The evening times., 1895-11-04
THE WEDDING REHEARSAL
Marlborough Has Gone to New York
to Act His Part To-day.
Society Folks Latest Fad Ii to Give
PersimmOn NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
and Marriages Announced.

AtOi ouVStt stAt euS SAey Auob AA6 ~
after several days in the society Of th'
British Ambassador, Sir Julian Paunce
fote, and members of the embassy.
The duke drove about the city in com
pany with the Ambassador and Mr.. Bax
Ironsides, yesterday afternoon and left
cards at the Executive Mansion.
The arrangement for the presentation o.
the duke to the President was made impos
sible by the recall of the former to New
York The rehearsal of the much talked OF
wedding will take place to-day, and crowd,
are reported already as having gathered a,
such points of vantage as may command q
glimpse of the participants In the sham cere
mony.
Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt have
closed their superb home at Newport, The
breakers" and will be present In New York
at the marriage of their niece, though they
have not been hidden to the wedding break
fast. The brides grandmother is said Ia be
much grieved at the state OF affairs which
causes the house OF Vanderbilt To be divided
against itself. The brides dowry is stated
at S5,OO0,O 900, and the settlements are
said to have been made, only awaiting the
signature of the brides father, Mr.. William
X. Vanderbilt.
Gen. and N RS. Schofield will leave Keokuk,
Iowa, tomorrow night for Chicago, where
they will reside at the Auditorium Annex
temporarily, aud will probably make Chi
cago their permanent home.
Mr.. and Mrs. E. B. Cottrell, of this city.
are visiting New York.
Society In Washington has new dt
version, which is mildly exciting, although
not eoualling the fiorid eXuberance oil
coaching or the sentiment and syntaA OF a
charity ball. This antt-season fad is given
the plain, old-fashfoned, countrified desig
nation Of persin.mon party. The methou
of procedure is simple and utterly devoid OF
ANYTHING approaching ostentatiousness.
Anywhere from four to a dozen young
ladies and gentlemen, who have not iivcd
long enough TO grow dyspeptic, or seen
enough of the world to become disgruntled
with nature, assemble at the house or
specified hostess, in the early morning
hours Just after the sun has chased the
mistiness and chilliness from the autumn
atmosphere. a light breakfast is served
and the party sets forth.
If it be n small affair of upper tendon,
the persimmoners are conveyed to the
ferry in carriages; otherwise everybody
.frantically endeavors to secure the front
seat in a grip car The ferry must, under
no circumstances, be omitted. II would be
worse than an abomination TO utilize the
steam cars in q journey Of this character.
Crossing the old Potomac on the ferry
boat gives the expedition sort of metro
politan vanceriug and vanishes that appear
ance of ofcnmmonality which attaches tobeing
transported even in passenger coachcs with
double acting springs and portable sidewise
motion. Beyond the ..ver it Is both an
experience and a novelty to promenade in a
body through the old, historic city of
Alexandria.
The little party of invaders attract much
attention because of their stylish and fresh
appearance. The ladies' look unusually
attractive by reason of their dresses having
been shortened a trifle for the occasion.
The wraps worn are of that embellishing
character, more graceful than those used in
winter, and giving the makeup jauntiness
Observation-Disclosures at this uncertain season.
From Alexandria, after the party has in
cidentaiiy strolled past Christ Church and
viewed the structure In which George W ash
ington wnJshiped. and been imbued with
that pensjveness peculiar to persiminoning,
electric cars are taken. and this in itself
often constitutes a distinctive variety of
excitement. Two lines leave from the same
point, and ii is by no means infrequent that
an exceptionally aristocratic party will dis
port themselves with the utmost innocence
until the car suddenly stops at the entrance
to the utterly wicked and heruically tabuoed
race track.
This is an experience never to be forgot
ten. The party Immediately starts for
home expressing to each other en- route
theirhorrOr andcha grin at the a wfulpredica-
ment in which each and every one was
placed. For succeeding weeks each indi
vidual viii tell his or her friends and rela-
tives the details of their thrilling adventure
Those who either guess the right car, or
ask few questions pertaining to the route,
have an exhilarating ride in the direction
of Mount Vernon, and the real work of the
expedition begins.
The frost OF the preceding night has
served the double purpose Of mitigating the
drastic properties of the fruit sought, and
lessening the tenacity of its attachment to
the limb which bore it. Some OF the fruit
mas fallen OF its own weight and Is lying on
the ground. But il is unsportsmanlike to
partake of that which is ready to the hand.
The gentlemen of the party make inn
promptu battering rams of nearby fence
rails, none of which were split by Abra-
ham Lincoln, and bring them into action
against the tree. If the frost has not been
sufficiently nipping and eager, somtimes
frisky youth will essay to expedite mat
ters by climbing the tree, which he pro-
ceeds to do, amid the screenings and be-
seechments Of his friends. Occa asionally
he springs an eccentric connected with his
wearing apparel, and while he perspires
blood his co-patriots litter and look
foolish.
When, by hook or crook, or ther means,
supply of persin,mons has been Obtained,
the homeward journey is begun. The rosy
mouths of the girls are contracted by the
styptic fruit until they look more kissable
than ever.
The booty resulting from the expedition
is divided and packed into sundry little
fancy boxes, tied with dainty ribbons,
which are dispatched to the close friends
of either sex, as the case may be- This
formally concludes the persimmon party,
and by actual experience it is found TO be
not half bad, either for enjoyment, recre-
alton or harmless excitement.
Miss Euphsnia Van Rensselaer, Grubb,
only daughter of Gen. E. Burd Grubb, late
Minister to Spain, and Mr.. Charles Day
Halsey, of Newark, N. j., will be married in
St. Mary's p. E. Church, Burlington, N. J.,
November 90. Owing to the recent death
Of the grandmother OF the bride, there will
he no reception Miss Grubb has many
friends among society people here, and a
number Of Washingtonians will so up for
the wedding.
Mr.. and Mrs. L. II. O'Conneli, of K street
northeast. were rendered a surprise party
on Thursday evening Last in honor Of the
firth anniversary OF their marriage. Each