The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-30
SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
HOW NEW YEARS Is CELEBRATED
AT THE CAPITAL.

The Holiday Entertainments ana
Also Who Were the Hosts and
Hostessess-Cabinet Omcers who
Are Absent From Their Post OF
Duty-The shadow warning at the
white House-The Hardest work
ed Men Daring the HOiidays-other
Matters of special Interest.
Washington. Dec. &-Iiolday week a.
the National Capital s. seldom marked
By formal functions az society" Ike
oommoner clay. IS occupied with homo
affairs. Christmas belongs emineutly 20
the family. ana while those OF our Legs
lature whose families have not come on
for the winter have scattered 20 their
ain nre-sides. the local world h equally
engrossed Ia gatherings Of kin-folk. New
Years day inauEtlrates the social season
proper. with the blg public reception in
tho White House. the Cabinet receptions
and the later round OF general calis.-the
latter. by the way. growing less ard less
with each succeeding year Time was
not 50 long ago-when Washington re-
solved itself into two great bodies on the
first day OF the vcar-the men who were
making calls and the women who were
receiving them. Every'bodys shutters
were closed al MONDAY ana flower decked
parlors artihcaily Illuminated tables
groaned under substantial spreads Ia
which terrapin. done IN sherry. occupied
the poet Of honor while punch and cham
pSgne flowed 90 freely that tho most alb
stemious caller began 10 feel queer In his
upper story al an early stage in the pro-
ceedlnRs. Under such circumstances u
was small disgrace to be seen ia an in
toxicsted condition. and a. New Years
night wore on. many a dignined man OF
affairs. noted for his generally Chester
neldian department. was returned 20 the
bosom OF his family by the coachman.-a
limp and maudlin bundle Happily very
little OF this is now seen ia good society
az the capital. The change was not
brought about by the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union. nor any other temper
ance organization; 90 was simply due 10
American good sense. which asserted It
self. ln spite Of fashion on one hand ana
the ill-1udRed cry OF "She turned the
wine-glsss down" on the other. Nowadays
few people OF any social standing serve
wine az an az promiscuous gatherings;
and Ia this good year Of 1891. pater famt-
las may easily walk a chalk mark home
after his merry round Of calls Ia Wash
lngton the houses that are open on Jan.
J. are fewer year by year II IL usually
those OF the edges OF society who nov
hang up evergreen wreaths In the front
windows a. the outward sign OF gen
tleman callers wanted within
The British Ambassador ana Lady
Pauncefots always keep Christmas' by
observing an the time-houored English
customs. even back TO the Nule log ano
the was-an howl Tho stately apart
ments OF the Legation are bedecked with
holly and other woodland boughs' "hie
the Queens portrait Ia the stairway nail
Is garlanded anew There was a FAMILY
dinner party on Christmas day. at which
an the gentleman OF Lord Pauncetote's
I sta0 and their wives were guests The
typical bOaf's head was thanked ~ the
American turkey amid launches OF ven
lson and roasts OF beef. ana a genuine
English plum pudding came IN hoiiy
| crowned amid blue blazes. foilowea ps
the usual toasts Of the 6ay-the nrst' OF
course. 10 Queen Victoria. Tho day fol
| loNing Christmas Aufba ssador and LADY
/ pauucefotc gave a large dinner-party 10
members q the diplomatic corps; and AT
forwards hosts and guests adjourned IN
a body TO the Letter mansion, whefs
ball was In progress
] HuesfnH culeNahE NifNh NN'
| of Inc Russian embassy two distinct
christmas celebrations. The first VIII
he the uniting with their friends OF other
ratlonallties on our orthodox day ana
tbe second occurs a week later. after the
custom OF the Cars subjects. on the
laet mentioned date a Russian Christmas
tree hurdencd with unique gifts lot Ana
various friends and members OF the mousse
hold will be set up IN the room adJoln-
3 library the sec
ond floor Of the legation. This fairy-iike
rec Is as different from ours in design
and decoration as can well be imagined.
I II will be Illuminated with queer colorcj
| lanterns and Russian hymns VIII o.
sung and toasts proposed In true RUSSIAN
fashion The young Countess Cassini d'd
no, return from New York until after
our Christmas Day. She was the guest
/ Of Mrs. Perry Belmont, who occupied one
~ the most conspicuous boxes In the
bouse on the first night OF German opera
Amid an the social glory, which repro
rented everything IN the way OF gowns
and Jewels that money could buy, the
pretty is-year-old Russian Countess shone
pre-eminent, in a dress OF white lace WIN
long pulled sleeves. relieved with knots
OF black velvet. Mrs. Belmont was
poUned In white satin. wreath OF green
leaves in her dark hair fastened In front
with a diamond oruament-an old, OLD
stvle revived Senator Clark. tho Mon
tana multi-millionaire. occupied an al
lolning box. accompanied by hts daugh-
ter Mrs Culver. who were white satin,
with frills Of pink chiffon.
Al the German Embassy. Dr. Won Hole
hen and stan followed the custom OF the
Fatheriand by celebrating the night OF
Inc etth. instead OF Christmas Day. Tho
great brick embassy was gay with holly
urreaths aud mistletoe. ana the usual
good cheer was enlivoned by Christmas
carols and German games. In which young
and old participated.
About the same thing occurred at the
legation OF Austro-Hungary. where ths
paron aud Baroness Won Hengelmalier
devoted the day 20 their one small daugh-
ter. This was the iatter's second Christ
mas here below; but she had tree as
brave as the biggest and several small
friends 10 enjoy q With her; ana later In
the evening number OF ladies and gen-
tlemen OF the diplomatic corps were In
,lted TO participate Ia the merry-making.
,rbe Austrian Minister and Baroness Won
Henaelmuller returned only the day be-
fore Christmas from New York. where
thew went to attend the opening OF Ger
man Opera. and also 10 meet the Minis.
ter's nephew. Baron Pnugle who VIII
49, ...aan WaNniUNtnu. Not