The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-07-11

I friends. While / have spent very
pleasant winter in Washington, still
always look forward to coming back
to Yakima in the spring and spending
few months in my own home. a
congressman's family has very little
home life. That is the first thing most
congressmen's wives will tell you.
NO. we don't have home there.
The last winter we had three rooms in
a boarding house on Capitol Hill and
took our meals at a house next door.
and that is the way most of the con-
gressmen's families live, unless they
are very wealthy. Oh they are lovely
rooms and the boarding houses in this
district are mostly for the congress
sional people. but still it is not like
being in your own home
asked her to tell me ali about the
social life in the capital city. Mr..
Jones, who was sitting near. said:
This society business is a great big
farce. I don't waste very much time
on it, Here these great ladies drive up
in their carriages and the footmen
take in their cards with the corners
turned down. and that is personal
call. W ny. just Il lew udN DClOit i
left Washington a lady called and left
her cards and on learning that my wife
had gone some time before. she asked
me to be sure and take them to her.
I have them here in my pocket now,
hut cart sec the sense of it all" and
he pulled out the cards and we found
they had been left by one of the most
prominent members wives. But how
could we expect Mr.. Jones to under
stand this? With all his greatness,
when it comes to the social life he is
mere man.
When we got Mr.. Jones settled down
to his newspaper again I asked Mrs
Jones to tell me something of Wash
ington society as seen from her point
of view
Well" she said, II did not have a
very big view of Washington society;
Mr.. Jones and I are not society people,
hut I'll tell you of some of the parties
and dinners went TO and the ladies
called on if that is what you would
like to know" And when I hold her
that was just exactly what I wanted
she said
divided into two distinct sets. city So
cioty and congressional society, and
the two sets mingle very little. Of
course congressional society is the only
kind saw anything of, so I'll tell you
about that In the first place the new
members wives must call on old men,
hers wives. and congressman wives
call on the senator's wives They in
turn must call on the cabinet ministers
wives and then all of them must call
on the presidents wife, who doesn't
have to call on anyone. 1t is not Gus
tomary for the cabinet ministers wives
to return the calls of the congress-
mems and senator's wives. except by
TO their receptions. The presidents
wife, too. returns senatorial and con-
gressional calls by inviting them to
one OF her musicales which are the
greatest affairs in Washington So
ciety outside of the presidential recep-
tons
"But was telling you about the way
we make our calls. Monday and Tues
day are congressional days at home.
Wednesday is cabinet day, Thursday Is
senatorial day and Friday and Satur-
day legation day 1t is no small task
to pay calls to all those whom courtesy
demands.
when a lady wants to give set
reception she gives it on her day at
home Last year Mrs. Cushman. Mrs.
on account of sickness I was not able
to have anything but my regular day
at home.
"You want TO know of some of the
affairs ] attended this winter. Well
of course, the presidents receptions
and Mrs. Roosevelt's musicale are the
most distinctive affairs Of the season
BY the way, the presidents recep-
tions are getting more exclusive every
year. and invitations cannot be trans
fered now as they could some years
ago. The only public reception is on
New Years day; after that comes the
foreign or diplomatic reception. next
the judiciary, then the congressional
ception, which is the most brilliant
one of the season.
Mrs. Roosevelts musicale Is tht
only function at the White House a.
which refreshments are served.
Affairs at the vice presidents hom,
rank next to those at the PRESIDENT
and Mr.. and Mrs. Fairbanks have en-
tertained every member at least twice
this winter, 50 / think there must b
some truth in the report that he will
be a candidate for the presidency.
"one of the pleasantest parties
went to this winter was a dinner givei
by Mrs. Ankeny for the Washington
delegation. It seemed so nice to b
with people all from your own state
and there was less formality about
than anything else I attended. Anoth
er one which stands out in my min
was a dinner al Mrs. Sibiey's. wife o
a Pennsylvania member. They have
home OF their own in Washington an
entertain very deliberately.
But. after all. we're never so happ
as right here In Yakima with our oil
time friends"
Before left them I told Mr.. Jone
that the women were all feeling prett
badly because the men were going I
give him q banquet, and We wome