The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-15
GAYETIES OF LENT.
A Peep Into the Curious Clubs
Of Washington City.
PROMINENT LADIES WHO DANCE.
The Bellies Of the Kitchen and How the
Cooking Stove Married Them or
Clubs - Gambling Hells.

WAsHrxerox Ctrr, Feb. Especial Cor
Sespondence. LENT began this week, and
on Ash Wednesday Washington City
society inflated its lungs with the cir Of
sackcloth and ashes. During the day
society tasted, but on Thursday the plans
were laid for . series of mild entertain
ments, and the prospect is that the Lenten
season win be even fuller Of social gather
ings than usual. There will be quiet little
breakfasts and luncheons, mixed with the
church-goings and prayers, and the scanty
mealssof tho day will be made MP by biz
dinners ct night. There will be S O'Clock
teas, and there will be big bali in the
center Of the season. The theaters are
always we'll patronixed during Lent,
and the thousand and one societies
which have been organized in
Washington City will hold their
little entertainments and the clubs will
flourish in all their glory. Washington
City is peculiarly city Of classes. There
Is nothing in the heavens shove or in the
earth beneath, or in the waters under the
earth that ID not represented by club at
Washington. These clubs are literary,
social, gastronomic, terpsichorean, ath-
letic, sewing, and Of every other imagin-
able character. They are really clubs, but
they are called classes, and they are
feature Of Washington City society which
you do not find otherwheres.
rAIR LADIES WHO DANCE.
The dancing class organized . year since.
and which during the present season has'
been holding fortnightly dances, 10 per-
haps the best entitled to prominence, al
though it Is IN reality the one of the whole
list which resolves itself into nothingness
during Lent. The articles Of incorpora-
ton having been duly drawn up, it was
found ct the first dance given last season
by the class that several undesir-
able elements had somehow crept
In, despite all efforts to make the
organisation most tremendously ex-
elusive In its character. To eliminate
those detrimentals without being aggress-
ively rude was the problem which the
swell members propounded among them
selves, finally hitting upon happy solu.
ton of the difficulty. The rule being that
the class should meet each week in turn at
the house of q different member, the
proposition Of several Of the detrimentals
to be among the early entertainers, was
quickly accepted. When the evenings
arrived, the unsuspecting hostesses at
the very last moment were over
whelmed with an avalanche of
dainty notes in which the writers
deplored their inability to attend the meet.
ing Of the class on that especial evening.
BY apreconcerted arrangement, the male
members down on the list of swells failed
70 put in appearance and the notifying
consciousness that they were being treated
TO genuine freeze-out was gradually
horne in upon the consciousness of the
unfortunate female who had aspired to
identity herself with those who considered
themselves the elect of society.
On onel occasion where an elabor-
ate supper had been prepared for
so guests. there was hardly score present
to partake of the lavish hospitality. The
chaperones selected were in the majority