The Washington times., 1894-11-21
SOCIAL SAYINGS AND D0INGs.

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Fourteenth street. where every effort was
made to have the entertainment conform rs
nearly as possible to the customs Of this coun-
try. both in the matter OF the decorations and
the serving of the various courses. Madam
Yang Yu proved hersef an exceptionally
pleasant hostess, and the compliments paid
to the minister on the score OF her good com
mand of the English language were many and
genuine.
The especial guests of honor to whom the
dinner was given were Secretary of State and
Mrs. Gresham. The other guests were the
Mexican Minister ana Madam Romero, Hon.
and Mrs. John " Foster. Mr.. aud Mrs. Ian
sing. of New York; Mr.. John W. Thompson,
and Miss Ida Thompson.
Mrs. Cleveland was, of course, the promi-
nent figure in tho audience that listened yes
terday afternoon to Joseph Jefferson during
his talk on Art given at Meizerou han al
ESQ O'Clock The talk was given under the
aUspices Of the Art Students League and was
:pplauded to the echo. The accessories Of
aims and growing plants about the stage
gave The place an attIsclye appearance, ana
the enthusiasm OF the audience did the rest
10 lmlne the SfeAkfE Win me lQcd IlOu tue
start 10 the linish tnat he was not only among
friends who listened 10 hia but who appre-
cia,ed his mos! enjoyable discourse. When
some lit q time since Dir. Jefferson was asked
10 give the talk ou'"Art' ne consented 10 do
50 upon condition that no tickets should be
sold Tor The entertainment. that attendance
should be exclusively by invitation. The
purpose oi the ternoOl ialh was 10 arouse
T. ore widcsuread interest in The Art League
OI this city il far,lculaT and Ia art in general.
When Mr.. Jefferson entered and made his
low TO the audience THAI flied the hall 20 its
UJmOst capacity and Was composed OF the
ral0s, fashion. ana ceGalce OF Washington
society. be was greeted with such an en-
lhGsiastic burst ot applause that il was sew
Cral moments before Le could make the grace
iul acknowledged mt, in which be stated
that If there was one tainE guOre dear to q
speakers heart than auoIher i was s. such
a greeting. Il served two purposes iLa5much
thar X proved that he was appreciated and
seco.aiv allowed rim time 10 collect his
thoughts. Not that be had come teiore them
Uup epuJed Tor the sns ert In hand as the few
notes he carried bore ;.9uuGaut evidence. Mr..
Jeler>cn was IN his Eappitst yGin. and his
talk fairly seiniillated with wit and humor in
terwOveu with anecdotes OF himself ana many
OF the he7t-known actors OF the present time.
Dramatic Art was the first heading under
which his tax WAS arranged aud while on
this topic 2Ir. jefferson stated that portrait
painting represented The Orato-y Of painting,
while THAI OF groups represented the dramatic
side. He then cJLira~ted tie orator and
actor, explaining taat The popular idea that
where q talent for the first existed talent
for the dramatic art was necessarily an ac-
compartment. The orator does ali the talk
ing. while the actor not only does not do his
own talsiuS but that Of someone else. but he
has to listen as well to the speeches that the
puyrigbJ puts into the mouths o. his asso-
cia,es oa the stage and adap. himself to much
that does not CON IN the scope OF the orator.
IN word the training and education OF the
Two are IN reai Y on TOO widely different
lines lor them eye- 20 be one and the same.
Genius and ar was another topic, and
while nothing ve-y orig nal was evolved on
this score what Mr. Jefferson did manage 10
do was 10 present old trutEs in most attract
i've form, as when he stated that genius
produced art reproduced and that when,
therefore. the two were not allied the result
was iDeyi ably iaill.e. The ma iority OF actors,
according 10 his reckoning. were good ira
geolaIs. but comparatively few were really
good comedians. One reason for this was
That most of those who essay TO be comedians
have th de,.- so iaugh at their own oEes
and tie effect Of this vas 10 the last degree
disastrous alike tothe successful rendition of
tie joke and the estimation IN which the
actor WAS held by his audience.
The talk fairly dubbed over with thoughts
and IDEAS that suggested themselves on the
spur Of The moma-t and which kept the
aud .ence in an almost continuous state OF ap
l!auSe. When Mr.. Jefferson stated that some
persons having questioned him as to what
disposition ho made Of his pictures. he said
he gave then to his friends. and the caustic
reply WIS made that all things considered. 1t
would hare hCen better II he bestowed these
evidences Of his talent upon his enemies. This
sally WuS met with heartiest laughter Some
P a his hs said had laHr q the
salon-lnd had IN turn been sent back. That,
however. did not dampen his ardor in going
ahead with his painting, as tho same fate had
belallen even such famous masters OF The
brush as BILLET and Corot
At the c.Ose OF the talk. lust as Mr. JefTer-
son Was leaving the stage. there was brought
uP TO him an immense floral palette tied
with ui-cOlorei ribbons. In receiving this
tribute. the speaker of the afternoon bowed
and said he felt like a prima donna. most
novel and unusual sensation for him. but
none the less appreciated on that account.
Ars- Cleveland, accompanied 10y Mrs. La
/ mont. Mrs. Dlney. ana the latters daughter,
Irs. AIinot, occupied one of the stage boxes.
Another Of the boxes was occupied by Mr..
and Mrs. Joseph Jefferson. jr, who had Mr..
and Mrs. Frank Riggs. Among those in the
audience were Prof. Newcomb, Rev. Dr.. Ne
Kim. Madam Romero, Rev. DR.. Hamlin. Mrs.
Harrison DingmGn. Mr.. Heaton, Mr. Uhl Mr.
Mr.. Gardner Hubbard, Mr.. Max Weyl, Miss
! Belknap. Miss Steele, Miss Hopkins, Miss
Ashford. Miss Sheriff., Mrs. Barney. Prof.
and Mrs. Gallaudet. Miss Pendleton, Mrs.
Aithuy Rrlce. Miss Riggs. Miss Solomons,
Miss Tones, and Mrs. Calderon Carlisle.
Mr. aad Mrs. Joseph Cuyler Hardie re-
turned last evening from their wedding trip
and are LOW at their home on p street
Miss Laura Mohun left the city yesterday
Tor New York 10 attend the marriage OF her
brother Mr.. Dorsey MohUn. TO Miss Barry
. tomorrow. The bride and groom will go to-
Brussels and make their home in that city for
some time 10 come. Miss Barry will be well
remembered in this city from her frequent
visits here several winters since when her
lrother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs
Theodore King. leased house on II street.
The dangerous fitness Of the eldest daugh-
ter OF the Vice President and Mrs. Stevenson
is the subject OF general solicitude in and out
OF official circles in Washington. When she
was taken 10 Asheville some weeks since by
her mother her friends hoped that the change
would bring the retoration 10 health antici-
pated by the physicians. but this does not
seem 20 have been the case. Miss Mary Stew
ensOn was first taken i'll during the summer
when the Vice President and Mrs. Stevenson
were at Sorrento. Ne. At that time it was
thought TO be but temporary indisposition
that would have been entirely overcome be-
fore the winter 10 which she was looking for
ward with the brightest anticipations-h
debut was to have been made at the same
time with that of her younger sister In the
serious aspect the delicate state of her health
has taken. the Vice President and Mrs Stew
ensoa have the sincere sympathy of all their
friends