The Washington times., 1895-02-03
THE WASHING TIMES SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 3. 1896
SOCIAL SAYINGS AND DOINGS

Some very interesting data might be gath
cred in connection with the sum paid out by
Senator and Mrs. Brice to the artists who
came on from New York and took part in the
musicale given on Monday evening last. The
great attraction of the evening was, of course,
the great Belgian yiolinist, Ysaye. He has
been delighting the millionaire contingent OF
New York society by giving musicales at the
yanderbilts, and his price for one evenings
performance is $1,000.
Mrs. Pemberton Hincks added to the rep
ertoire selection OF Creole and French songs
and Mr.. Mckenzie Gordon, the English tenor,
completed the programme by the singing OF
several flnely-rendered songs Ii will be
readily seen that such an assemblage of dis
tinguiahed artists, with the 81 coo virtuoso in
the lead, must have required the expenditure
o. quite q neat little fortune.
That was decidedly the largest and most
notable entertainment given by Senator and
Mrs. Brice since the $4,000 musicale given
at the Arlington during the first winter of
their residence in Washington. Then. as on
Monday evening. the musicians were brought
on from New York for the occasion. At that
first musicale the star of the evening was
Scalchi. TO whom. it was stated ut the time,
81 900 was paid for that evenings partiripa-
tion in the programme The last finishing
touch TO hat memorable musicale was the
magnificent supper that followed in the
banquet hall OF the Arlington The feast
was served at small tables, the walters
entering and leaving 10 the sound Of martial
music
Taken all in all. Senator Brices family are
the most lavish entertainers who have made
Washington their home since the first Cleye-
land administration, when ex-Secretary Whit
Io.l al
The Chinese ball. given n week ago, was
the occasion of another vast crowd at that
legation. Many OF those in attendance went
without having received any invitation, but
as the crowd was mannerly one no one was
elected. as would have been the case had it
been otherwise in this respect. Fully one
third of those present went on invitations
borrowed Tor the occasion from friends VINO
did not care o attend IN person. The state
ment having been printed that cards OF ad-
! mission would be required at the door OF the
legation, those who borrowed cards for the
occas on took the precaution to carry the same
with them and present them in due form at
the door.
In q number of instances three, and even
four persons attended the ball on one card
OF invitation and that borrowed one. Their
enjoyment of the evening was none the less
keen on that account however What their
OF the true state OF the case, however, is
something for conjecture. The Sc .retaries
OF the Chinese legation not only speak Eng
lish iuently, but they have some very de-
cldedly up-to-date ideas OF an American tinEe
on the rights of ball-givers in protecting them
selves from an infringement OF hospitality
The manner IN which they accomplished this
al the ball a week since was, as stated in last
Sundays TIMES, to enlisJ the services of two
well-known socisty men for the purpose of
aiding them TO discover just what guests came
TO the bail in response to the m mister in
vitation and those who came simply OF their
own inclination. irrespective of the minister's
civility in the matter
Whenever a newcomer was discovered
whose name was not down on the list OF in
vited. this iact was reported to the secretaries
OF legation, the name OF the offendin; party
was then secured. and a new list thus made
up for the minister's future de .ectaliOn. As
one of those society men stood near the
Minister and Mime. Yang throughout the
ball. it was no difficult matter to obtain the
names as soon the invaders had gone
through the form of presentation to Their
self-elected host and hostess.
Many were undoubtedly drawn to the ball
through the curios.t .ty incident to the wild
rumors that filed the air a week since in con-
nection with the ball. one and perhaps the
most prepusterous of these. was TO ths effect
that there was 10 be a cot iion danced and
that the favors for the younG ladies would
consist of rolls of native silk sufficiently large
to make one of the voluminoIs-sieeye ed shirt
Wa SITS now in fashion. With this end in
view the attendance OF young people was
very large. Sad 10 relate there WAS nc COLL
hon ami no silk shirts were given cut. True
on Christmas day the Chinese minister sent
to Mrs. Cleveland two rolls OF silk, each suffi-
cient to make a gown. and to each OF the
Cabinet ladies Cne roll of silk for a gown but
! with Gifts iv
tent TO rest on mis- laure 6. II has no ambi-
tiOn to figure as q habsrdasher TO society
generally. just why society should cOnsl Ter
| il quite the proper thing TO expect and accept
silk gown or waist from the Chinese min
lister when such gift from any other foreign
minister would be looked upon "a an insult
t is not lain to the average American INTEL
lect. One fashionable woman when ques-
/ toned on this matter hazily replied: '0h,
! you know the Chinese are pagans, So it
doesn't matter about taking presents from
| them"
New York society is all agog over the revi-
val OF the roller skating craze as the leading
| fashionable amusement for the fast-approach-
| ing season of Lent. This means. of course,
that Washington society will follow suit in
the matter, and that the smart set Will,
/ fguratIvely speaking. dismount from bicycles
| during tie season OF fasting and prayer to
! perfect themselves in the quite forgotten art
| OF roller skating. In New York the craze will
/ be revived on grand scale, and costumes
/ for that purpose are even now in progress of
construction. As the club meetings will be
! in the evenings it was at first thought that
/ full evening dress would be the proper
/ thing.
| Al this juncture. however. someone with a
glImmer OF common sense evidently inter-
yened, and it has been decided definitely now
| that the men will wear the regulation golf
costume-Knickerbock Scotch stockings,
/ Norfolk jackets. low shoes, and polo caps
/ The girls will wear rather short skirts. the
| length averaging TO just above the ankle,
! fancy silk shirt waists, aad Fam O'Shanter
caps. From this it will be seen that the
weekly meetings of the club Will have the
appearance OF an amateur carnival.
The drillroom of the Berkeley school for
! boys is the place sele ted by the New York
cluD. and the first meeting will be en- Thurs
| day evening, February %. the day immedi-
| ateiy following Ash Wednesday After that,
with the exception of Holy Week, the meet
| ings will he held every Thursday evening"
| The seventh meeting will be held in Easter
week and will undoubtedly turn OUT to be a
| regular masquerade carnival. The price OF
membership in the club has been placed at
| Sc for the seven meetings. Upon the pay
ment of 81 additional, a member will have
the privilege of taking friend tn skate
| Skating will begin at $50 o'clock and keep
up until II. After that time supper will be
served.
| The meetings will be enlivened by the music
of an orchestra that will play throughout the
entire time for skating. There are already
over eighty girls down on the list of member
ship, and an interesting fact in this con-