Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-13

more intellectual being than the one who
| rattles away about new figures in the ger
man and has full fund of gossiping jokes to
relate. but the labor question and the tariff
are as much out of place in q ball room as n
beefsteak would be on the counter OF a candy
store" He proceeded to give an imaginary
conversation which ran thus:
| He-"Oh, Miss Blank how glad am to see
you, have such an excellent joke to tell
you"
| She-"Oh, do tell me. Let's sit over here in
the corner where we will not be interrupted.
He-"Just guess what it's about?'
| she-"Oh, am dying with curiosity. Is it
| about pearl buttons?''
| He-"No: guess again"
She-"Then it must be cotton ties and bag
ging.''
He-"No; wrong again."
she-"Oh. do tell. What is it about?"
He-"Well, then, it's about tin plate
She-"Tin plate How very interesting. Have
they actually got the factory started? There
| is really nothing that SO adore az tin plate
Now. let. w imagine the beginning Of a con-
versation on thoroughly frivolous matters.
He-"Oh, how dye dof Are you happy9'
She-"No; I'm never happy"
He-"Of course not. Clever people never
are"
she-"Are you happy"
He-"As a clam"
she-"Clams are stupid. I'm afraid don't
like clans. prefer oysters"
He-''Then I'm an OYSTER
she-"But oysters are dumb, and you talk
great deal"
He-"Yes, but oysters are happy and you
i IKE them and am happy and you like me;
therefore I'm an oyster"
They laugh and go dancing around. They
have talked nonsense, but it Is a great deal
harder to talk nonsense brightly than it is to
talk about the tariff stupidity.
WHEN THE SEASON BEGINS.
But to return to the subject of the season
allusion not being made to winter or spring,
but to the season when parties are at their
height in Washington. 1t is a great deal easier
to say when the season ends than when il be-
gins. 1t always used to be an accepted fact
that the reception by the President on January
l marked the formal opening of the season in
Washington and such is, to certain extent
the case now; but this year the CAV world was
pretty active from the latter part of December,
How far society may be affected by the White
the time being.
IN oLDEN TIMES.
There is always, by the way, q set of old
fashioned people who deplore the degeneracy
OF modern times and sigh for the good old
days when the White House was "exclusive'-
the definition of exclusive being a house
hold arrangement which is not so exclusive but
what 1t includes yourself-when 1.-The great
unwashed' did not invade its precincts ami
when Presidents had the courty manners
which are supposed to belong to kings. People
Of this kind have forgotten, if they ever
knew. that the great unwashed'' fire.
quented the White House lust as
much, if not more, in old times
than they do today. Everybody must re-
member the picture which history has left us
OF Thomas Jefferson lounging on a sofa and
receiving anybody who came to him with the
familiarity Of country gentleman sitting on
his porch entertaining his neighbors on Sun
day afternoon, ana his visitors were ordinary
everyday people, and not many OF them were
what are now called ''swells." 1t is doubtful
II the White House has ever been more thor
oughly democratic In its style than it was under
the second President who lived in it.
DURING PRESIDENT JAoKsoN's TERM.
Andrew jackson, too, was not fond of stiff
ness He used to storm about his study, thun-
dering out denunciation against the United
States Bank, blowing clouds of tobacco smoke
from corncob pipe. and often his principal
garment was an old dressing gown. The old
fashioned people who long for the good old
times OF exciusiveness would have been sh ocked
II they had seen the throng OF people who were
constantly admitted to lunch in the White
House dining room during "Old Hickory's"
reign. Not that jackson himself was not ono
OF the most conrtly of men when he wanted to
be, but he let anybody in the White House
and didn't hedge himself around with artificial
forms. When it comes to good manners the
as the men who filed the Office in
the beginning of the government. Gen.
Washington was "a swell, :" it is true, but was
he more of one than President Arthur? James
Madison had benignant. calm manners, but
were his manners any more captivating than
Gen. Garfeld's? The American people don't
choose their Presidents because they are good
bowers and scrapers, but the mistake is in sun.
posing they ever were chosen on this principle.
THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON.
The beginning formally Of the season in
Washington may, however, be generally said
to be the White House reception on January l.
Then follow the cabinet receptions and the
season is in full blast. 1t isn't very long after
all, hardly more than two months, but a great
deal can happen in two months. Two peoale
who are going to make each other happy br
miserable for life may meet during these two
months. They live in excitement, il is true.
and do not see much of one another in n
natural and quiet way, but they see each other
often, and after Lent comes they become
friends and something more.
The philosopher who has been quoted be-
fore says that the season is good Institution
the most attractive form and men nave ON their
best manners, and SO they naturally succumb
to one another's charms.
LATE AT NIGHT DURING THE SEASON.
During the season there is not much enthusi-
asm for sports except possibly horseback riding.
The pleasure making is Of . society order.
Any bright afternoon and on a rainy afternoon.
too, for that matter, the streets are gay with
carriages and well-dressed people calling from
house to house, and far into tho night the clst-
ter Of carriage horses sounds upon the asphalt.
What bawling there 10 of coachmen and police
men when the party breaks up! Go to the
Presidents and hear the different tones 70
Blanks carriage" cries deep-voiced
policeman. The cry is passed on by q coach
man with high falsetto to husky-voiced
individual, to q baritone, to . tenor. until
it is intended. To tell the truth, drivers and
hackmen are an important part Of the season,
and so are walters, too. The happy individual
who has large acquaintanceship among the