Evening star., 1896-08-15
THE SOCIAL WORLD
Summer Joys and Days Are Pass
ing Quickly.
WALKING BAREFO0YOVER DEWYLAWNS
The Latest Cure-AII Being Tried
Here.
q 0 8 S [ P Y n o T E S


Summer days are waning in spite Of the
fact that We have just passed through
enough heat to supply several summer
months and Of which yet all have the live
liest remembrance Only another fortnight
remains and at the summer cities, where 1t
is necessary to do great deal to keep up
the record, most of the big events must oc-
cur in that period. From the best authority
SO far.at Newport. where the aggregated mil
lions should induce the greatest stir. there
has been. for one reason or another,very lit
tie Of it. even among those who like it best
Sickness and other troubles have been de-
terrng Influences with those who have no
reason to worry about political changes.
The continued Improvement of Mr.. Wander
bilt proves that his sons marriage had no
untoward effect on his health, and his ap-
pearance out driving indicates that the
marriage of Miss Gertrude Vanderbilt and
Mr.. Harry Payne Whitney will take place
as arranged, amid the closing days OF the
gay season and one of its star attrac-
tionS.
The Washington colony at Newport is
keeping up its end very well. The Brices,
It's foremost representatives. are giving
weekly receptions and dinners, IN much
the same style as they do here each WIN
ter Mrs. Brice keeps to her NJ )nday al
ternoon teas with some musical or Inter-
ary celebrity to the fore, but has not as
yet given any large. ball. Mrs. william
Astors dances and dinners for young peo-
pie, in honor of her granddaughter, MISS
Van Allen. and the latter's coming out ball
at her fathers home, are so far the most
important events.
One of the leading fads this summer at
the resorts has been collecting monograms
4 s,p1Hr ylri.H IN
a swell correspondence or having a friend
fortunate in this regard was An object OF
envy. Besides arranging them in books.
fans were decorated with them and other
similar uses were found by inventive minds
and busy fingers, Ehe mon oSrlmS and
crests from ameplbeFs Of foreign embassies
and legations Sders .of5colrse only TO be had
by thei faNarsJl tSN. 3aiGi SO interesting did
this search become that the heads of the
Iasihes5, business paper emanating from
these sources were highly treasured. Some
of the monograms of Washington ladies
are really very pretty, while those who use
crests. large and small. score a point high
er III this game Possibly of those In pri-
vate life Mrs. Hearst has more costly
! monogram than any other lady in Wash
ington. Her note paper has her initials
prettly entwined in silver on a raised pur-
pie disk. not as large a silver three
| cent piece. Each Sc eparate one is painted,
and it is here that the cost comes in.
Count Won Moltke Huitfeldt. the fiance
| Of Miss Louise Bonaparte. who is travelling
In this country. was a guest last week at
dinner given by Mr.. and Mrs Townsend
at their Bar Harbor home.
Mavroyeui Bey is having most delight
! full ard lengthy farewell season before he
leaves this country. He spent the early
summer in some quiet spot, inasmuch as
| he was lot quoted at any of the fashion
able resorts. but is now in the thick of the
| fray at Bar Harbor where he is well
known and one of the most welcome Wis
| itors that place boasts. Should his sue
cessor postpone his coming to this country
| for several years neither Mavroyeni Bey
| nor his admirers would object in the least,
| for there is no capital in the world where
| the genial Turk would prefer, in all prob
| ability. to remain.
During the gay season people invite each
| other to dinner In Washington, probably
| just as they do sometimes in other places,
without being at all sure that they will
know the guests apart, and the guests
come sometimes with just the same ap-
prehension about not being able to select
| the hostess. Ii this was not SO, this little
and true incident could not have happened
in way-up society:
A young couple, very much given to en-
tertaintng themselves, went out one rainy
night last winter to dinner. The wife, as
Is usually the way, kept the social pro-
gram. and generally knew where and when
they were going cut next. Nevertheless,
she is absent-minded and not always to be
relied upon. On arriving at the house they
laid aside their wraps and entered the
drawing room. where nearly all the guests
were assembled. Those closest noticed
there was more surprise than pleasure In
the manner Of the hostess, although 1t
vas skillfully disguised in the conventional
phrases which passed between them. Some
one then engaged her attention and the
hostess, In an undertone, to one of the
men guests. said VIII you do me the
greatest favor? Allow me the honor of CIV
ing dinner for you at your very earliest
convenience. but withdraw now. Mr.. and
Mrs. Blank have made q mistake in COM
ing here tonight. but can't tell them SO.
and the table is not big enough for two
other guests The little bye-play had
scarcely finished when Mrs. Blank stepped
up and said, smilingly, "Oh, Mrs -.
which Is your friend from New York; -
and before the clever hostess had found
an answer. Mrs. Blank gasped 81 believe l
am In the wrong house Are you Mrs. So
and-So?''
''She is my next neighbor," was the re-
ply.
Then came the explanations. and few
minutes later the unbidden guests for this
dinner were recounting with many amus
ing details. the story Of their mistake at
Mrs. So-and-Sos dinner next door, while
the latter's company. who had watched the
comedy OF errors. were more than ever con-
Vinced that they were dining not only wi, h
the cleverest but the very incest hostess IN
all Washington.
This morning. between and O'Clock.
two ladies were taking the Kneipp cure
walking barefoot across the dewy grass I'm
Farragut Square. AS passersby were not
frequent, they had it all to themselves un-
til nearly 6, when some Of more inouisi-
tive turn of mind happened along and were
greatly interested in the first experiments
Of treatment which at least takes as
much strength Of purpose as did the femi-
nine bicycle riders In the start Father
kneipp, the German priest who invented
the idea of barefoot walks in the dew, has
had wonderful success in the cures he has
wrought among those suffering from rheu-
matte and kindred disorders. Some months
ago 1t was announced that he was coming
to this country to give practical direction
and illustration Of the system but the Idea
has started and has become widespread,
even without the presence of it's discoverer
and foremost exponent. The German nobil-
ity was among the first to follow and to feel
the benefits of the treatment. In New York
the discussion whether or not the devotees
Of the cure would be allowed to walk over
the dewy lawns at Central Park has ragged
for months. In Baltimore the past week a
number of persons commenced the system
In Druid Hill Park, and the authorities give
the new idea, If not their sanction, at least
a smiling non-interference In this city,
with its numerous parks, there is simply
no limit to the opportunities. except the
prohibitory warning. Keep off the grass