The Portland daily press., 1894-11-22
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Society Is Floeking Back To The
Capital.
THE PRESIDENTS FAMILY ARE
STILL AT WOODLEY.

| SllLL Al WUUDLEls
| And will not Occupy the White House
Before the First of the Month-senator
and Mrs. Hale Have Returned-Minor
Social Happenings.
Washington, November Washington is
| enjoying the the sunshine of Indian sum-
mer. The last few days have been as warm
as the weather in June. and the furs ana
heavy on ere oats brought out as protection
against the penetrating cold and whisting
winds of last week, look very unreasonable.
At present shopping occupies the atten-
| tion of the fashionable world, and there is
little going on socially. The dullness OF
| last week has been the more remarked, fol-
lowing, as it did, the brilliant few days OF
| the Bayard's stay, when every moment was
| taken up with some festivity arranged in
| honor of these popular people. No one in
| official life. has been more loved than Mr..
| Bayard, and his return is always hailed
| with ejoioing by his friends. The Rayards
were as much appreciated in London as at
home. and have great pleasure in the life
| there, although there is no danger of their
| becoming Anglomaniacs.
| The long drives to and from Woodley were
| not enjoyable in the cold and clustering
| weather of week before last, but this fact
| had no effect in altering the Presidents de-
| termination to remain at his country home
until the first of December. After her re-
turn to the White House Mrs. Cleveland in
| tends holding again the informal morning
| receptions for her personal friends. These
| are most agreeable affairs. but last winter
they quite lost their private character. be-
| cause many people called who weren't in
| the most remote way entitled to the privi-
| lege.
The women of the Cabinet have decided
| to receive informally in December. with the
exception of Mrs. Gresha@, who has been
| i'll for the last few days. Mrs. Gresham's
health is never very good and is hardly
equal to the task upon it. These receptions
give the Cabinet women chance of see
ing something of their friends. which is out
of the question after the c1ushes of the
season begin.
There is no one in the Cabinet circle who
enters more heartily into her Official duties
| than the wife of the Secretary of War. Her
Wednesday receptions attest her popularity,
| and at the tedious levees at the White
| House she manages to retain her interest,
| until the last straggler passes and the doors
are closed. Secretary Lamont's mother,
| who is convalescing from long and severe
Illness, arrived in town on Tuesday and will
| spend the winter with her soon. 1t is hoped
| that the change of scene and climate may
prove beneficial.
| Miss Herbert is congratulating herself
that she will have some one with whom to
/ - vrhi iah oro
heavy for so young person. Her sister.
Mrs. Micon, with her husband, who is the
| chief clerk of the Navy Department. is
spending the winter with her father. Secre-
| tary Herbert. Mrs. Olney's sister, Miss
Thomas, will come to Washington for the
season. Miss Thomas was in town for part
of last winter, and took an active part in
dispensing the hospitalities at the home of
the Attorney General.
| Mrs. Romero. who is always the first to
commence entertaining and the last to
stop, gave an elaborate dinner on Thursday
| in honor of Mrs. U. S. Grant.
| Since the elections. the hotels and board
ing houses are gradually filling up with
jubilant or disappointed statesmen. as the
| case may oe, As a rule the official people
| are al: in town before Thanksgiving. Sem
ator Sherman and Senator Morrill,, the
| patriarchs of the Senate, are among the re-
lcent arrivals, These two Senators are the
| Oldest in public service in Washington,
| having been elected to the XXXVIIth Con-
| gress in 1851. They have served in the
| House and Senate almost continuously
| ever since. Senator Morrill,. who was very
| i'll during the early summer. has been bene-
| flied by the vigorous climate of his Vermont
home, and is in fairly good health for man
| who has passed his eigt hieth' birthday. Mrs.
| Morrill, and her sister, Miss Swan, have also
| returned.
| There is a superstition that it is bad luck
| for a man in the decline of life to move in
| to a new house. Senator Shermans expert
| ence refutes this, as he has moved into new
| houses twice in the last ten years, and
| seems to improve with each moving.
| Senator and Mrs. Hale have returned
| and their beautiful home has an inhabited
| air. This house, which was $50 much criti-
| cised while it was building, both to
the eye. and, artistically. is one of the most
satisfactory of the recently finished houses.
| Senator Stewart has decided to occupy
| his house, known as Castle Stewart which
was for many years leased by the Chinese
| Iepation, and to that end is having it
| Thoroughly overhauled and decorated. Mrs.
| stewart, who is fond of enter tanning is al
ready planning handsome cotillon to be
given early in January. Senator Stewards
daughter, Mrs. Bessie Stewart, is at present
| in Europe.
Senator German has rented the former
home of Justice Blatchford, at Fifteenth
and streets. This house was built by
| General Humphries. and is one of the hand
soonest in town. The interior is especially
| loned, and is not cut up into small rooms
| after the manner of modern houses. 4 he
| RIatchford house combines the advantages
| of being in the fashionable part of town and
| vet near to the business centre. Senator
| Gorman and his family have returned and
are already settled in their new home.