Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-02
THE SOCIAL SEASON.
WOMEN IN THEIR GLORY AT THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL.

Sweets Of OnHoial Sooiety-PersonaI Gossip
Concerning the President--A Sample Of
Society Twaddie--The Cost Of Serving
Ones Country.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 3o.--tSpccial. l-we
are now right at tho beginning of the So
cial season in the national capital, and the
women are ouce more in their glory. Re-
cont political changes have brought to tho
city an unusually largo number Of women
who never before tasted the sweets of Off
DIAL society, and they are all eager for tho
frny. They have hoard so much about the
charms Of Washington society that they
imagine n great treat is In store for them.
The presidents New Years reception is
the opening ball Of this social engagement
and after that the fun becomes fast and
furious. Tho president as usual, will
give series Of receptions in the evening
and on alternate weeks will have cabinet
or other Official dinners. hear that tho
president has become quito fond OF dining,
and that he really enjoys oven his official
banquots, where more or less formality
prevails. The men who are near TO Mr..
Cleveland toll mo he is learning to get
more enjoyment out of the White House
Nndu uC ulu iho 40 i0tHNi
tense by nature, and, once engaged upon
n task. finds Il impossible 20 relax his ap.
plioation TIL 1t shall have been finished.
Employees Of the executive mansion who
have been a quarter of century in the
building say Mr.. Cleveland is the most in
dustrious OF sll4the presidents they have
known. He has for years made IL his
habit to sit up till midnight, and often
till or 9 o'clock, at work at his desk.
Now, however, no Is learning 70 take life
more easily and during the social season
will find it absolutely necessary TO devote
fewer hours to his desk
He Was Built That Way.
A member of the cabinet tells me
story illustrating Mr.. Cleveland's pen
chant for wanting to know everything him
self, and his dissemination to trust TO the
Judgment of others. "Nir. Cleveland is
queer man in some things, said this
cabinet officer. "Ie always wants to fool
his feet on tho rocks. He puts himself ia
= great deal Of unnecessary labor in trying
always to know things from his own in
designations, without letting tho informa-
tion Of others answer the purpose l
went to him one day about a simple
matter, involving point Of law. Hc
had every confidence in my judgment
rs TO the right thing to be done,
hut ho was afraid I had not looked up
the statutes carefully. / assured him
had don, SO and could almost quote tho
section word for word. Nevertheless no
left his desk, hunted up tho statutes,
fumbled around till he had found the sec
ton in question, and then he was satisfied.
He found 1t exactly as had indicated. 4
suppose I nm foolish to be so particular
about these little things, he said to me.
But can't helpit. 1t Is habit formed
years ago to make sure OF all my facts.
don't mean any disrespect to you, you
know, it's just the way am built And
so have found 1t on many occasions.
The president works altogether too hard,
and I am sorry he does so. If he did not
have the constitution of horse, he would
have broken down long ago."
Women who expect to got great deal
of pleasure out Of tho social season are
doomed to disappointment. have OBJ
served that every year shows n new crop of
social nspirants In the Capital City. The
experienced ladies drop out after season
or two. They discover the uselcssnoss and
hollowness Of tho thing In q short time
and are glad to make their escape. OF
course cabinet officers wives and tho wives
of some Of tho senators and representa-
tives think IL their duty TO remain in tho
swim In order to hclp their ambitious hus-
bands, but they do 1t reluctantly and as
martyrs in good cause. Nothing more
empty and unsatisfactory than seasons
round In Washington official society could
we'll be imagined, but there arc always u
lot Of new recruits, eager and enthusiastic,
s,.A al, h. -. 90
have improved the first opportunity to
step aside.
A Smile and Smirk.
A society woman who has had great
deal of experience, and who is compelled
by force of circumstances to remain in hnr-
ness, so to speak, gives me graphic de-
scription of tho round of pleasure" which
she has in gay society. II hear the same
sentences and same phrases, SEQ the same
smiles and smirks, about 1000 times a
day. The conversation usually runs some
thing like this: 'Oh, Mrs. Smith, am 50
glad to see you! You nre looking just
splendid. Ny day is Thursday Won't
you come to sec mo on my days 1t will
be 50 good Of you. Goodby' Why, Mrs.
Jones, how do you do? Isn't it warm In
tho drawing room? What q pretty rose
you have My day is Thursday. Wont
you conn to soc mel Thank you very
rnuchl AND your day is-oh, yes, Friday
I'll call SURF. GoodbyP And in this way
we keep going all day long, drumming up
trade, as 1t wero. You know our success
~ social lions depends upon the number
Of cards We have in our baskets and the
Importance Of tho people who drop them
there. 30 We have to bring tho principles
..Ev Int Ia, DO.
quantity, while for quality wc depend
upon all sorts Of ingenuity and schemes.
And when it Is all over 1t represents moth
ing but tired back, hot eyes, husky
tongues and tho Yecollection--the very in
distinct recolleotion--of lot of people
who were az sadly bored as ourselves"
Poor and Honest.
New members of congress are nstonshed
to find that General Henderson of Illinois,
who was for 30 years member OF the
house and an unsuccessful candidate for
clerk, Is now very poor man. Though
that fact speaks well for his honesty, the
now statesmen cannot understand why he
has not saved q comfortable competency
out OF the even 800, 600 he has drawn from
Un0lo Sam in the way Of salary-that is
to say, they were astonishod at General
Henderson's poverty when they first came
10 Washington. Then they woro laboring
under the delusion that out OF $4,000
salary they could save up quite fortune
in two years. Now their eyes have beon
opened. They have encountered tho Wash
ington hotel and the extraordinary ex-
penses which statesman has to meet
Now thcy are wondering II they will be
able to get out even. AS rule, tho new
congressman goes TO first class hotel and