The morning call., 1891-02-22
RUHAMAH'S CHA1nFY
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Notes Of Society Events at the National
Capital
The Last Week of the Gay Season Has Come
to Close, and 1t Has Ended With an
Avalanche of Tears Mansfield.
Special to THE SUNDAY CALL

WASHINGTON, Feb. IA, 1S91-General
Sherman lived so long in Washington, and
was so much a part of its life, that his
moving away seemed only a temporary
affair. Each winter he came down for one
or two short visits at his brothers home,
and with his energy and restlessness left
few of his old friends or old haunts I'M
visited. General Sherman felt his enforced
retirement bitterly, and his nearest friends
protested Indignantly at the fact of his
being GO years of age being any reason for
his retirement, but General Sherman HIM
self voiced 10 protest ami submitted like a
soldier to discipline and law. st. Louis
offered him no field and not enough of ex-
citement or employment, and after few
years in that busy commercial city, where
he was almost alone of his class and out of
sympathy with its business men and
millionaires. he moved his family to New
York. In that great center. with its many
interests, its cosmopolitan tone, its clubs,
and its constant come and go of old friends,
he found more congenial sphere. The
metropolis offered a field for his activity,
and conquering its great distances and keep
ing pace with its busy social life, was mild
sort OF campaigning for him. Dining and
theater-gong filled his evenings week
in and week out and as in army days. Gen.
eral Sherman was III the midst of, or begin
ming the real enjOyments when the younger
men with him were exhausted and COM
p!etely WORE out in trying to keep up with
him. He was in Washington about
the holiday time, did round of dinners.
lunched at the White House, and, as he al
ways does when he comes here, looked up
all the widows and army friends in trouble
or illness that he had known in gayer times.
With this last week the gay season osten-
n n nIC. ooh hill
solemnly all day Wednesday, and THUS
days postmen had their
sATCHELs LOADED WITH INVITATIONS
For every manner of entertainment save
dances. 'Oh, such a winterw says the old
French woman, who, as leading confec-
toner and caterer of the city, has had So
clal affairs in her keeping for more than
thirty years. "Never have l known what
it was to be busy BEFORE" and with an en-
larged store and double the number of de-
livery-wagons she has not been able to keep
up with her orders. The day of the great
brushes, the jams to which every one was
asked and all the rest went are passing by.
The size that the city has assumed for one
thing necessitated the breaking up of the
one great circle into many small circles.
Official entertaining Is not now so whole
sale and lndlScrlmlnate, and with rational
dinners succeeding irrational crushes, there
Is reason and Intention in the Inequalities
offered. Even in entertaining in Con-
gressional circles the individual and not
the committee or constituency are conSid-
cred more, and society is unQuestionably
improving III tone by the change. With
the beginning of Lent dinners double and
treble i'll numbers and feasting is more the
rule than fasting.
The real season ended with an avalanche
OIL teas, an assembly ball ana the annual
ball OF the Mexican Legation, which quite
surpassed the balls of the past two sea-
sons. The floral decorations were most
elaborate, and the house was a blaze of
electric lights throughout. The ball opened
with Mexican DANA, OF lancerS, led by
Nine. Romero and Senior Pachece, who had
taught the figures to the other dancers with
them, and the graceful sort of minurt was
received with favor. Although it was the
en9 Oh the season, there were as many new
ana handsome gowns worn as if it were.
GAYETY's VERY BEGINNING,
And the electric lights searched out and
told OF every diamond aud jewel there
The Cabinet families were, of course, alb
sent, but all OF diplomatic and higher off
clal circles were represented, and il was
one of the notable large gatherings of the
year.
Richard Mansfield has made himself such
social figure in Washington-that his weeks
engagements greatly affect the social calen-
oar Besides being hidden to more break
fasts and dinners and late suppers than he
with four understudies could consume, So
ciety has stormed the theater in large par
ties. Mrs. Townsend, the daughter of ex-
Representative Scott of Erie, Pa, who.
although living in Philadelphia, prefers to
spend the gay season here, gave theater
party of 100 on the second night of the
Mansfield engagement. Afterward the 100
took supper and danced at Mrs. TOwnscnd's
house, and MIR. Mansfield joined them. Yes
terday Mr.. Mansfield gave a special musical
matinee, with programme that was me-
lange OF everything, and, after the manner
OF his matinee and invitation in the autumn.
sent 10 Mrs. Frank L0ring all the orchestra
tickets for her TO send out as invitations to
her friends Next as theatrical event
comes the Bernhardt engagement aud So
clety is on the qui vive to see the contents of
the no trunks and four baskets of snakes.
Mrs. Garfield, who started for Washington
immediately upon hearing of Secretary Win
d0m's death, IS still here with her daughter.
Mrs. Stanley Brown. Mrs. Browns home
is in the next block to the Window home.
and for these two years the families have
continued their
INTIMACY, BEGUN SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
Mrs. Window always had Mrs Brown to
assist at any entertainment or reception,
and The Window daughters, who are of the
same age, were in and out of Mrs Browns
pretty little house. Mrs. Window has been
often remarked upon for her resemblance to