The Press., 1904-01-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, January 2. 1oO'

The social season at the national capital bursts into bloom on New
 Years day, and continues to be whole bouquet of functions until the advent of Lent. The occupants of the white house are expected to set the pace, and as the president is young man, with an interesting family of boys and girls, he gives more, and a greater variety of entertainments,
 than have most other presidents. The usual and regular official reception to the foreign diplomats and the officers of the government, with 8 long line of the public bringing up the rear, was held on the first day of the new year beneath smiling skies. The first of the series of cabinet dinners to the president was given by the secretary of state on the 29th of December. MT. Hay being too i'll to leave his room, Mrs. Hay did the honors of the oc- casion. The secretary of war and cabinet dinner on the 5th inst, and third one will be given on the 18th inst. by the postmaster general and Mrs. Payne. These dinners are pure-
 ly official reunions, and few outsiders are present. The president recipro- cates and begins the dinner business with one for the diplomatic corps on the 7th inst. He has also sisued invi- taitons for a private dinner to New York friends on the 9th.
 Dinners, dances, and teas fill up tho short days of the winter season. Many prominent people visit Washing ton while congress is in session, and they are sure of being sumptnously en- tertained. On tho 29th Secretary Root will give big dinner to Gov. Taft of the Philippines, his successor as secretary of war. When college students or young ladies of social prominence come to Washington for 8 visit they are sure of having jolly time. Mrs. John R. Mclean recent
 ly gave a dinner dance to 100 guests. in honor of Miss Walcott, daughter of the late governor of Massachusetts, and Miss Fish, daughter of Hamilton Fish, of New York. The dining room was profusely decorated with greens, small Christmas trees on the mantels, buffet and sideboard twink ling with electric stars adding to the |effect. Small tables were set, with eight covers for each. In the ball room there was a superb set of tapes tries from the Barberini palace. Rome. MT. and Mrs. Thomas F. Walsh have given 8 ball in honor of Alice Ro0ser welt, in their now Mlseachusette asenues pafacs, the largest, newest ana most costly private residence in the city. Dancing at ten o'clock in the spacious ball room on the top floor; supper at midnight, served on small tables, followed by 8 cotillion, the favors for which were beautiful and cQstly-lace fans for the women and gold pencils for the men.
 What with peace, prosperity, pleas ure, party politics and Panama, every thing in Washington goes as merry as a marriage bell. While the children of fortune and high birth were being entertained at the white house, a thousand others, babes of the employees of the city street railway company, were remembered at the Masonic Temple, with fetching program of sleight-of- hand tricks, marionettes, songs, and Santa Claus in person to distribute to every one toys, candies and fruits. The president of the con- pany gave the entertainment, and was as happy as the other president in the executive mansion.
 Southern people in Washington are warm hearted at all times, but especi- ally so about New Years. The Mt Vernon Place church, which claims members from every southern state, gave great reception on New Years eve in the Sunday school room, for which 1, ,OOO invitations were sent out. Booths were erected for each southern state, and decorated with greens and state flags. The Texas booth was covered with cotton, while the South Carolina booth displayed row of palmetto hats.
 :. Justice and Mrs. Oliver Wendell Holmes have given a house warming, and the new British Ambassador and Lady Durand have extended their hos pitalities to the diplomatic corps, while Admiral Dewey has been at home to his gentlemen friends. It may we'll be doubted if larger or more brilliant throng of people ever entered the white house than the one which paid it's respects to the presi- l dent on New Years day. The wealth or was perfect; cloudless sky, with the temperature at 75 degrees. The interior of the white house has lost all of its old time office character istics, and is now as elegant, beautiful and artistic as any private gentleman could wish. The walls of the rooms were dressed in Christmas greens, with branches of holly over the DOT traits of Washington, Lincoln, Grant
 
 and Roosevelt. Mrs. Roosevelt gra- ciously assisted her husband all through the reception. She wore a rich white satin dress, full train, the front embroidered in seed pearls, as was. also the square-cut yoke waist. Wide bands of embroidered satin cov- cred the shoulders, from which fell gauzy lace sleeves. angel pattern. part ing at the elbow. A rope of pearls for ornament. Miss Roosevelt, ill white, stood behind her mother.
 The Russian and Japanese legations in this city are much less irritated and febrile. Russia's postponement for ten days of her answer to Japan's request is felt to promise peace. But
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