The times., 1898-12-24
ntChristmas Entertain
ment at "Thes Oaks
PRETTY AFTERNOON TEA
Is In the Midst of the
social Quiet That Always Pre-
ccdes Christmas - Many Family
Reunions and Merry Junlsetinss
for Young People Next Wee.

and dance given by them to celebrate the
Christmas home coming of their sons.
Mr. Henry f. Blount. jr.. and Mr.. Walter
Rlount. who are here from Boston for the
week. The great house was brilliantly IL
Illuminated from the conservatory and par
lors on the ground floor to the theater
which takes up the entire upper story.
and throughout. upstairs and down. the
walls were garlanded with evergreens and
hung with Christmas wreaths. Mistle:oa
boughs swung with romantic siSnhcance
from chandeliers and doorways and the
massive arch in the hall was frieZed with
holly branches, the scarlet berries flaming
vividly against their foliage of dark shin
ing green.
One characteristic of the hospitality OF
The Oaks Is that guests always go there
with the anticipation of enjoying some at
tractive surprise. apart from the conren-
tional pleasures of the function TO which
they are invited. Last night 1t was mu-
sical and dramatic entertainment in the
perfectly equipped theater, Interpreted by
Miss Bessie Bount. the gifted young
daughter OF the house. and group of
clever friends.
The musical numbers which opened the
program were rendered with splendid eff
feet by Mrs Conwell Miss Geraldine Far
rar of Boston: Mr.. Cooper, and Mr.. Err
nest THE Silent Voice." an Ideally beau
tiful little play of the sixteenth century,
by Lawrence Alma Tadema, which sue
ceeded the concert. was acted with an
artistic completeness that would have won
praise and applause from the audience
had they been professional critics instead
of personal friends. Miss Bessie Blount.
as THE Duchess" was aristocratically
pretty. with ropes Of pr: twined in her
gold brown hair. and with n peignoir OF
Persian silk in rich coiors over a quaint
robe of ethereal white. Miss Adola Greedy,
the school girl daughter OF Gen. and Mrs.
Greely. made lovely dark-eyed Lady
Ursula, while Miss Chase, of Boston, and
Miss Cobaugh were captivating. respec-
lively, as Isabel and Kate. Mr.. Theodore
Friebus retained his dramatic laurels as
Henry Osborne, and Mr.. William Dali was
an acceptable page. The play was inter
spersed with an old time country dance,
and there was singing to the accompani-
ment of the lutte, that beribboned and ro-
mantle old instrument that went out of
fashion with powdered danes and cav
alters.
The Egyptian figures that dado the
walls of the beautiful little temple of
| Thespls were designed by Chevalier Tren-
| tanove, the Florentine sculptor, and paint
| ed by Mr.. Burleigh, of Providence, r. l.,
and among the scenes is beautiful real
! istic forest piece painted by Miss Nicolai.
The guests were received upon their
arrival by Col. and Mrs. Blount, the lat
| ter gowned in gray satin The play was
! followed by dance In the spacious par
| lors on the left of the central hall The
/ dining room in which refreshments were
served was decorated in pink roses and
carnations and the candles burned under
! pink shades. The rosy color of the hour
| was carried out in the tinted bonbons
| and ices and pretty novelty here was
the passing around of pink waters in
shallow pink baskets wreathed with
| vines
The guests included Cen and Mrs. Gree
| ly, Mrs. A. L. Barber Mr.. and Mrs. Bell
| and Miss Aileen Bell, Mrs. Bodhsh. Mrs.
! Clay. Mr. and Mrs. Charles DENLY. Mr..
! and Mrs Edison and Miss Edison, Mr.. and
Mrs Robert l. Fleming, Miss Alice
| Fletcher, Mr.. and Mrs. Frisbey. Mr.. and
Mrs. Archibald Greenlees and Miss Green
lees, Miss Haupt, Mr.. and Mrs. Kauff-
mann, Mr.. and Mrs. William Holmes, Mr..
and Mrs. Archibald Hopkins and the
! Misses Hopkins, Miss Long. Prof. and
Mrs McGee. Mr.. and Mrs. Hoffman,
Prof and Mrs. Ernest, Mr. and Mrs. j.
D. Patten, Mr.. and Miss Spofford. Mrs.
! Seymour and the Misses Seymour, Mrs.
| and Miss Sigsbee, Mrs. and Miss Soule,
Mrs Tullock. Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas L.
| Waggaman, Mr. Ernest Fahnstock the
| Misses Droop and Mr.. Chase of Harvard,
who is spending his Christmas holiday
| with his sister. Miss Chase, at The Oaks;
| Aimee Nisbit, of New York great niece
of Col. and Mrs. Blount. who is also their
| house guest, with Miss Chase. will remain
throughout next month. Miss Blount is
| still in Paris, where she will study during
| the Winter under the daughter of Del
sarte While at the French capital Miss
| BIount is located at the American Club.
| an old convent in the Latin quarter which
has been modernized into a pension for
| American students.
The President and Mrs. Mckinley will
entertain the Peace Commissioners at din
| ner upon their return to Washington.
| Mrs. II. Clay Evans wife of the COM
| missioner of pensions, and the Misses
! Evans entertained at tea yesterday
| afternoon that attracted to their residence
in Dupont Circle brilliant company made
up of prominent representatives of Wash
| ington's official and social world.
The hostess and her vivaciously pretty
| and charming young daughter were as
sisted in receiving by captivating coterie
| of matrons and maids, among whom were
Mrs. Heistand. Mrs. Clay Goodloe. Mrs.
William II. Hodge Mrs. Perry Heath.
| Miss Kaufman, Miss Tonner, Miss Terry
| and Miss Kerr.
The tea room was fragrant with roses
and the table was aglow with daintily
| shaded lights.
The President and-Mrs. Mckinley Will
have as their guests, during the Christmas
holidays MIR. and Mrs. Abner Mckinley
| hal nf
and Mr.. James Mckinley and Mr.. James
Barber, of Canton. t9s
Senator and Mrs 1Shoup have issued
cards for an evening reception at the Nor
mandie Tuesday, January 3, when their
daughter, Miss Laura Shoup. will be in
troduced. .r
Prof. and Mrs. Gallandet signa,ized their
wedding anniversary by "a dinner Thurs
day night. Their guests included former
Secretary and Mrs. Foster. Senator and
Miss Cockrell, Rev. Dr. and Mrs. McKim,
| Mrs. Ffoulke. Secretary and Mrs. John
Addison Porter, President Whitman of the
| Columbian University, Justice and Mrs.
McComas, Goy.-elect of Texas and Mrs.
Sayers. Miss Marion Gallaudet, and DR..
| Edison Gallaudet.
The dance to be given by the Saturday
Evening Assembly at Carroll Institute
Hall. on New Years eve, promises to
eclipse sin brilliancy all previous dances
given by the members. The hours arc
from $50 to Il. and admission will be
4 strictly by card.
Mrs. ]. W. Webb will be at home on
, Tuesday, December q, from Z to 1o at 1928
Ninth Street, when she will have with her
her daughter. Mrs. Royal Taft Needham,
of Buffalo, who, with Mr.. Needham. has
arrived in Washington for the holidays.