The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-08
AT CABINET LEVEES.
ALI the Noted Washington City
Women May Be Seen.
THE wANAMAkER RECEPTION.
Gossip About the Callers-HaIf the SEN
asers and Representatives. Think
Themselves Society Men.


re>nondenCe. Lent begins next Weines-
day and Washington society for the next
fortyt days VII, metaphorically speaking.
put on SacScloth, eat fish ON Fridays and
squat IN tae ashes of repentance The sea-
son has been gay one and the dinners, teas
and receptions have been numerous and
extravagant- The cabinet receptions gave
chance 10 the tourists and the bridal
couples TO see the noted women of Wash
ingion, and the cabinet ladies tell me their
callers were numbered by thousands
These cabinet receptions are peculiarly an
American institution. All the wives of
President Harrison's counseiors are sup
posed To be at home every Wednesday
during the social season and the doors are
thrown open toall. | suppoSeit would be
small estimate to say that Mrs. Wanamaker
has shaken hands with a0,oso people at
her Wednesday receptions TINS season and
you could hardly crowd the cards she has
received into q two-bushel basket Let us
Join the crowd OF tourists and make call
upon her. The streets are dry, the day is
pleasant and we walk. going past the
White House, by the Corcoran gallery.
past the Metropolitan Club, where Count
Arco Valley with his monocle tightly
pinehed by the flesh around his left eye,
looks at rs; and on up TO Farragut square,
on the south side of which is now rising
the creain-coiored brick mansion on the
ruins OF the fire which caused the death of
Mrs. Secretary Tracy.
THIS wANANAKER RECEPTION
At the corner OF Farragut square we
turn TO the right along street and stop
before big square three-story mansion of
red brick with q sort of Graeian portico
over its front door. The street is filed
With carriages and coachmen and footnen
IN livery. with bugs on their hats, sheer at
us as they sit stiff and straight on the car
riages OF the nabohs. A wide awning ex-
tends from the front door TO the edge of
the roadway and there is a carpet laid
across the sidewalk and up the steps in
order that Dame Fashion may not soil her
feet in coming in. A portly butler stands
ct the head of this and the door has appar-
entity opened by magic, swinging noise
lessly back on its big brass hinges as We
walk up the steps. He takes our cards on
what looks like collection plate, and
motions us 10 the right. We keep on our
wraps and go in rs our names are an
nounced in loud tones. A handsome lady
in evening dress stands near the door. 1t
is Mrs. Wanamaker. She is straight. we'll
formed and fine looking and the smile
with which she shakes our hands is genu-
inc one. She says word or so about the
beautiful day and then passes rs on to the
other ladies of the reception party who
are also dressed with trains and
who are among the distinguished
women of the country. / note
that one of them is very pretty and that
her dress is corn-colored silk and that
another has on light blue crepe with
gold girdle and trimmings. This last lady
is quite young. She has beautiful form,
and her face has strength as well as beauty.
Her name was slurred over as we passed
by her, and my friend asks in q whisper
who she may be. s'Why that. was my re-
ply. lis Miss Minnie Wanamaker. She is
the daughter of the postmaster general,
and she is one of the brightest girls in
Washington.
THE diplomats are crazy over her and
she is one of the best catches in America.
Wanamaker is worth at least S., 0o0, 900,
and he has only four children"
SOME OF THE CALLERS.
These words are whispered and we move
back under beautiful painting and L give
running comment on some of the Wis
itors as they enter: sThat gray-haired
lady in black, with the bright eyes and
fresh face, is Mrs. General Logan. She is
well-to-do now, and she is Just beginning
to go into society after her husbands
death. She drives one of the finest turn
outs in Washington, and there is no more
popular ,e, weman .,l IN the ,ts country try
behind her is Mrs. Major Tucker,
and that tall. fine-looking man is her hus-
band, the major. You see men call here
as well as women. and the old call as wen
as the yonng. That tall. thin old man who is
now shaking hands with Miss Wanamaker,
is Horatio King. lie was postmaster gen.
eral over forty years ago, and when Buch-
anan was president and JEFF Davis soci-
ETY. beau, he had the place that Wanna
maker has now. He is 70 years old, but he
is as bright as a dollar. and he especially
likes young girls, and viii give you an in
PRODUCTION if Yen want 1t. Ny friend
replied that she did not care to be intro
duced just then, and / went on.
THAT tall lady with the rosy cheeks and
brown hair is Mrs. Senator Sherman. She
10 fine-looking, isn't she. She
has been in society here longer than
Horatio King. and she came here wit
John when he was elected 10 congre
away back in 1854. "
Before Won were born ?h
Eyes, know, but she likes TO go calling
as well now as she did then. and this
Washington society is thing that grows
on YOU What lot that woman has
seen. She knew Harriet Lane.
She was noted lady when Lincoln
was president. and for four years
she had the same place that Mrs. Wanna
maker has now when John Sherman was
secretary of the treasury. She has been
one of the leaders of the senatorial circle
for years and years, and she presides over
the senator's big mansion on X street.
That girl with her is her daughter Mary.
She Will probably be as big an heiress as
Minnie Wanamaker. and she is one of the
best-iiked girls among tile daughters ofthe
senators.
WOMEN WHO owy MILLIONS.
Eve seem 10 have struck the rich people
today. That plainly dressed lady there,
who Is just coming into the drawing-room
is Mrs. Stanford. She don't look like the
wife OF the richest man IN the country,
but von ought TO see her at big dinner or
az a White House reception. She wears
Jewels at such times that are worth n for
time. and have seen her when she had
necklace said TO be worth $l0o,n0 shining
ont below that characteristic chin. She IS
q woman Of great common sense, and she
believes in dressing rightly at the proper
places. No one makes afternoon calls
except in street dresses. and you
see that ali the costumes today are simple
in the extreme That white-haired man
behind her is another Washington char
acter. Note his Jolly. Bacchus-Iike face,
his white hair, his rotund form and his
courtly airs That is the greatest old beau
and his fzYn. = General