New-York tribune., 1902-12-24
AMERICAN SOCIETY,".
lis Earlier Leaders and Character
isfics.

SOCIAL. life IN THE EARLY REPUBLIC; BY
Anne Holiingsworth Wharton With nui1eregi9 9 Tesi7
5epces octave pp. xvi 346. J. B. Lppinco''
Company.
The history of the social life centring IN the
White House from the days when MIS- 'o
Adams arrived in its bare uninhabitaple rooiii'
- fns the principal stairs not up''-a time
when In the words Of French Vlsitor- ""SH
,npton was a city without houses and Teoise-
So, . citv without streets-down TO the end
NJ the administration Of Fillmore, is the subject
IN which Miss Wharton has brought her stores
Of historical study in this pleasantly oeIalieu
and gossipy book. II forms an abstract VI t,i'
annals Of official dinners. receptions ano '"ii'
with engaging portraits Of the bellies anu peaO
that figured therein, a study OF the 'ai'9
characteristics of successive administrators III
their social aspects Though conditions III o'Hei
cities are glanced at in the opening chapters
the record is concerned with the social HE Al
the capital rather than the republic. as lhe
title has il: for Washington. with all It's re-
rnarkable and charming growth, was never 'he
Paris Of this republic. Such contrasts NOV"
ever as the varying tones Of ofhciai lie uha'
marked the plain ways Of Jefferson the liao'e1
ful sraciousness Of Mrs. Madison. and the tur-
hulent social dilemma into which Jacksons nut
headed chivalrous championship OF Mrs Eaton
,Iunqed all circles involve influences typical OF
the whole country from CidSSlC PoAAS1AAAONS 49,
ton TO the rugged Tennessee frontier MISS
Wharton handles tnis complex nld'siiaA Win
care and effect.
In the davs when Thomas Circle was at the
extreme end Of the city, one can picture the
disgust of the diplomat who, in paying Vlslt
at a house which is still standing there, hao 10
leave his carriage up to the axletree In the
SNOW and mud" County bellies had stouter
hearts. and thought nothing Of riding to Alex
sndria or Annapolis on ponies. with protecting
skirts over their brave attire These young
dansels logged over the rough roads, 1olo"eo
nv negro servants on horseback. with their
hoops' says an old writer, tarrayed fore and aft
ike lateen sails; and after dancing all night
+te,, 1zao,16 ride home in the morning Feeling
-o,1d ,1,n high in the old capital, too. We ind
Jobn Randolph pitying Senator Gaillard, mot
,ecause he died. but because he died in this
place"
have been i'll here and feared death; feared
n because 1 would not die in washington. De
eulogized by men desplse ana puIleo sl IN Tue
Congressional Burying-ground- The idea OF ~
ing By the side of --- An 1hal auos
new horror TO death.
For neat and airy pleasantly nothing better
could be desired than this glimpse of Mrs
Madison's table:
This hospitable lady's great-neces take pleas
in telling how FTiend from thleas-pnld, pon1
who was dining with the President. paid back
the raillery of the gay hostess in her own coin
As Mrs Madison looking very handsome in an
evening gown that displayed her plump shoul-
ders TO great advantage took her seat at table
she raised her wineglass to her lips. and DOW
ing to her guest said sayly, Here's 10 thy ao-
sent broadbrirn Friend Hallowell, TO which the
Quaker nothing daunted. said, returning the
how Of his hostess, And here's 10 thy absent
xercbief Friend Dorothy!
Mrs Madison still living in Washington,
rather had returned there. when the famous
Bodisco wedding took place IN the admins
tration Of Van Buren. The English minister
was one Of the groomsmen. ''resplendent in a
court suit Of scarlet and gold. his rough gray
eyebrows 1rowned his half-shut eyes, and
his whole attitude a protest Mr.. Webster We
find. Of course, in blue, "a blue swallowtailed
coat with brass buttons, open vest and expan-
p sive white ruf1ed shirt front" in which he was
won't to stroll about arm in arm with his legal
colleague. General Walter Jones' at the
Wednesday and Saturday promenade concerts
instituted in the White House grounds by Presi-
dent Tyler The Illustrations are mainly from
portraits and miniatures of the beauties de-
scribed, with row and then statesman or a
husband then celebrated