The morning call., 1892-01-17
WASHINGTON
SOCIETY NOTES.
The Stir That Was Created by a Great
Mans Sudden Illness.
Return Of Colonel and Nine. ROnaparte The
Way in Which the Chinese Minister
Scored Social Point.
Special to THE SUNDAY CALL


comments upon a great mans illness; and
they who have lived so long abroad that
they only take the light European breakfast
In the morning and the heavier meal at
noon, are quite surprised that the Blsines
should follow such pad form as to eat the
heavy, substantial, common variety Of
North American breakfast at the beginning
of the day. 1t was real shock TO these
early-morning cCffee-drinkers and toast-nib-
blers to learn that Mr. Blaine was stricken
at II o'clock in the morning because Of hav-
Ing partaken too heartily OF rich and highly
seasoned food at his breakfast some hours
earlier. And he had been with these same
people at the Bonaparte ball the night
before, enjoying the hot game supper at
midnight with the Zest Of the youngest m an
there. Those who know the family best
claim that this indIsposition could not have
happened were Mrs. Blaine we'll enough 70
be always with the Secretary. The strain
and anxiety of Mr. b lanes summer-lOng
Illness so wore upon Mrs. Blaine that she
has suffered extreme pTOStratiOn ever since
the family returned here, aud has not
left her room for weeks Devoted and
vigllant as his daughter Is, she can
not I'LL all of her mothers place; hence,
that unfortunate breakfast Of Wednesday
morning and the scare that was given the
town later in the day. The news, Tying
about during the fashionable calling hours,
travelled the rounds of the Cabinet houses,
where the first formal afternoons at home
were attracting streams Of callers, and grew
with each telling.
SUFFICIENTLY EXCITING.
Society has found this week sufficiently
exciting for all purposes, and entertain
ments worthy of the end Of the season have
blessed its beginning. Colonel and Mrs.
BOnaparte, who have been absent for
couple Of years. spent In France, marked
their return and the Introduction or their
young daughter to society by one Of the
haudsOmest balls ever given. They Sc
cured the new parlOTS and the ballroom of
the Arlington Hotel. which were seVerally
converted into groves and grottoes Of palms,
and an aisle Of palms hid the everyday sur
roundinGs of the corridors leading TO the otel
dning-rOOm. A hot game supper was
served to the elders and chaperOpes at
midnight, and at 2 o'clock the dancers were
served with the same courses and wines.
The dressing WAS superb, all the diamonds
were out and eminent guests came from
New York and Baltimore for the occasion.
There were heart-burnings aud sorrows,
too, for the BOnaparteS cannot and VIII not
know everybody, and their invitation list
is the high roll of social honor and am
billions. With the diplomatic corps the
BOnapaTtes arc almost one, and while both
Colonel Bonapsrte aud his wife are Ameri-
cans, they are really leaders OF the foreign
colony and French Is the language Of their
household. To the great-great-grands0n Of
Betsy Patterson and Prince jerome some
of the dIplomates pay the honor due high
ness abroad and this family Is queer bit OF
royalty in our midst. Fortunately both have
abundant means for maintaining semi
royal state, and they set an example OF
splendor and taste In living which wnteri1g
milliunaires yainly pattern by.
The first Wednesday afternoon Of each
season is sort Of wOman's New Years,
and all the world goes calling upon the
wives of the Cabinet officers, who open their
doors aud their diDing-roOms and hos itROly
extend their hands TO any one who calls,
Although there were inches Of slush on the
streets, apparently few remained at home
last Wednesday, and every Open house was
crowded. At the Vice Presidents house
the crowd was thickest, because of Mrs.
Morton having limited herself to two Of
these general receptions for the winter, in
stead Of continuing them weekly until Lent.
But there Is no use In being Nlce-Presdent
if one may not have little liberty; nor 10
being Vce-President's wife when the cOun-
try has been without such second lady Of
the land for quarter Of century without
being able TO adjust things more nationally.
ENTERTAINMENTS.
The Vice-President and Mrs. Morton's
in the way OF dinners
alone reach to so large a number Of people
that there is little OF the seasons time left
for them TO entertain much in any other
FORM By one of the old traditions OF the
once during a Congress. When the country
was smaller and bachelors dinners we're
given this was not such q formidable pro-
ceedlng, but now, with all the new States
in, only a Vice-President with MI MOrtOn's
purse and establishment could do II. Dur
ing this coming week lie gives q dinner in
honor of the President and Mrs. Harrison,
followed by q reception, to which the men,
beTs of the diplomatic corps, the Senators
and Justices are asked. This is, CT has
been, an annual entertainment with the
Vice President and Mrs. Morton, ana is
Away the most brilliant official function
outside the White House.
But all Of the coming week is so filed with
promise Of gayety that il will be hard 10
mark the red-letteT night. or for the woman
with one best gown 10 tell for which enter
tainment TO save il. TIE Presidents state re-
ception, In honor of the diplomatic corps.
brings the foreign representatives out in
court uniform on Tuesday night, and every
one hidden, and several hundred unbidden,
make a point Of attending this first evening
leyee. As it is the night Of the Russian
New Year the Russian Charge, Mr.. Gregcr,
and his secretaries, have asked their friends
to come later 70 that legation and see the
old year out and tie new year In in Musco-
Vite style. Russian dishes and drinks, Rus
sian music and dances will make it
unique entertainment
THE CHINESE MINISTER.
After two years of wisely blinking at the
gay spectacle the Chinese Minister has be-
gun TO follow In the hospitable footsteps of
his many predecessors Of such blessed mem
DRY. He proposes 60 give a ball, and the
cards have already gone out with the Chi
nese Minister and Nine. Tsui's name thereon
for the evening Of the fourteenth Hereto
fore Nine. Tsui has had no social existence,
never receiving nor paying calls. But she
has not maintained a severely aristocratic
seclusOn all this while by any means. In
warmer weather she and her maids rOamed
Dupont circle and the streets Immediately
around their legation most INDEPENDENTLY,
sat on the doorsteps and tOddled about their
door-yard until they had long ceased TO be
any great sight or novelty to neighbors or
passeIs-by. The Minister has never taken
his wife to any social entertainments, al
though the Chinese Ministers at Lon
don, Paris and other capitals have
done go, and he did not present her
al the White House this New Years day
It is considered rather a bad breach OF
etiquette for the Minister and his wife to
issue cards TO members of official society
when the madam has never been pre-
scented at the White House, and unless
private audience Is asked for her before
the day of the ball, il will be a most re-
maTkable thing in diplomatic circles. There
is, of course, the most frantic desire 10
attend moving all society. AS the madam
had 10 visible social existence, few ladies
have left cards on her. And moreover ms
Washington got An inkling that there would
be no ball-glvlng by this Minister, he has
been spared many bushels Of bristol tOard
squares, and the pushing, curious and ambi-
tOus are now amazed at the trick he has
sprung on them. Moreover it is announced
that tile invitation-ist was carefully made
out and will not be added to; and, in addi-
ton, each invitation card is accompanied by
smaller card to present at the door, after
the manner OF church wedding. The Min
lister has at least scored a social point that
no other Washington host has done, and 1t
Is to be seen how the Celestial ball goes
off. M,
A DREADFUL MOMENT,