Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-20
ONLY A BIT or PAPER.
YET THERE ARE BEGGING, BLuFFlNG
AND SCHEMlNG TO GET 1T.
Invitations to the White House Receptions.
The ''Pusher" In Washington Society,
How He Succeeds by the Aid of Adam All.
tine Cheek-A Nice Souvenir.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Jan. l6.-The White House
is now the center of attraction in the social
world. 1t is the sun of the social system of
the capital. All eyes are turned toward
the executive mansion and unhappy the
persons Of social preteusions who have no
invitations to the presidents receptions. 1t
is at these receptions that one meets every
body worth meeting 1t is in the east
room and the corridor OF the old house tina
one may touch elbows with the hundreds of
men OF fame and women OF distinction who
compose the official circle OF the American
capital. AS may be easily supposed, there
is great anxiety to secure these invitations
One of the most difficult tasks which the
presidents grand chamberlain has to per
form is the making out of this list of guests
at the annual receptions.
lsuppose You knew the president had a
grand chamberlain? At any rate that is
the most important part of his official du-
ties. In any country but this he would he
called y chamberlain, too, but in our sim
pie republic, where we must make a pre-
tense of simplicity and avoidance of all ap
pearance of imitation of foreign customs,
we call him commissioner of public build.
ingS and grounds. Nominally he has charge
of the big structures in which Uncle Sam
capitol, the grounds round about them and
the Washington monument. These things
take little of his time. 1t Is rs functiOnary
in chief to the president Of the United
States that he finds his most exacling and
important employment.
Thv willy Pnsher,
The present grand chamberlain Is Colo
mel Wilson of the army. lie knows his
business. Washington society is open
book to him. He Is familiar With every
face of Importance, masculine or feminine
He knows the "pushers" rs well as any
man in town, and by long experience has
learned how to dc;,I with them gently, but
effectually. The 'pusher," You should
know, is distinCtively Il Washington insti
tuition. 1t is a term conveniently used fol
designation of the man or woman-gener
ally a womai--w has no official or other
claim to social recognition and yet insists
upon getting it. He or she is person who
deliberately and persistently pushes" il
where Desire leads, but Right does not open
the door
The "pusher" has an easy time OF it at
the public receptions given by the ladies OF
the cabinet and the wives of senator's There
the "pusher" needs no card of invitation
! and may walk in with head high and par
take of the best that is offered. BY little
manipulation of a diplomatic sort he or she
if did not desire to avoid unGallantry
would drop the he" altogether even
have the pleasure of seeing his or her name
in the newspapers in the list of guests
where the Most Fun Lies.
The wife of the chief of a division, or of q
! mere clerk, OF of Il tradesman, for that mat
! ter, finds the "afternoons' of the cabinet
and social circles easy to conquer. But the
card receptions mt the White House are not
so speedily mastered. There is Il way OF
doing it which has been employed, but it is
not IL satisfactory method. 1t is more OF
less hazardous and likely to lead to annoy
ance This is by going without an invita-
ton OF course it is not necessary to show
cards of invitation at the White House
door. A rule requiring an exhibition of
tickets, just like a theatcr, would be aw
fully awful bad form And yet there have
at various times been serious discussions ms
to the ACCESSIBILITY of adopting such Il rule
AT every card reception in the executive
mansion there are hundreds of people who
come without cards. They simply walk in
at the front door and make themselves ut
home. They do not know many people
there, but this makes little difference
Without acquaintance they can have al.
most as good time us with it. After all, the
most fun at a White House reception con
sists Of watching the diplomats i'll their
uniforms aud court outfits of having near
views of great men and women, of close in
spection Of the gowns and persons of diStin