Evening star., 1896-02-29

] u
unless 1t ID well understood the wife Is not
accepting any Invitations, and, no matter
| from what source the bid may come, no self
respecting man would accept, or permit his
| kind are entirely permissible among old
acQuatntances, and the rule, of course, does
not apply. but lifelong arrangements have
been caused by social blunders Of this kind.
| ana they are the sort Of offenses which are
| never forgiven. Because a mans wife is
| not as devoted to society as he may be, or
wee versa, Is no good reason why one or the
company where other men and their life
partners are expected.
1t Is no uncommon thing nowadays for
| those asked out frequently to dine to re-
oeive their invitations four weeks ahead
Three weeks are regarded as absolutely
necessary II there is any idea of getting
together any special set. Some public
men object to making social engagements
longer than a fortnight ahead and refuse
majority OF. socfety-goers make no objec-
uon 10 the four weeks rule. Planning so
Iar ahead has put another phase on the
matter. 1t Is considered good form now
wheh q decimation is necessary by reason
OF a previous engagement to state the
name OF the persons whose invitation had
already been accepted for the same Date
The gossips have it that the very latest
| tip from the Anglomaniacs makes 1t un-
necessary when replying to an invitation
| TO accept with pleasure your kind invita-
ton" The English spring fashions, Of
Which advance notice has already reached
| various West End mansions. ordain that
the bold statement that Mr.. and Mrs.
Glad To Come accept Mr.. and Mrs. Got To
Have Thems Invitation to dinner" etc., Is
an that is necessary. and that any super
nuous enthusiasm which was expressed in
| tQe old way, accept with very great pleas
ure the kind invitation" etc., is altogether
bad FORM and those who continue to follow
u are literally not keeping up with the
hn
comes practical everyday matter dinner
invitations need not be answered at ALL
very likely. and the old plea when an un-
desirable BID comes along to write .'ex-
pected absence from home'' or previous
engagement" will not work at ALL
1t does not seem to be the age of idle
boasting. It Is the fashion to affect the
virtue OF candor even IL one has 1t not.
Here are some recent instances: One of
| the wealthiest women here, whose home is
| dream Of luxury and modern magnifi-
cence, was suffering from rheumatism
lately. A little group Of friends were max
ing soiicitous Inquiries. and one said: 1T
| must be the gout you have my dear Mrs.
Dash:' Perhaps 1t u.s." was the answer;
the doctor seems to think SO. too. If so,
| 1t Is the first case l ever heard of i'm my
family. All my folks were hard workers.
They never had a gouty toe or case Of
| nervous prostration. 1 guess they were TOO
| busy scratching for a living. and in my
young days.I worked as hard as any of
| the pain IL my grandchildren trace back
weak nerves and gouty toes to the first
woman of their name who developed both
just as soon as she was surrounded by the
luXuries of life"
One of the prettiest women in society,
whose beleship is unchallenged, was heard
to say: do l like pretty clothes? Hon.
estly, yes. DO you think can ever forget
| the days when wanted them and could
not get them because 1t was all father
cnrr16 6a tn OIL fhc hor iac Of
life? VIII ever forget the wild excitement
| in our little home when the box of cast-off
| finery from rich Washington relations
would arrive? What world IF enchant-
ment the very handling Of the old things
used to open up to my girlish eyes! The
same things would look very shabby to me
| now, but it meant magnificence then"
The Secretary OF State and Mrs. Olney
will entertain at dinner tonight.
The Brazilian minister and Mrs. de Men,
donca will give dinner tonight.
Mrs. Chaplin will give a dinner March T..
day for Miss Uni.
Lieut.. and Mrs R. NJ. G. Brown will give
a dinner tonight in honor Of Mrs. Mckee.
Miss Grace Davis gave a breakfast today in
honor of Mrs. Mckee. for which thirty-four
covers were laid. The guests sat about
round tables. either six or four covers.
American beauty roses decked each table,
ard border of matden-hair ferns was stud
ded with silk flags large ones for the ladies
and small ones for the men. The breakfast
was arranged for Washington's birthday.
but owing to the illness of the young host
ess. 1t was put of Until today. All the
clever ideas suitable for that day were
used. however. The name cards were small
hatchets with q bunch of cherries tied on
them with red, white and blue ribbons. and
when the Ices were served, they We're in
| the form of cherries in continental hats
The guests invited to meet Mrs Mckee
of 7 o,,;e
Miss Pitts. Miss Rockhill. Miss Josephine
Patten. Miss Gordon, Miss Mendonca, Miss
Newlands. Miss Miles, Miss Ashford, Miss
Letitia Scott, Miss Batcheller, Mrs. Hugh
Legare. Mrs. George C. Bloomer, Mrs Null
lgan, Mrs. r. n. G. Brown, Mr. Harry
Earle. Professor Elliott. Mr.. John Davis,
Mr.. Morrow, Mr.: Lindsey, Mr.. Hugh Le-
gare. Mr.. Fred May. Mr.. Albert Halsted,
Lieut.. Mulligan. Mr.. Andrews, Mr. de Neck,
Mr.. Biddle. Mr.. Davis Elkins, Mr. Hender-
son. Capt. Heese, Mr.. Boeufve and Mr.
Vogel.
Mrs. r. NJ. g. Brown has invited ladies to
a tea Monday to meet Mrs. Mckee. The
latter will be Joined here tomorrow by Mr.
Mckee. and they expect to leave for In
d:anapolis by Tuesday or Wednesday next
Mrs. Dulles and Mrs. Lansing have come
for visit to Mr.. and Mrs. Jno. w. Foster
home to their friends Mondays.
Mrs. Washington Mclean and Mrs. Rueh-
er entertained at breakfast today.
Miss Katharine Howard OF Brookyflle
No. is visiting her aunt, Mrs. +. ".
Parker, 2O14 G street.
Mrs. L. P. Townsent of Baltimore is vts-
iting her sister, Mrs. F. v. Parker, 2olI @
street.
The "Comus Euchre Club was delight
fully entertained Tuesday evening by Miss
Margaret N. Carter. The first prizes were
awarded to DR.. N. p. Barnes and Miss
Edith Webster. and the second prizes to
Mr.. Thomas Lee Shelton and Miss David
son. Among those present were the Misses
Wrenn. Daniel, Bid. Grace Durfee, David
son, Ingram, Irwin, Maud r. Durfee, PAYNE.
Webster and Belle Webster, and Messrs
Thomson, Shelton, Ernest Daniel, BaIder-
ston Rolow, Heinline, Ragan, Seton, Put
nan, Fitch. Percy Daniel and DIR. Barnes.
Mrs. G. A. Lyon and Mrs. Albert c. Hub
bell will be home Tuesdays during March
from to 5, at 1856 18th street
The Short Story Club met at Wimodaueh-
sis parlors Wednesday. February 26 The
entertainment began with a charming duet
a Hungarian riapsodie, by Misses Stilson
and Willis The original work of the even
ing was a story by Miss Gertrude Mfth;nr-
ton. called ''The Romance of Typewriter
and AN Ode to My Mother On Her Eigh-
tieth Birthday" by DIR. Thomas CaIver.
This venerable lady still makes exquisite
lace and embroidery without wearing spec
tacles. Comic recitations followed, and Mrs.