The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-02-15
GOSSIP FOR THE GIRLS.
Alice Confides TO Dear Louise the
Goings On in Washington.

MY DEAR LOUISE; AS we are now in the |
pentential season, 1t is not amiss to begin this
letter with mourning subject. 1t has been re-
Gently matter Of calculation with me as to
how many months in the year the public build
ings are "without the trappings and the signs
of Woe" Like Mrs. Waule in middle March,
they manage always to have on black, for their
friends are continually dying. 1t is hideous
custom to tie up these buildings in black, thus
destroying their fine effect
While the sudden and lamented death of the
Secretary of the Treasury ended the functions
in the official circle, the ball was kept rolling
with greater vim than ever in social cliques.
The cessation of official entertainment was a
gain in time for private society, as many even
ings were thus left free, and SO, in the last ten
days before Lent, parties, germans, and recep-
tions multiplied
Lately another subject of speculation has
presented itself. "Do the Dead See Us?" This
question occurred to me as l contemplated the
naughty air OF young woman, "a resume of whose
family history had been given me by an old
gossip, and from it | made story of the girl
an evidence of the law of compensation.
The story luns that the maternal ancestor kept
most ambitious spirit through the downs of
ife-she never had any ''ups," but sustained
her soul through the carking cares Of providing
daily bread with the hope that they who were
with her and Others to come would grow up
toward the sunlight and act the part for which
fortune had ever kept her. Well, my dear, il
the spirits of the departed are permitted to re-
visit "the glimpses of the morn," the soul of
that good woman basks in JOY at contemplation
of the fulfillment of her own ambition in her
descendant, whom, l observed, struck the
happy medium in placid haughtness to erst-
while chums and was your most sincerely hum
BILE servant to those floating on the top Of the
wave. Such is life There are and always will
be people who are invited to the banquet
and others who are asked next day to
finish up the scraps-af1d one cannot be blamed
for getting tired of the scrap diet, when ones
soul is fried with "vaulting ambition" The
little meannesses one discovers in the general
intercourse OF society are, to my thinking, far
overbalanccd by the grace, agreeabeness, and
generosity displayed. These qualities, like
cement, keep society together.
Many of the drawing-rooms in this city are
real studies of grace and refinement. All things
considered, society is great and good institu-
tion; it encourages cheerfulness and conse-
quently must be, under proper restrictions, pre-
servative of health. Manners are softened and
improved by the refinements of social inter-
course, and it is only the restrictions and con-
ventionalitfes of society that prevent the stock
and money jobbers of the present day from re-
lapsing into barbarfsm.
In spite of the fact that Mrs. Harrison has
cleaned the Augean stables-for the White
House may be truly SO called from the written
accounts of the accumulation of dirt found
there by the present mistress-the family of the
President suffers from ill-health The latest
theory is that the great palms and ferns are re-
sponsible. Mrs. Harrison told lady that she
believed the presence of these trees in the state
apartments at official functions were the cause
of the frequent indisposition of Baby Mckee
and his little sister These big tropical growths
have to be placed in position day or SO before
reception, and probably remain a day after,
and thus really have ample time to affect the
atmosphere of the White House. 1 have read
that while nothing is healthier near house
than trees in the sunshine, SO nothing is more
deleterious to life than trees in the shade.
The Corean Legation awakened to life when
its charming little mistress announced two
Tuesdays in February. 1t is perfectly astonish-
ing, even to Americans, to see the progressive
spirit of the Coreans. Mrs. Ye, wife of the
charge d. affaires, is able to speak English
with facility. When we think how many Amer
lean women remain for years in O foreign
country without mastering the language, we
cannot look but with admiration at the
perseverance and intelligence of this little
representative of the women of Corea. On
Tuesday Mrs. Ye wore a gown of light-blue
brocade, made after the Corean fashion. The
charge d. affaires assisted his wife in receiving
her guests In the tea-room two young ladies
dispensed the hospitalites of the legation A
large number of the Diplomatic Corps paid their
respects. The Japanese Minister and Mrs.
Tateno were much noticed. The latter is GER
tainly the handsomest Japanese woman we
have had among us.
Fashion-that word that sways millions-says
that garments appropriate to the Lenten season
should be In dark shades and in severe tailor
made fashion For the quiet musicales which
are always among the Lenten ameliorations,
gowns of black lace and chiffon, with garniture
of vioets or purple ribbons, are very appropriate
and distinguished l am also told that at the
little evening diversions permitted in the peni-
tential season the floral decorations are to be
emblematic. Violets, white narcissus, lilies of
the valley, white Japanese lilies, and Roman
hyacinths, with the double hyacinth of dark
| purplish tinge, are the Lenten flowers for house
| beautifying. The vogue of the Greek idea in
| dress is very pronounced here. 1t is certainly
| artistic, not only for tea gowns, but for house
| and evening dresses. have seen such beauti-
| full combinations of the most delicate yellow
with softest blue-pink with violet. But most
| beautiful of all is the combination of white and
| gold. Try it and get golden flllet for your
| hair.
Did you read an account of the Vanderbilt
| presents to the last Vanderbilt bride, Miss
| Louise Shepard, who married Mr. Scheiffelin
! last week? She got stars and suns-in dia-
sand dollars from Mrs. William III. Vanderbilt,
| Miss Shepard's grandmother. Mr. George
| Vanderbilt provides the funds for trip around
| the world, in the most luxurious style, of course.
| The bride and her husband Qucky man) will
start in March on this journey. Among other pres
| ents of great value was dinner service of solid
| gold. Could a royal bride hope for more?
| Such amusing stories are floating around anent
| a recent spectacular wedding here, and / do
| think pdter .familids on such occasions should
| be squelched if he show any inclination toward
| taking the company into confidence with regard
to expenses. Certainly it is hard to tell what an
| actor is going to do when he is forced into a
show against his will. 1t seems on this occasion
| al& Il