The times., 1898-09-25
THE SOCIAL CALENDAR
Fashions High Road These
Days Leads Toward Home.
SOME SEPTEMBER SIGNS
Many Families Are Returning to
Prepare for the Autumn We'd
dinEs, Which Promise to Be joy
ousIy Numerous This Yoar-The
Presidents Visit to the West.

Social Washington is beginning to wake
up and take notice. Every day some i'm
posing home is dismantied of its burglar
boards-which ought to be useful to make
up for their being so hideous-and por-
tentious major domo occasionally takes
an attitude somewhere on a lawn or in
a doorway to give an eye to some lesser
being who cuts grass and prunes vines
that. human-like, are so riotously given
TO going the way they should not go. Peo-
pie whose two weeks annual vacations
come around as regular as pew rents and
taxes have gone and come back and the
streets are alive with men, women, and
children on whose faces the country trip
has asserted itself in its various phases
of rounded cheeks, double chins, freckles,
bright eyes, and tan.
The President and Mrs. Mckinley have
fixed upon the 10th of next month as the
date of their departure for the West, and
by the time they have returned society
will be here in full force to welcome them
home. Society indeed, has an unusually
good reason for hurrying home just now
on account of the October weddings.
If il were not for rules there would be
no exceptions, and exceptions are-some-
times-desirable things Ii has been said
that EngIand's age-limit law, governing
her foreign representatives, knows no
modification, which makes il all the
pleasanter to learn that the British for
eign Office has relaxed its rhadamanthan
decree so far as to extend Sir Julian
Paupcefote's stay among us until next
Spring.
Perhaps that distinguished body may
have been influenced by other and
weightier considerations. but is looks like
a special favor to the social world, for
the present British ambassador and his
family are among the most popular MEM
bers of the diplomatic corps.
The embassy, with its vast rooms and
wide halls, ssplendidly adapted for en-
tertaining, Lady Pauncefote and her
handsome daughters are charming host
esses and at no house in the whole social
realm of the capital do they give more
magnificent dinners and receptions, and
such enjoyable balls. Sir Julian is
thoroughly English in his love for walk
ing. but for several years past has pre-
ferred to do his daily constitutionals on
his tricycle. And very picturesque does
the ambassador look on these occasions
in his small clothes, top boots, short jack
cts and derby
Sir Julians study is a large airy room
on the right of the grand entrance hall
II is furnished with substantial elegance
and adorned with photographs of former
ambassadors, which, framed and un-
framed, meet the eye at every turn. over
the mantel hangs large steel engraving
of the queen in her robes OF coronation.
Lady Pauncefote was something of an
invalid last Winter. Many of her social
responsibilities devolved upon her eldest
daughter. Miss Pauncefote, who presided
over the embassy with the gracious hos
pitaiity for which her mother has been
famed.
The Summer embassy, at New London,
will not be closed until the middle OF
next month, when the ambassador with
his family and official household will re-
turn TO Washington.