Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-02-25

j the numerous dainties which gre
brought in by courses and removed
from time to time by quiet, expert, eX.
.perienced WATERS The great dining.
room is decorated with flowers from
the white house conservatory, the ia,
bic is adorned with floral designs, and
everything that wealth can procure for
adornment and pleasure is sklllfully
arranged by artistic fingers.
The president similarity entertains
the members of the diplomatic corps
in the state dining-room once every
year. These gentlemen are ambassa-
doris, ENJOYS and ministers from all Of
the nations of the world, and they are
accompanied by the ladies of their
families. These state dinners are SC
named on account of their Official
character; but affairs of state are
never discussed on such occasions. 1t
would be bad form to talk shop" at
such a distinguished social gathering.
From time to time the president also
gives state dinners to members of the
senate, members of the house, the SUI
preme court, and the leading bureau
officials who rank next to the members
/ of his cabinet. He also gives public re-
ceptions to the army and navy officers
and to citizens of the United States
who desire to pay theirrespects to their
chief magistrate.
During the winter and spring until
the Lenten season begins there is
continual round of dinner parties given
IN Washington by men and women
who are leaders in the social swim.
The vice president entertains the same
functionarics who are banqueted at the
white house. The senators, representa-
tives and justices of the supreme court
give elaborate dinners; and all of them
take place at night under the gas and
electric lights in the palaces of the
the patricians of our republic. 1t
neyeE costs less than $500 for the flow
ers which are used upon each occa-
sion, while sometimes more than 81 ,OO0
has been expended solely for floral
decorations for one evening.
One evening when the wife Of Vice
President Morton was giving a select
entertainment she was Mortified 10y the
action of one of her guests, who, though
man of political prominence, was not
acquainted with the use of modern
doilies, which are intended for decora-
ton, and not for utility. She had
just imported a set from Paris, and
each of them was hand painted in
water cnlors, On the evening in quCs-
ton they were displayed for the first
time at dessert under the finger bowls.
Imagine the surprise Of Mrs. Morton
at seeing her guest, so famous as leg
iSlatOr, and yet so ignorant of social
amenities, coolly dip his fingers deep
in the water and wipe them with the
greatest nOnchalance upon one of her
precious new works of art on filmy
boiling cloth. The costly little dolly
was a wreck, and the entire set was
spoiled; but Mrs. Morton was so polite
and well bred that she took her own
dolly and used it in the same man
ner. Her other guests knew better;
but they followed the example of Mrs.
Morton, in order to save the misguided
statesman from the modification of
realizing the grave error which he had
committed. His wife soon heard of the
matter, and it is presumed that she
gave him a, severe curtain lecture; for,
about six weeks later, a handsome
set of imported doilies was sent to
Mrs. Morton with the card of the states
man pinned upon the package. Noword
of explanation was ever said or written,
and the incident was thus closed.
A similar story is related of an in
cident which occurred when William
C. Whitney was secretary of the navy.
His wife was philosophical woman,
and when q guest of hers smashed d
most precious teacup, she calmly
picked up another and fractured it, say
ing: Aren't they absurdly brittle?"
But, of course, she was too well bred to
make any other remark, and was
obliged to content herself with mourn
fully describing the melancholy Incl
dent to sympathetic lcdy friends who
realized what an embarrassing situa-
ton the lady was in when her
elegant and dainty teacup was clumsily
broken. People who are not familiar
with the customs of the world of soci-
ETY. make many errors at dinner and