The Indianapolis journal., 1899-02-19
DECLINE OF THE DEBuTANTE.
Her Mother Takes Precedence in So
ciety at the Capital.

washington Letter in Philadelphia Times.
AS the season has progressed in Washing.
ton one could not but note the uecHne Oh
the debutante. In other cities she relgns
supreme throughout the first year, Is still a
power in the land during the second and by
the third is judged capable of fulfilling her
own destiny. Here, after being auoWeq a
peep into the great world during those nfst
preliminary weeks that form the entr act
of the great spectacular drama OF society at
the capital, she is, metaphorically speaking,
again pushed back into the nursery. In fact,
Washington is the paradise of mammas, IN
this respect, as in many others, proving
worthy of the title Of the Paris of America.
Here the mother is literally, not nominal
lv as elsewhere in the United States, the So
cial head of the household. All the enter
tainments are in her name and generally LOT
her own especial beneht py chance d
bers is given during the season, she hefselI
inditeS the invitations and the Whole al
fair is conducted very much after the man
ner of a child's party as far as the pr1ncl-
pals to it are concerned. II she mas matrl-
monial designs for her daughters she knows
Washington is the last place to carry them
ont from poverty Of material. Consequent
ly she holds them in allegiance until the
return home or the summer campaign at a
watering place The present she wisely
considers her own and enjoys 1t according
ly. all Of which, by the DEGREES OF societies
older than our own is the proper thlng Ior
her to do; and yet | cannot HeIp tnlnKlng3
the two facts, taken together, form the real
raison d'etre of many of those unfortunate
affairs over which the Madame Grundy OF
the capital is so frequently calleq 70 draw
the veil but stage whispers of which never
theless are continually getting abroad add
ing to the by no means enviable reputation
of this American Paris -
A notable instance, however, OF the
daughter being found worthy of appearing
in the maternal shoes, occurred on Neqnes-
day evening at the White House Wlen MISS IS
Hav occupied her mothers place, next to
the wife Of the Vice President, IN the re-
ceiying line. That she filled it acceptably
was eVinced by the number OF stoppages OF
the incoming throng OF VlSltoIs py tne
Tretty girlish figure and the attention paid
10 the few bright remarks punctuated py
the bobbing up and down OF the While oS-
trich tip coquettishly falling TO the leIt OF
tha bright ewes with which each one was
made to feel either h1mselI OF ne HerseiL sen par
ticularly welcome. Many indeed We're SO
completely bewitched as to forget lnelr Iur-
ther duties and neglected the remainder or
the line altogether.
The dressing of the receiving party was,
as usual magnificent, and no one observing
The richness of the court costumes on
such an occasion would feel called upon 70
verify the statement that TINS Is q pooi ,5, AZ
ministration. Mrs. Hobart leWels. IKE
Der gowns. are superb, but the Vice Presl-
dent it is we'll known, derives ms means OF
support from his silk mills, not from MS Of
f1ce In truth he is said to lay ms entlre
salary in one lump sum down Tor the SIN
gle item of house rent alone; MIS-, AlgeT, Is is
usually ablaze with diamonas MIllc1; tlI Win
her cold good looks, give her ratne! the ap-
pearance of the ice queen OF the Ialry tales,
3 comparison that is further accentuated
by the amount of rhinestone or silver EN-
broidery with which her costumes are fur-
II er adorned. Mrs Gage and Mrs. Charles
Emory Smith both have a number Of ex-
quisite tolettes. Mrs. Griggss gowns are
always pretty and enecuVe, Ihouen less
costly in annearance while those of Miss
Long and Miss Wilson show marked in
difference to display
to stand Immediately back of the line at
Wednesdays reception was Mrs John
Wanamaker. of Philadelphia, VINO looked
extremely well in black velvet with point
lace. Mrs Wanamaker is spending short
time in Washington with the two children
Of Rodman Wanamaker, whom sne IS snow
ing the sights and incidentally, IN neT
grandmotherly pride. introducing to her old
friends at the capital