Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01
the SOCIAL WORLD
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Nelson Page
Gave a House Warming.
new YEAR EVE ENTERTAINMENTS
Debut Parties and Teas the Princi-
pal Events of Past Week.
ETIQUETTE OF INVITATIONS

The past week has been a very busy one
to the tea-Eoing fraternity, which, after all,
is the largest part of the socially minded
world. Debutantes nave been u steady
attraction. although numerous other rea-
sons for holiday hospitality have been in
evidence. The evening receptions, particu-
larry the coming-out parties, were especial
ly brilliant. Senator and Mrs. Murphy's
reception in honor of Miss Murphy's de-
but was a notable event and brought to-
gether a con rany of social brilliancy and
brains such as would be hard to reproduce
in any other city than Washington. The
occasion also gave the acquaintance of the
family chance to greet Mrs. Hugh Grant.
whose visits to this city have been but sell
dom since her marriage. Mr.. and Mrs.
Lambert's reception for Miss Lambert's
debut brought together many Of the same
friends the succeeding night, but naturally
the gathering had a residential flavor of
great interest However opinion may vary
of the architectural beauties of the new
residence of Mr.. Thomas Nelson Page, it is
quite unanimous on the charms of the hos
pitality he and his wife exert within its
hoSpitable walls. Their house warming on
the last day of the year was a delightful
event, and the splendid home, with its
magnificent library, not only in point of the
book treasures it contains, but its stately
proportions. its wide hearth and coZy fur
Dishings; the odd-shaped drawing room.
and it's spacious dining room, all synony-
nous of the hospitality of the fine old Vir-
ginia home. of which it is modernized
copy. The opening UP of a new home in
Washington is no ordinary event and gives
i pleasure to hundreds. who may never hope
to the inside of it. The breaking up of
Mrs. Horstmans house party by the dread
visitant. diphtheria, has been much de-
plored incident of the holiday season.
If Mrs. Charles Nordhoff had any reason
to doubt of the pleasure her present visit
to Washington would give her old friends
here, 1t was surely dissipated after the in
| cidents of the first few days of her stay.
She has been dined and feted to a degree
which is unusual in these days and speaks
well, not only for her own great popularity
but is equally pleasant to record of Wash
ington, which is too often referred to as
place where people are often too quickly
forgotten. Mrs Nordhoff, who spent the
early part of her stay with Mrs. John w.
Foster, has been with Mrs. SomerS for the
past ten days, and today will be given
tea by the latter. After short stay in
New York, Mrs. Nordhoff will return to her
home in California, which both Mr.. Nord-
hoff and their family has SO much enjoyed
the past five years.
The debutante next week will be Miss
Rosalie Clifton Hill. daughter of Mrs. Hill
and of the late Peter Hill, who will be in
| troduced at a tea Tuesday, given by her
mother at their home. 1871 10th street.
The marriage of Mrs. Lay and Count Won
GoetZen will be notable event Tuesday.
The ceremony will be performed in the
dainty little French drawing room of Mrs.
Lays residence on jefferson place. the
limits of which naturally preclude any
thing more than the presence of very init
mate friends. Only the members Of the
German embassy and the brides relatives
will witness the marriage, and the rest OF
the guests have been asked verbally to
the breakfast. Owing to the fact that it
has only been within the last fortnight
that the day has been determined upon,
Count Won Goetzens sister could not make
her arrangements to cross the ocean to
be present at the ceremony, which will be
followed Immediately by the departure of
the count and his bride for California,
where stay of several weeks will be made
at Los Angeles. After an absence from
this city of about six weeks, they will re-
turn here for a short time, previous to
sailing for Europe. Count Won GoetZen Is
due in Berlin in March, when he will re-
join his regiment. and where many brilliant
hospitaities will be extended the couple.
Among the events Of the coming week
will be:
Tuesday-The marriage, at / o'clock, Of
Mrs. Lay and Count Won Goetzen, which
will be followed by breakfast to intimate
| friends.
Mrs. P. H. Hill and Miss HILL a tea, 5
o'clock. when Miss Resale Clifton Hill will
make her debut.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Grayson Dulin,
reception, PM. at 1870 10th street.
Bachelors cotillion, at National Rifles
Hall.
Wednesday-Mrs. Charles E. Foster 1917
10th street, a tea; to Z.
The marriage of Miss Alice Hume and
| Rev. Thomas Worthington Cooke. Church
OF the Ascension, at pm.
Thursday-Mexican minister and Mrs.
inn ~, ne ~ ~
ambassador.
Friday-Mr. and Mrs. John B. Wight,
reception, $50. to meet Mr.. and Mrs. Lloyd
Wight.
1t may not be out of place just now, at
| the beginning of the social season. to give
some explanation of the rules of social eti-
quette that have become esta blished at the
national capital by years Of custom, par
ticularly with regard to cards of invitation
Newcomers frequently send invitations for
social functions to old Washington resi-
dents when there has been no previous ex-
| change of calls betW cen the ladies, and are
| then apt to charge the latter with discour-
ttsy because social acquaintance does
not Immediately follow. Residents at the
capital regard cards of invitation from
families upon whom they have not called as
| merely complimentary" usually sent be-
cause OF some association of the gentlemen
of the households in the outside world, and
they consider such invitations sufficiently
acknowledged by the sending Of cards in
return on the day Of the entertainment
to which they have been bidden This
course need not necessarily imply per-
| sonal Discrimination for the acquaintance
| thus offered. but merely reserves to the
resident population the right of the initia-
tive in a city where the social circle is con-
tinually widening. where people of all sorts
and conditions congregate. and where
therefore. some such self-protection be-
comes necessity. Mr.. Jones and Mr.
Smith find themselves pleasantly associated
on some of the various boards" and imag-
Inc, poor. dear souls. that Mrs. Jones and
Mrs. Smith will prove equally congenial
So, on the first occasion, Mr.. Jones requests
his wife to extend her Invitations to
Smith" and family. Mrs Jones protests
that this is contrary to social etiquette and
good form, there having been no inter-
change of calls between the ladies'. She is
oyerruled, however, and the cards are sent.
Mrs. Smith, recognizing the masculine
hand, and finding 1t impossible to add to
her visiting list the names of all of her
husbands business friends. declines, by
card, and the account Is settled. Smith,"
IL wise man. acquiesces. realizing that in
social matters he is but babe in arms. as
III ,~-fRe k~k 49,