Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-02-09
Washington COMMENTS.
Wives Of Our Diplomats Entertaining
Non-Observance of the Lords Day,
Capital Society Senator Hill on
Rose Coghlan's Acting-An Army
Romance-The Portraits Of Presi-
dents Wives.

Rose Coghlan's Acting-An Army
Romance-TheP Portraits Of Presi-
dents Wives.
Washington, February S.-We have
Just had the day of the Representa-
tive's wife's reception. Officially it is
designated as Representative Woman S
Day. 1t bears no comparison TO the
days of other women o. Washington
| society. Senator's wives have day
too. but in the fancy of vagrom visitors,
| the Senatorial toga is drGped, as a sort
of screen across the front vestibule,
| and fewer strangers intrude. Every
constituent of every member Of Con-
! gress. tries to be here on Tuesday. He
| usually brings with him from one 10
three or more ladies of his family, who
are sensible of the influence which they
exeIted in the Representative, and are
prompt TO call on his wife. Besides all
of his friends in town, every resident
transient or otherwise. who takes
fancy, is at liberty to call and eat and
drink and shake hands with the mem
! berS wife. | was invited TO study this
blessed institution at short range by
the wife of a member, who received this
| afternoon at the Cairo. Half an hours
! enjoyment of the function having re-
duced me TO a state of mental and
moral collapse, | said goodbye to my
hostess, and cOndoled with her. Said
she:
"Oh, if one can only manage to get
through before five, one doesn't mind
it. | have six calls that must be made
before dinner or six IF my husbands
friends wives will be angry. At two
of these places at least we must drink
tea. At six we tea again with some
Senatorial friends. At seven we dine
four friends here. Two Of them are
bankers from our district, who want the
! greenbacks retired, and two of them
gold bugs from New York. We have a
box marty at the National, a dance a.
our Senator, and a supper afterward.
! Then a few Of the men will probably
come around here and smoke Cor awhile
with my husband"
Now, there's a woman whose hus.
band will never be able 30 say that his
chances Of political prefermenJ have
been marred by the weakness or indif-
! ference Of his wife. What the kindli-
est critic must object TO is the worth
| lessness and inanity Of the whole
scheme Nine out of ten of all the peo-
| pie whom this woman entertains can
do her husband no possible good. She
does not, and perhaps cannot select or
| discriminate. English women in pol
itics manage it much better. They
| keep their time and entertaining ener-
gies for people they can use, and in
crease their value to men and women
alike. The Washington system is at
fault. The people who maintain 1t are
hardly to be blamed for her lack OF
repose and turbulent characters. This
year. owing to the do-nothing policy OF
| Congress. the pace is hotter and more
sure to kill than ever.
The habitual desecration Of the Sab
bath is at the present time notable
sign of decadence in Washington life.
The manner of it is characteristic OF
the hypocritical Philistines who set
the pace. The saloons are tightly
closed on all the thoroughfares, and
most of the hotels sell liquor freely only
TO guests and families. Yet no man,
rich or poor. who knows the town ever
continues thirsty. although strangers
at the point of death could not get a
wine glass full of brandy even in
drug store. Church attendance is
small. although the fashion is growing
for conspicuous people to be represent
ed in the temples of the Most High by
their household servant Heads or
families and their olive branches sleep
late on Sunday morning rs conpensa-
ton for the dissipation of the preced-
ing week in what is known as society
With the coming of the afternoon, the
late risers have recuperated sufficient
" to allow them to go to one or more
Of the many Sunday afternoon recep-
lions. The French and German ambas-
sailors keep open house. and the streets
are crowded with carriages OF their
guests. There are numberless other
receptions and teas. TO say nothing Of
sacred musicales, reading clubs and
smoking parties. The fashion of smok-
ing tea leaves in rice paper is grow
ing in favor with both sexes, and when
the cigarette is moistened with small
glass of rice brandy, the appetite for
dinner is agreeably stimulated. Sun
dav night dinners are numerous, cost
~ and extravagant They do not get
into the papers. But few OF the peo-
pie who desire to be considered FASH
ionable. walk abroad after morning
service is we'll over but horses. drivers
and footmen are hard-wOrked. or
course, Sunday is the most popular
day at the clubs. and it must be said
that resident foreigners out of sym
pathy with American ideals do their
best to molly the severity Of circum-
stances. Sir Julian Pauncefote has
been in the habit of receiving the Dip
lomatic Corps every Sunday afternoon
without scandal and in good taste
But on Sundays the fashionable anglo
maniacs become a Franco-German
eleutheromaniac and instead OF the
sobrietv and propriety of Sir Julian
manage. they exhibit the flowers, the
lights. the music and the viands IA
miliar at secular entertainment. About
the only genius in Washington society
is its genius for imitation, and an MI
in its genius for imitation, and an imi-
ment of good shams here. but they are
not good Americans. Indeed, most or
them are good for nothing at all. The
accent. manners and customs Of this
country are good enought for the in
lhabitanes of the various sections or II {: