Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-19
SOCIAL SIDE OF WASHINGTON.

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Special Correspondence OF Gazette and Journal.
Washington, Anril 17.-The Lenten
season, which closed so beautifully last
Sunday, was very gay one here, with
dinners and luncbeons innumerable and
u great many card parties, rot 10 speak
of the many smaller entertainments
hardly worth chronicling. The card
parties have really been magnificent and
the prizes we'll VOL th the sharp playing
and struggling, and, dare l mention it,
often times sharp words that have
taken place. Ii you want to see and
study all phases of human nature at
tend few Washington card parties |
blush to mention II, but | am afraid
your faith would be somewhat shaken
10 woman's honor and mans gallantry.
Some women forget In their great desire
to possess tho first prize, that the first
rule in ali games of chance and sport is
flair play o. ye defamers, here is
chance for you! Why not start with
simple and inexpensive prizes il the
temptation TO possess them is so great
that it makes men and women forget
they are Playing ladies' and gentle.
mems games.
Have you heard anything in your
quiet retreut of the rlany faux pas and
mistakes made at the White House this
season in the seating and inviting Of
the. guests for the state dinners and
other great functions! The secretary
to the President may know many
things, but he does not know how to
seat diplomatic dinner. On one oc.
casion the wife Of the Austrian Am
bassador, who found she was to he
taken out to dinner by the Mexican
Minister, stamped her pretty foot and
made quite scene, refusing to 20 a
step with the enemy of her Emperor
and country. The Secretary of State
was hurriedly sought and after much
parleying and chattering on all sides
finally succeeded in paoifying the
angry Austrian. and sent her into dinner
with someone else. Too bad our dis.
tinguished secretary to the President
did not remember the little incident Of
Maximillian'sd death and the part played
in that tragedy by the Mexican Am,
bassador, and should have caused 8
scene which came near icing an in,
ternational affair. For you must know
our foreign friends think great dea
OF what our American statesmen con
slider small matters. o. ye defameIs
another chance for reform Why d.
we not establish recognized Maio
Dome at the White House, who is al
fait on all social questions and matter
of etiuuette, and so prevent such mis-
takes being made in tho future.
Again. are the distinguished Justice
of the Supreme Court flattered or com
plimented when they are invited to tn
White House and meet some unknown
Congressman from SwamrpoodleY VIII
not have some ono whose only bushes
ii is to know what people to invite, an,
when to invite them, and to avoid tn
many blunders made this winter?
Have you heard of John r. Mclean
proposed great entertainment to a.
Washington, irrespective Of color O
condition, and Of which all Washingto
is talkine9 What is he after. first q
second place on the ticket Perhaps
to be charitable, he is phi lanthropist
and is not bidding for popular favor
but only wishes, as he says, to Civ
all of Washington two days in tn
country. / believe he proposes to hol
these two receptions on Sunday at hi
country place, Beauvoir, few mile
line. The Marine Band is to be in a
tendance and those that desire ca
Join in singing Moody and Sanke
hymns, for that is the style Of mus
the band will play. Mrs. Mclean wel
to the Episcopal Bishop of Washingto
to ask him to give out the invitatic
from his pulpit, and to request b
different clergymen to do likewise. TT
bishop, however, declined, but / belle,
some other denominations agreed to {
So This invitation, Isurpose, will soc
be delivered in that way and throug
the press. / wonder how he is goir
to feed the great multitude, and no
he will separate the sheep from tt
goats, for, of course, it would never
to mix them.
Speaking OF John r. Mclean alwa
reminds me OF his sister, Mrs. Dewe
She was much chagrined the 9th
evening at smart dinner given by 81
junior Senator from New York to fiji
the place of honor on the right Of Il
host allotted to the wife of Justice
the Supreme Court. She took Il
second place, sulked through the dinne
and left Immediately afterward, n
being able to stand the disgrace
yielding her place to one of less soci
prominence 10 her estimation. Aft
all, Big Bugs do have many trials, a
we little flies know not how much q
they sip with their honey. Notwit
standing oil that, find mo the small
who does not sometimes desire to shi
as a Big Bug. We all Fine for
brighter estate, even your simple lit
friend, Miranda.