The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-28

Washington, March 26.-Society here
has already settled to its satisfaction
everything concerning Mrs. Mckinley
and Mrs. Hobart, but it is still in
doubt about the ladies of the new
cabinet Some two or three of them,
like Mrs. Sherman, have been familiar
figures here for years, and, of course,
they are known quantities. About the
others there is some doubt, althugh
as matter of fact there is little need
for the folks who comprise the smart
set to worry about it, except as a
matter of diversion. The influence OF
the cabinet women upon Washington
society is considerably overrated, the
bulk of entertaining being contributed
by the non-official residents, the we'll
TODD folks who live here, fascinated
year after year by the social atmoS-
phere of the place.
A woman who has been a figure in
society life here for six administra-
lions, that is since Grants time, but
who passes for thirty-five without
much difficulty among newcomers, has
classified the ladies of the new cabinet.
There is the way l have arranged
the list" she said, and the next year
will prove that | am not far from
right, although l have had to depend
upon the. say-so of other folks for some
of nv information.
THE CABINETS. MATRIARCH.
Mrs. Sherman, of course, is well
known by all regular Washingtonians-
She has been here for more than thirty
years, and next year she will celebrate
her golden wedding. She probably
knows more about the ms and outs of
Washington life than any other wo-
man, and when she is in a reminiscent
mood she is a veritable history
Many people may not know it, but
she has some of the finest jewels in
the country. When General Sherman
and his daughters were travelling
abroad the Khedive of Egypt pre-
scented the girls with some very rare
gems On their return the girls said
they could not afford to own such
magnificent baubles, so their aunt
bought them, paying a very fancy
price. She is fond of such things. and
of costly clothes, but she never could
be called SNOWY or oStentatiouS
woman. Naturally her house will be
the social headquarters of the diplo-
matte corps, and her long experience
in Washington life makes her an ideal
hostess for the fastidious representa-
tives of the older nations.
Mrs. Long, L think, will be the
beauty of the cabinet. She has got
a sweet, strong face, not pretty, but
something better than that. She is
the second wife of the secretary of the
navy, you know, and 1 remember
when she came here a bride, back in
the early sos. She looks scarcely a
bit older than the two daughters of
the secretary by his first wife. They
were little girls when Mrs. Long was
here before. At that time her husband
was a congressman. She displayed
considerable social talent then, and
was the leader of the New England
set, which centered about the Hamil-
ton house.
THE WONDERFUL WOMAN.
Mrs. Alger is about the most Won
derful woman of them all, in my
opinion. Do you know that she is
sixty, or verv close TO it, and doesn't
look a day over forty-five? Her hair
is gray. but that doesn't count, be-
cause she has such a bright COM
plexion, and such pretty brown eyes.
She has lots of money to spend,
and she understands. the art of spend
ing it. She has a real love of the
artistic l have been in her Detroit
home, and it is crowded with the best
work of the modern painters. The
Alger house here viii be the most
popular in Washington. Their young
est daughter, Frances, is unmarried,
and is one of the handsomest and
cleverest girls that ever came to the
city. There are two married daughters
and two sons. and with the grand