Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-25

No welcome more cordial. no preparations
more elaborate and no scene more charming
has greeted the Spanish ducal party than that
I offered them last night by Senator and Mrs.
Brice in their splendid home, Corcoran house.
The spacious mansion was most profusely deco
rated with the finest roses and fruit blossoms.
In the north veranda the Marine Band was sta
toned and played most delightfully."- all the
evening. The guests, after passing upstairs
to lay aside their wraps, reached the ball room
by following the veranda. Glimpses of the
garden, where the noble old trees were hung
with japanese lanterns. made a mos. attrac tive
sight from the windows. The verandss were
furnished with soft rugs, divans and easy chairs
and here and there bowls OF refreshing cool
drinks made other reasons for many stops
along the route.
Senator and Mrs. Brice received in the ball
room. Mrs. Brice superblv gowned in
black Chantily lace over white silk. She wore
some fine pearls and di almonds. Miss Brice in
white silk with Yellow velvet. Miss Kate Brice
in white satin and tulle and Irs. Herbert Ter
rcll of New York. who wore a superb toilet of
lace and satin with pulled sleeves of geranium
velvet. were generally near tine host and hostess
during the early part of the evening.
The duke and duchess did not arrive until
long past 10 o'clock. being very pleasantly de-
/ tanned at the home of Mr.. and Mrs. Caideron
Carlisle where they had dined ard afterward
assisted at a small after-dinner reception. to
which all the party were invited at $50. When
the coming of the duke and duchess was an
uounced TO Senator and Mrs. Brice thev went
out TO meet them and returned to the ball
room. where nearly all their guests had at that
| time assembled. the duke coming in with Mrs.
Brice ard the duchess being escorted by Sen
0 l. IL 81
20 the upper part of the ball room where the
Z smiling group stood to receive. No need to
say that the interesting part of the reception
began just then The throng for the first
quarter of an hour was pretty large. and be-
fore thev knew il the Senator and his wife and
their distinguished guests. who had formed are
ceiving. line gradually pushed further into
the deep recess OF the bay window than they in
tended. With the duke and duchess were their
son and daughter and Marquis Barbo!es and
Don Carlo Columbus. Commander and Mrs.
Dickins were the recipients of much a:ten-
ton themselves that they held little reception
wherever they turned. Marquis de Villalobar.
who as Senior Savedra of the Spanish legation
Is well known here. had many greetings ex-
tended 20 him. He is a distant relative of the
duke and has taken off of his family titles
while he acts the secretary OF the Spanish
royal world 5 fair commission.
The duke and duchess greatly enjoyed the
occasion and the meeting of SO many persons
who could be sad very justly to represent the
very cream of Washington society. In fact
The reception was Il most Instructive spectacle,
illustrating as IL did the various ideas which
exist among the same circle of society as to
the proper method OF saiutinS duke and his
family. There were those who had been pre-
sented at court who courtesied most pro-
foundry 10 the duchess, one degree less pro-
found TO the Senorita Maria or Miss Column
bus" and very stately and stiffiy indeed to the
Of 4h..
Der OF young ladies who were edu-
Gated in Paris. or who want the world to sup
pose they were, and these made the little jerky
bObbiEg down bows with which every we'll
bred French Sirl greets married woman. A
close observer, who WAS Waiting last night,
SAYS when these deep courtesies were given to
the daughter of the duchess the young lady
much inclined to laugh. But nearly all
the company had their good old American way
III which TO greet the descendants of Columbus
and the guests n turn made all feel that they
had done and said exactly the right thing
Very many times during the evening the ears
OF the ducal PARTY were delighted by the sounds
of their ogn musical language. One charming
young person who ordinarily has quite store
OF good Spanish at command found Just when
she needed 1t last night 1t had flown out of her
head except some phrase in which tomorrow"
more or less sEilfuily introduced. She
tried and tried and at last she able to get
together delicious little saying to the duke that
il 4 had not been for his illustrious descendant
She would never have been heard of. The duke
laughed heartily. "kc ScIiOTita Maria is de-
te-mIned to speak English and has already
made a great deal of progress. She has only
heard English spoken since she has beer. in
America, and now can make herself pretty well
understood. The young son of the duke is full
OF pranks and the chances are would rather be
out with a crowd of boys his own aga than to
be taking part every day in the stiff ceremo-
NOUS attention paid to his family.
The duchess was handsomely dressed. Her
gown was Of orange satin trimmed with lace.
the bodice was low necked She wore some fine
pearls. tight collar of eight strands fastened
~ the back with a diamond buckle and one long
strand OF pearls which reached nearly TO her
waist. Handsome corsage ornaments Of dia-
mOnds and pearls were also worn.
Her daughter was girllshly dressed in blue
silk made IN empire style The front of the
dress was spangled over with silver. She wore
no jewels. but tiny pearls gllstened in her
When supper was announced the duchess
escorted out to the dining room by Senator
Brice. and the duke brought Mrs. Brice. After
midnight. when most of the older folks, or
those vino did not care to dance. had gone home,
there was ample room in the beautiful ball
room for all the dancers to enjoy that pleasure.
Among those present were the Spanish min
lister and every member Of mis- legation. VI.
Patenotre. Secretary and Mrs. Gresham. Secre-
tsry and Mrs. Carlisle. Mrs. Bissel. Mr.. and
Mrs. Henry T. Thurber, Senator and Mrs.
Cockrell, Senator and Mrs. Henderson, Senator
and Miss Sherman. senator and Mrs. Dolph,
Gen. and Mrs. Schofeld, Minister and Mrs. Ro-
nero. Mrs. W. +. Curtis. Mr. Mario Mendonca
Miss Valentino Mendonca. Senator and Mrs.
Call. Senator and Mrs. Stewart. Miss Nav Belle
Stewart, Mr.. and Mrs. A. J. Halford,
Mr.. and Mrs. Gilliland. Commodore
and Mrs. Ramsey. Mr.. jeremiah Wilson. Mr.
and Mrs. Haywood. Mr.. L. 5. Chiffon Mrs.
and Miss Belknap, Mrs. Z. c. Halliday. Mrs.
ami Miss jackson, Miss Gwynn, Mr.. and Mrs.
Franklin Steele. Mrs. J. Thomson Swami,
Lieut.. and Mrs. Parker, Senator and Mrs.
Davis. Mr.. Multedo, Miss Pauncefote, Miss
May Williams. Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Gordon,
Mr.. Emile Bourgeat. the Japanese minister
and Mrs. Tateno, the Chinese minister and
secretaries. the Nicaraguan minister and
Mrs. Guzman. Mr.. and Mrs. Vim. Law
Mr.. Julian Hawthorne, Miss Virginia But
Ter. Mr.. and Mrs. Ffoulke, ex-senator
and Mrs. Henderson, DIR. q. l.. Magruder
Mr.. Ye. Mr.. and Mrs. A. A. Pollok. MIR. and
Mrs. Chas. Campbell. Mrs. Biddle, Mr.. John
BiGdle, Mrs. and Miss Bonaparte. MIR. and Mrs.