The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-12
MRS. FRANCIS INNOVATION.
She Sent Her Card by Messenger Boy
Instend of Making Calls.

Washington Letter to the Chicago Tribune
/ Official society in Washington is all In d
I turmoil, and Mrs. David r. Francis, wife
Of the newly appointed secretary OF the in.
terror, is the cause Of il. The row all grow.
out OF violation of official etiquette Pc
cullar TO Washington. aud social gossips
are talking themselves hoarse over the
question as TO whether the wife OF The
secretary OF the interior merely made a
mistake or intended to snub some of her
'alIefs According to the usual rule at the
outset Of the social season everybody must
can upon everybody else IN official life.
etiquette requiring that persons OF eubor-
dilate lower rank shall call first upon
'hose higher mp. This rule is adhered 10
very, strictly, and no senator's wife would
mink ~ calling On the better half OF a
Representative FIRST while OF rourse The
81 mt lule holds coed as 10 the departmental
social four hundred.
everybody, Of course. has to call ,irst
w on the cabinet families. and these ,'isita-
t'Cts we're duly made at the home of the
secretary Of the Interior The official Ell
Pue'te requires that these calls shall be
returned by the wife Of the cabinet officer
IN person. or al least that she shall make
inc rounds IN her carriage aud have calds
sent IN by her iootman.
"..o'F Mas s't IN a tluiter Wednesday
oy MIS-. Francis adopting a new syetor
II was cabinet day. and Of course every.
no1y who knew anything ut al snow that
me WIG CT the secretary of the interior
was necessarily at home holding the usual
formal reception. Nevertheless messenger
boys IN inil uniform were sent out on this
I"rN0uiar DAY distributing her cards to all
those who had called upon ner.
There was at once great rae in official
aptltNN, ana SNn0fg inform al
were held during the evening, at which Inc
proposition was made hy some of mo Ia
uiea mar the cards should be sent back by
, inan without fnrther ado. 1t can nor he
hVu tna' TINS course was taken ty
~ms uuuy' nut several Of the ladies, in
eriaihs me Wives Of Il number of assist
ant secretaries whose official and roc,ai
ranks are undouhted declare that they VIII
eimlnatc the house Of the secretarv ~
me interior from their list Of calls fere.
ai,er' The affair has created no end ~
AN, Va anu mas resulted in calling attention
70 the taet mat the only other instance
Wheh the unique manner OF returning c,lis
was adopted was in the case of snoihnr e.
Louis woman, the late Mrs Nohle u'ho
was curiously enough. the wife of tho 500
!e,ary OF the interior. Mrs Noble did not
trust 10 messenger boy. but sent cut a
man on bicycle, who distributed oa,ds
upon olhcial and resident society, and tho
~ "'' iahtH'hidlt cola shoulder
iiar TO that said to be in preparation for
Mrs. Francis 'or
Inc only other time when s,cietv hos
peen upset by an infringement Of tbc strtn,
rue was a couple Of years a-o when Me-
Gavin Brice attempted to ohss rye tho ox
ternals without subjecting herself n ~
oo,her OF driving about town Shn sen.
out her carriage empty, but eupnliod he
lootman with list and a big bnnch ~,
caius' which he distributed faithfully ma
IN fact. successfully In many ulanes ~ Wv,
before MS rounds were completed tte tas,
mat Mrs. Brice was not in Inc carr,s a.e
became evident. and there was c1n-idc-atSe
hubbub In consequence "o'e
AS Mrs. Francis used a district r,o.,.,
ger ana there was no attemnt NJ seco,,
,oh' some o. the society ladies hn,Saro
nat the AFFAIR grew out of Iynor,,,o -
me peculiar customs OF Washington soc,a.'.
Talher than desire to defy thorn Nhiot'
ever may be true, sympathy srcms ~
WIN mrs. Francis among people not in tho
'oclai set, for the cabinet ladies Arc ~, ,ne
oosed upon constantly by peonle VIC oa,,
mon them and expect the calls Ia ho ~
urhed, when. as matter O. fact n 10
,,erous matter oven TO recognize those 4,
'les ny return OF cards, and tho avcra".
,erson on the outside Is inclined IN ,hiI,'
nat district messenger or bjcvc,s ~
Ioout as good means Of Communicated
IS even tall English footman Win a t',
n his hat. VIZ" hu9