The Washington times., 1895-02-24

bbliic AcldDiy "hiSh
have made the present winter one ofunusual
brilliance. Always the second year of an ad-
ministration is marked in this mannerifthat
administration is in the least a gay one. At
the outset of the present one it seemed as
though there would be little if any recording
of brilliant official entertainments, as it will
be remembered that last winter, in accord
ance with the expressed wishes of the Pres
ident. the Cabinet gave no large entertain
ments. Mrs. Cleveland also refrained from
entertaining with the exception OF ore after
noon tea.
This season there has been q decided
change iii such matters. and elegant enter
tainments have been the rule ratherthan the
exception. Mrs. Cleveland's tea was OF
course one ofthe largest of the season, while
at the luncheon given by her a week since
| forty guests were entertained. The only
entertainment of this kind at which larger
number Of guests have been sealed was upon
| the occasion of Mrs. Westinghouse break
| fast in honor of Mrs Charles Gibson, givenat
! the Arlington Hotel On that at>occasion
! fifty-six ladies sat about the immense table
set in the banquet hall. The floral decora-
tions were the most elaborate of the sea-
son. AS usual. when thus is the case, they
! were in charge of Small.
There has been anunusual number ofeyen-
parties, and these have teen each marked
/ in some especial manner that has set them
/ apart for remembrance. The endeavor has
been this st ason in a noticeable degree 10
have some distinctive feature to the enter
| tainments. The musicales have never been
| surpassed, nor has thereeyer beenin the space
! of any single season of the past so great
| number OF famous yirtuosi engaged for the
enjoyment of the company as during the
| PIE sent winter. Consequently never before
within 4 a nP ms no rofv v~n
has there been SO great an amount of money
| expended as during the season of 1895, that
dies hard on Wednesday-a temporary OBJ
| liyion, however, as after the first week there
| VIII be any number OF ofluncheonso nthe cards,
and later, in due time, will follow the inevita-
! ble dinner parties and informal afternoon
/ teas.
In summing up the leading events OF the
| present winter the list would be sadly
! lacking without further mention than that
| already given. In this list, standing promi-
nenty out, will be found the musicale
given at the outset OF the winter by Mr.. and
| Mrs. Letter, when the Russian singers
came from New York TO appropriately
| render in costume the folk songs OF their
native land. The second notable enter
tainment. given by the same host and host
ess, is the bali some weeks since. In the
wake of the musicale mentioned came that
| at which Senator and Mrs. Brice had the
famous Ysaye, together with other artists
of note, to delight their Was shington
friends. More recently the secoId large
musicale given by Senator and Mrs Brice
ras upon the occasion when Melba sang.
Mrs. Hearst, whose presence IN Washing
ton invariably means that society is to be
| feted in the most royal manner. has given
| her quota in generous fashion this season.
! The trio of entertainments by which her
name is marked with star in society's
notebook are the reception and dance early
inthe winter i'll honor of the college boys who
came on for the purpose or giving con-
cert, and later in the evening were enter
tanned by her Second on the list was the
tea and mus icale in honor of Miss Anthony
Of Boston, when Miss Marguerite Hall, OF
Boston, and Mr.. Francis Fisher Powers sang
in the most delightful manner. The
crowning event of the season VIII be the
rococo concert to be given by Mrs. Hearst
on Tuesday evening This viii be fol-
lowed at i O'Clock Dy cot.llion in which
the young people of society will take part
Mrs. Hearst always has with her during
tne season a number of young ladies who
are selected from those of her acquaintance
because of their own attractions, and being
herself a woman of marked personality,
| it follows that her house is one of the most
charming in society.
There his becr a most UNUSUAL amount
of ert'-ltiiainI' among the members of the
| diCtC:nat' corp this season. OF course,
we'll II, the LEAD lave Teen the ball and
dinner parties given at the British embassy
by the Au.hassadc~ and Lady Pauncefote.
The German ambassador las also shown
| himself q Eberu. entertainer. First III
this l.SI is {" lsa NE .oned the handsome
| ball :.iyen il January tc announce the
debut of his daughter Then came the
Sunday afternoon tea given in honor of the
birthday of tie Emperor and later the
afternoon musicale when tie court niuci
clans to the Duke of SaXe-Cobourg-Got otha
were the performers
The japanese minister's very original
reception, at which the guests were enter
tanned by native tight rope-walkers and
dancing girls of Jaran brought from New
York for the occasion, deserves special
mention. Hardly a fortnight later so
ciety met at the CT inese minister's ball
The Brazilian Minister and Nine. dc
Mendoaca have given a series of X large
musicales during the season, when the
Quintet Club, of Boston, have been the
fractions in the musical line II ey
have also given a Lumber Of handsome
dinner parties. The Mexican Minister
and Nine Romero have entertained by
dinner parties during the season.
The leading events outside of tie of
ficial and resident entertainments have
been, of course, the tlTee bachelors
cotilli ons given at the Rifles Armory
and the Friday evening cotiilions giveI
at Wormley's. Among the most elegan
afternoon teas of the winter have been thos,
given by MIR. and Mrs. Boardman, Mrs
White, of Ofio, and Miss Burdette in homo
of Mrs Julia Marlowe Taber In even
ing receptions are to he noted that giyeI
, early in the season by Mr.. and Mrs. w. G
Whittemore. and Il ose at which the Misse
Riggs have been tie hosteSses
,, Or debut parties the re ! ave been LITERAL,
: no end. The handsomest in this rcspec
was the ball given at tie Country Clul
by Judge and Mrs. John Davis in ono
of their daugf ter's formal entire into so
ciety Miss Helen Steele was given
handsome evening party by ] er parent
when her derut was made early in tn
winter For the most part the other
neuutantes have come out at afternoon
teas In this list tie places of prominenc
were taken on the occasions of the debut
| of Admiral and Mrs. Ramsay's daugh
ter, Senator Cail's daughter, Col. job
Hays daughter, Mr.. Cassell's daughter
Col. de Peyster's daughter, and hir. How
ards daughter.
The state dinners given by the Cabne
have been unusually elegant. L. additio
to these the only evening receptions tina
have been given by Cabinet Officers hav
been the two by the Secretary of War an
that earlier in the season by the Attorne
General.
AS to dinner giving the list o elegant one
this season is far too long even to attemp
enumeration.
The present week has been one of farewell
appearances on the part Of official society