom
the casket was carried to the back
of the stage The voice of the Grand Comman-
der was heard in these words: ''After death and
the grave comes resurrection and light and life
eternal;'' there was burst of light and the
tomb at Mount Vernon stood out in the most
realistic manner. The bnnd played 'Nearer Ny
God, to Thee'' while the casket was carried into
the tomb. This is a bare sketch of the beautiful
ceremony of the 'Sublme Assembly of Sor-
row." There were many prominent people
present. In one of the boxes I noticed Mrs
Gen. Sheridan, who is beginning to emerge
little from her mourning retirement. The
President and Mrs. Harrison were expected but
failed to appear. OF funeral functions It hal
always seemed to me that there could never have
been one more solemnly impressive than thai
OF Louis XIV. The records of that distant daN
tell us that the church was hung In black anC
filled with trophies of the monarch'e pas
glories Massillon ascended the pulpit ant
contemplated the scene for some time il
silence, then said in subdued voice, sGot
only is great" With ono impulse all the audi
tory rose and reverontly bowed before the altar
. With the advent of the demi-train for women
: dresses comes the startling news from England
(Which is headquarters for mons fashions
that the coming frock coat will have very lonl
skirts, reaching within foot OF the ground
i have seen just one Of the new hesh-colore1
Veils late Parisan fad. 1t is of very feec
tulle, and of just the delicate tint lovely com
plexion ought to be.
You know we have the grip still among ua
Our mutual friend, Anne B, permitted IN
to look over some old letters of her mothers
| Nv n ham af fbao