The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-16
SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
THE DAYS DEVOTED To SACK
CLOTH AND ASHES.


The Amount Spent for Flowers for
the Assembly BaIIs-The Hanna
Reception Was the Most Brilliant
of the Kind Dusing the Winter
The Chinese New Year and How
1t Was Celebrated mt the Chinese
Embassy--It Was n Grand Affair
and Attracted Much Attention.
Echoes of the HaS-Whitney wed
ding-SOme of the Gowns which
Attracted Attention.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE days to
eat, drink and be merry in are sup
posed to have come to a temporary
close, and the thirty pine days after Ash
Wednesday to be religiously devoted to
sackcloth and ashes. The sackcloth is
of fashionable cut, however, and the
ashes a mere figure of speech. The
brief breathing spell will be devoted
mainly to planning for the second sea-
son." after Easter, which promises to
be fully as brilliant as that of the mid
winter. Goodness knows, it was gay
enough to make even a December de-
butante willing to rest awhile in the
quiet shadows of Lent AS everybody
is aware, Washington society is large
ly Roman Catholic. Most of the aristo-
cratic residents, and the old Southern
families who winter here, as well as
all the foreign diplomats, to q lnGn,
woman or child with the single eXcep-
tion Of the Pauncefotes), were bred in
that faith. The rest of society is most
ly Episcopalian, and the small minority
who care nothing for Lent as a relig-
ious institution, consider it good form
TO fall in with the customs Of the dri5-
tocracy--to a certain extent. Thus,
while good Catholic ladies are really
keeping Lent by eschewing gaiety of all
sorts, even to the matinee, wearing
plain clothes and eating no meat, get
ting up in the cold twilight of every
morning to go to mass and denying
themselves such pet indulgences as the
daily bunch of violets, the candy box or
whatever luxury they most prefer
others are giving quiet little dinners,
teas musicales and even sub rosa card
parties, or are hard at work with mo-
distes en- casa, remodelling their dam
aged wan probes for the next campaign.
The season proper wound up in a
blaze of glory with the assembly ball,
which is always the most notable event
of the year; and though dancing did
continue into the wee sma' hours OF
Ash Wednesday morning, the action
was no more inconsistent than others
that are continually occurring in this
queer old world. 1t is estimated that
these annual assemblies" to which
only the very topmost of the creme de
la creme is invited, represent more
money, in floral decorations, dresses
and jewels. than any other social
events that occur in Washington, with
perhaps the sole exception of the diplo-
matte reception in the White House.
This year the costly display of flowers,
hangings and illuminations exceeded
all previous efforts. The great banquet
room of the Arlington was green as a
tropical forest with laurel and smilax
that eanopied the ceiling and hedged
the walls. The enormous mirrors that
panel the apartment were framed and
banked with masses of snow daisies
and growing azalias, all the window
sills were beds of moss in which lilies
and hyacinths bloomed; and the music
gallery was hidden behind a jungle OF
palms from the center of which
branched a giant boganYillia tree laden
with thousands of delicate pink flow
ers. From the roof hung hundreds of
baskets filled with ferns and cut roses.
and the reception parlor was draped
with forest green plush that formed a
background for ripples and bow-knots
of rich yellow satin. 1t was novel ar
rangement, the ripples being repeated
over the mirrors and at each end of
the, gallery-the cleaning yellow of
the ribbon in artistic contrast, with
the dark, rich green The golden
effect was enhanced by showers of
OF Tod
the palm trees, twinkled all over the
vine-draped ceiling, and in the center
of the ballroom overhead took the form
of a great star, .radiating from an
electric sun. In the gold and red par
lors the yellow satin ribbon rippled in
and out among the palms and flowers;
and in the beautiful white reception
room the only decorations were masses
of purple HlacS. Fully five thousand
dollars went for flowers alone, for the
one evenings enjoyment Yet the fame
of this last Assembly Ball will be as
nothing compared with one which did
not occur, three years ago. On that
long to- be-remembered occasion a
blizzard was Raging so fiercely that
guests were unable to make their way
TO the Arlington through impregnable
barriers of snow. The ballroom was
magnffcently decorated and the usual
splendid supper prepared; but of the
hundreds invited less than a dozen
appeared. Two of that number start
ed at 10 o'clock in the morning, with
their gripsacks and engaged rooms
at the Arlington for the day and
night Mrs. Hay, who was to have
been the hostess of the evening was
anxious to fulfill her social duties, but
the stable was absolutely showed un-
der and she was compelled to remain
at home.
The touch of sympathy every one
shares for the sick boy beside whom
the wife of the President is watching,
tinges all Washington with a shadow
of a cloud, which, happily, is now lift
ed. Nevertheless il meant the with
drawal of the Roosevelts from all the
social engagements which closed the
merry season. Mrs. Roosevelt had in
vitations out for her largest tea, which
was to have taken place in the White
House last Monday afternoon; Miss
Alice was to have been the guest of
honor at several balls and dinners, and
all the grown-up family were promised
for the Hanna reception.
The latter, by the way, was the
largest and by many considered the
most brilliant and interesting affair
OF its kind this winter. The Hannas
do not give frequent entertainments
but when they do, it may be taken for
granted that all previous affairs will
be eclipsed. The magnificent parlor
c1afta Of tho Av1Ipofop he har,,,ot