Evening star., 1897-03-27


quent, but perhaps not as numerous as
during the height of the winter. when hos
pitality largely took that form. The more
active set is not suffering for opportunities
of meeting each other, for ) o'clock teas
at the fashionable meeting places in the
West End are everyday occurrences. The
amount of gossipy information exchanged
at these arranged accidental meetings Is
wonderful, and more or less OF 1t Is
probably untrue, it takes several days OF
keen tracking down to catch up with the
why's and wherefores of a well-told tale
| Of downright sweet. clean and interest
| ing gossip, the kind everybody likes, no
| matter how badly his or her tastes may nave
| been developed in up -to-date sewer scrap
| ing, stories of lovers who are to be ana
lovers who would be if they dared soon
| married, there is precious little being told
over the tea cups or anywhere else
The matrimonial fever does not appear to
| thrive during these momentouS DAYS OF au-
| ministrative changes. 1t is not entlreiy
| pleasant to say, but the official bachelors
ard widowers of the past four years are
still in possession of solo happiness, and
will probably find their life partners else
here. We do not hear quite as much OF
the eligibles likely to be the favored men
for the next four years, but with the iemi-
nine element so largely predominatlhg
amongst the newcomers already here, We
| shall sorely need the extra men.
A wedding in the cabinet circle Is an an
! usual event. but as that of Miss Gary and
Mr.. Pegram will take place in Baltimore,
! its full enjoyment will not be felt here.
! though the chances are that the ofr1clai
| world will be largely represented at it.
| headed by the President and Mrs. Mchin-
! ley. If there to be any large or nota-
| bic weddings here. the arrangements nave
! been kept very quiet. and as an after-East-
| er diversion marriages will not be likely TO
| play very large part
Representative and Mrs. SpragLe are an
| nounced as dnner-givers tonight in honor
| of the British ambassador and Lady
Pauncetote. Great things expected
cially Of these wealthy occupants of the
Morton house, and the proba bilties are
! that none who have right to form opin
| ions will be disappointed. 1t is not at all
| likely that when people select a house
| large as this they intend to live like
| h.rmits in it. Mr.. Sprague's fortune is
| estimated at seven millions. and his wife's
| share of her grandfather's estate reached
| three millions. Mrs. Sprague was a Miss
Mary Pratt of Boston. She is young. has
| a slight. graceful figure and fair hair. She
| has an agreeable manner is interested in
art and literature and entertains charm
lnSly. Her only child is a pretty little girl,
just three years old whom she is de-
voted. Representative and Mrs. Sprague
| keep the only private hanson in the city,
while in their set in Boston such posses
sions arc quite common. Mrs. Sprague
uses it for visiting. 1t looks like the best
| of the public hansoms. and if ii We're not
| for the well-liveried driver whose outfit is
| the same as the London hanson driver. the
| outfit would attract no special notice.
| 1t looks like there was to be no wine
| at state dinners during this administra-
| ton. At least there has been none at
| dent and Mrs. Mckinley and the chances
| are that the rule has been established
| for the entire period of their White House
| residence.
w hp
| Hayes term, and the probabilities are
| that if Miss Cleveland had remained mis-
| tress of the White House she would not
| have had wine served. She never did at
| luncheons which she presided Mrs.
| Cleveland abstained from wine herself al
| ways at state dinners, nerS being the only
place not provided with the necessary
| glasses. Mrs. Carlisle never has served
anything stronger than mineral waters al
her table. Apropos of Mrs. Mckinley 5
| opinions on the question, it is interesting
| to know that Colonel and Mrs. John Hay,
! who viii SO shortly preside over the Amer
lean embassy in London, have the courage
| of their convictions also. 1t was a matter
| of some comment the past winter that al
| a gathering given by them for the young
| friends of their debutante daughter no
| wine offered, although large number
| of the guests were foreigners, who. a
class. are not particularly devoted to water
| as a beverage.
The White House kitchen is presided over
| by French chef, the who provided
three meals a day for the Cleveland fami-
| ly. Mrs Mckinley brought her cook from
| her Canton house, and she is employed
| also about the house.
The social attentions shown by members
| of the Cleveland cabinet to their success
| sors, as well the courteSieS shown by
OILERS prominent in the last administration
to those who may possibly become very
| notable In this. established precedent.
| Such events have not happened before and
it is quite possible would not have hap
| pened now. only the four-year terms have
caused the great political bodies to get
better acquainted with each other, and the
giving up Of the temporary control. while
1t may be gall and wormwood interiorly, is
no longer attended by unpleasant outside
manifestations. The new style Is a good
thing. and four years hence it ought to be
even more marked than recently. indepen-
Qent of what the fluctuations in politics
may be in the meantime
Col Lamont was the founder of this new
feature in the social code. which will &c
far toward removing the feeling of EN-
barrassment and unwillingness to come
out at once In the full glare of social light
from which all newcomers Invariably suffer
THE facility and ease which the ladies OF
the new cabinet circle have manifested il
taking to their social duties argues we'll
says one of the best authorities In tn,
West End. for the official gayeties o. the
| coming four years." There has been yer,
| general desire to meet these ladies' and
While nearly all are yet in temporary
quarters, this fact has not kept them from
seeing callers edneSdays. The receptions
were almost as large as they would ordi-
narily be in the height of the season, fol
social calling does not begin to be the reg
ular avocation 1t was years ago. The ac
tivity now recalls the first spring of the
first Cleveland term, when Mrs Whitne,
came to Washington with her great socia
campaign well planned. The Whitneys tool
a furnished house on Connecticut ayenlls
for few n onths and began at once tt
gather about them a chosen galaxy OF
friends. Later on they bought the Ereliny
huysen mansion busted themselves at ono.
with its overhauling and identifying anj
were ready for the seasons whirl when tn,
first snow began to fly.
Those who think they know, say tha,
the Algers will be the Whitneys of this
administration. They followed their lead
surely in being the first to get comforta bly,
housed. 1t is probable they will keer
the house they have permanently but Il
may receive some additional drawing room
space. Neither the Secretary nor his wife
CT re to entirely dismantle their Detroi1
home to beautify the one here. but they
made some starts in that direction. The
. drawing room and library walls are vel
covered by Oil paintings by famous artists
and tour of the rooms recalls somewha,
the Wanamaker gallery. some of the same