The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-23
WHERE EXTREMES MEET IN ENTERTAINING

| masqueraded as. The first bottle of
( champagne served was a well-known i'm
ported brand; those that followed do
nestle wine so thoroughly frozen that
the flavor could not be discerned. and so
on throughout the DINNER. during which
the guests were beguiled with accounts
Of how the ducks had been sent TO her
from the South, the terrapin from a
| friends farm on the Eastern Shore; how
| she had selected the salad herself. max
Ing pilgrimage to market for the pur-
/ pose, and other such fairy tales. which
deluded every guest into the belief that
he was gourmet because he appreciat-
| ed the flavor.
Deceived an Epicure.
tour de force that would have excited
the admiration of any one who could
know how she had planned and schemed
/ and worked to make it a success. But
| there was one doubling epicure who de-
/ clared he knew her terrapin was only an
Imitation, because he could recognize the
! diamond-back bones, and there were no
] diamond-back bones In the terrapln stew
! served at her table.
! This assertion coming to the ears Of
/ the versatile hostess. she determined TO
prove 10 him that though epicure as he
was. he was not infallible: so the next
| time he dined at her table he found
an abundance of bones and the right
/ kind Of bones in his terrapin, yet It was
made of chicken livers and sliders as
formerly. and ii always troubled that
! epicure 10 know where she got those
/ bones.
! II Is the newcomers. the wives and
! daughters OF new officials, who are anx-
ious and ambitious to have the social
recognition they regard as due to their
positions, who make the most display
Those who remain for long at the Capt.
/ tai come gradually TO realize that Il Is
useless 20 try and screen their poverty
/ behind brave exterior, for their subter-
/ iuses are sure 10 be discovered and
laughed AT or pitied, as the case may be
The bump Of reverence and respect is
but little developed In the Uranium Of the
average American, especially the. provin-
cial. and villagers who shone In their
own little circle at home cannot realize
that IL is impossible for them 10 shine
with the same luster in a great capital
which has become the winter home of
the richest people in the country.
From the Pastures Green.
There was a wonderful musicale given
In town season or two back by one
or the great mining kings who has es-
tablisheG home here. The vocal solo
lists came from the Metropolitan Opera
House. and the violinist has a world
wide reputation. The programme was
well chosen, the supper delicious and
I perfectly served, the decorations beau
tiful. The whole affair, indeed, was so
/ tine that no one OF ordinary intelligence
and ordinary means would have for a
moment harboTed the thought OF trying
| 10 approach il, but a certain little hos
tess from Green Pastures did not see
I why she could not give just as fine a
musicale as the muti-mllionaire, so she
sent home for the leader OF the church
/ choir 10 come and make her visit. and
| together they set about arranging a
musicale that would cost little or moth
ing, as the ambitious hostess herself
/ put H. vet would throw quite into the
shade the magnificent performance at
which she had been an envious guest
Needless 10 say what would have been
/ an affair splendid in Green Pastures was
a dismal failure in Washington. for even
! art cannot succeed here unless II has
/ the fashionable stamp.
/ In older social centers individuality is
cultivated and admired. in Washington
those who diverge a hairs breadth from
the beaten track OF fashion are adiudged
| eccentric. There IS only one standard
the fashionable standard. The dinners
are all alike, the teas do not vary one
| from the other, the receptions resemble
each other as DO peas in a pod. II an
/ enterprising hostess endeavors TO tempt
| the Jaded appetites or awake the dor
mant interest OF her blaze guests. she IS
| Immediately looked upon as either is-
norant or queer.
Benjamin Franklin himself would not
be acceptable TO the Mrs Grundies of
| Washington II he did not conform. No
| one IN society has the courage Of his
convictions, no one would dare to offer
chocolate when tea was in style, and
| vice versa.
Society in every large American city
is a game Of follow-my-leader. and no.
where is the game played so faithfully
as in Washington. so small follow the
great the poor follow the rich, and
sometimes they follow very. very far
behind, so far behind that they are
! quite lost sight of.