The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-20
CAPITAL CHAT.
Serious Blow to the Hopes
Of a Diplomat. a. ~

lle diplomatic corps they Will tell you
hat about tho ablest Of their number Is
The Argentine minister. There is no en-
lassador or envoy at this capital who
bands higher In the estimation OF his con-
freres or the officers of tho state depart
ment. At tho same time the Argentine min
tster, DIR. Estanislao S. Zeballos, Is one OF
the unhappiest Of men. President Cleve-
land Is responsible for his VICE. Twenty
years or more ago Dr. Zeballos sot out
upon a political career In his country. He
became member of parliament, local
governor, postmaster general, secretary OF
state. All this time he was student and
a writer. Many of the ablest essays that
have come from the press in any language
during recent years were tho product OF
his pen. In literature, as in politics, he
seemed specially fortunate. IL was pre-
dicted that the highest public honor in
his country-tho presidency itself-would
in time be- his without asking But in an
evil moment he was persuaded to accept
tho mission to Washington. For a long
time his country had had dispute with
its neighbor, Brazil, about piece of ter
ritory embracing some 100000 square
"a octANeaAJ VI ehoeo - ~
gentine had proposed arbitration as q
means of settli o, thiskssute. The par
lament indorsed his proposal, and in
time the matter was referred to President
Cleveland as arbitrator.
Twenty Years Loss.
That secretary Of state came to Wash
ington as the minister of his country in
order TO attend to the arbitration matter
upon which he had set his heart and to
large extent staked his reputation. He
had no idea that President Cleveland
would decide otherwise than favorable TO
his country. He believed, and his coun-
trymen believed, that the facts were all
on their side. But while in Washington
attending to the case this minister died,
and by a curious coincidence the Brazil
Ian envoy also died here. Then the Bra
lillian government sent to Washington
one of its ablest men, the Baron de Rio
Branco, and when the Argentine govern
ment heard of this they desired TO send
hther one able to cope with him. There
was none that could do quite so well as
DR.. Zeballos, and he reluctantly accepted
the call He came to Washington, made
the best fight he could, and just as he
thought he was about to win and was to
nave ncW lduTtls upOn HIS DfOW Il itoiuNho
Cleveland decided the case in favor of
Brazil. The result is that DIR. Zeballos
has lost popularity In his country. Though
the arbitration scheme was not Of his de-
vising and though he came into the case
after the most of the work had been done,
he is held responsible for the adverse deci
sion. Il am ruined, I" he says to his friends,
with heavy heart. "At the best 1t will
-. sNf foff ftl nQ
to regain the ground which / have lost,
and then, alas, will be too old for pub
lie service" Such are the little tragedies
of life and ambition we are every day
brought face to face with at the capital.
Loss of Vision.
The present minister from Brazil, the
Baron Mendonca, is one OF the most pop
ular men in the diplomatic corps. Baron
Mendonca is suffering a great afiliction.
He is nearly blind. So nearly complete
is his loss of vision that he cannot recog-
nize his friends when he meets them In
society and says the only thing he can
make sure of is the color green when
strong and vivid. Therefore his dinner
table is always provided with green shades
upon the lamps and by being able to dis
tinguish this color the poor minister Is
fiattered into the belief that he Is not
blind after all Notwithstanding his afllic-
tion, he is very fond of society, and the
society people of Washington are equally
fond of him. On shaking hands with him
his friends always announce their names,
but I'm the case Of those well known to
him this Is not necessary, for his hearing
has developed to such an extent that 1t
In large part takes the place of vision.
Baron Mendonca's greatest sorrow Is his
inability TO see his pictures, of which he
has one of the most notable collections In
Washington. He was always much In
love with his paintings and has spent
fortune in the qualification OF his taste,
only to be denied the pleasure OF seeing
his masterpieces at last But music is
still left to him, and no more charming
musicales than those given at the Brazilian
legation are known 10 the eseeiety FeePleef
the capital.
Tho most noteworthy musicale OF the
present season was the one given recently
by Senator and Mrs. Brice. The princi-
pal artist Of the occasion was Ysaye the
famous Belgian violinist, whose fee Tor
the everfing was $500. Since he came to
Washington Senator Brice has given mu-
slcalos at which the honorarium OF the art
ISIS III tno prORTdlulle diuOuhocu w w.
600 for a single evenings pleasure for his
guests. In the opinion of experts ON So
cial matters, the Brice mansion Is now
the leading house In Washington society.
Mrs. Brice is confessedly the leader OF tho
social world. 1t may interest my readers
TO know that she is as simple and unaf-
fccted as any woman in the land and is
noted for her motherly tenderness and
old fashioned method of making her guests
welcome and at their ease. she Is not
great lover of society either and does not
60 very much.
Lost to Sight, but Not to Memory.
AS yet no one has appeared In the cap
ital to take tho place left vacant 10y Mrs
William c. whitney. IL is remarkable
that 20 this day the society deyotees OF
Washington deploro first the disappear
anoe Of Mrs. Whitney from the city and
finally her death. She was tho most sue.
cossful society queen ever seen here, and
stories of her splendid entertainments, as
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