The Washington times., 1917-03-04
Jean ELoT|
LETTER.


lie buildings, shops and private
dwellings Haunting yards of gay
bunting and Pennsylvania avenue in
gala array for the parade. Washing
ton is presenting its most festive
front to the inaugural visitors.
And visitors are pouring in from
all over the country to witness the
inaugural ceremony at the Capitol,
IL possible, and to view the great
pageant of the inaugural parade, de-
spite the fact that, as the fiippant
like to put it, this is to be an inaugu-
ration without ball or booze"
washington's excise law, which de-
clsres that no intoxicarits shall be
sold on Sunday or any holiday, is re-
sponsible for the forty-eight-hour in
auguraI drought, and the Presidents
decree for the passing of the famous
inaugural ball. Whether it will ever
be revived remains for Mr.. Wilson's
successors to determine. But, al
though the social side OF the inau-
guration has been eliminated, so far
as the participation of officialdom is
concerned, the city generally is en-
fete, and the first three or four days
of the week will be marked by many
hospitalities.
Which all tends to explain the fact
that Lent is ten days old, and Wash
ington, society has not yet shaken the
creases and camphor balls out Of the
sackcloth which it packed carefully
away last Easter, and the ashes still
accommodating down in the cellar in
stead of being brought up to the
drawing room to symbolic repent
ance for the winters shortcomings.
Indeed, it's hard to believe that 1t is
Lent. There has been a slight falling
of in the number of dances, but there
is nothing else to suggest that "the
season" is nominally at an end.
Everybody stIn Entertaining
At All Sorts of Parties.
Everybody is still giving luncheons
and dinners, teas and breakfasts to
everybody else. Various social stunts
which have been in past seasons re-
Earded as appropriate Lenten diver
sions-bridges and dansants, lectures
and recitals, "for the benefit Of" and
stin popular, to be sure, but they have
ceased to be peculiar to Lent They
have had practically no closed sea-
son since the beginning Of the Eu-
ropean war.
Then it is hard to imagine Lent in
the National Capital without the
White House musicales, the one form
of dissipation, which the Executive
Mansion has always gone in for dur
ing the penitential season. And so
far there is no sign of them. There
has been some question as to whether
it would be considered the part of
wisdom to have any White House
parties involving several hundred
guests whom il would be almost i'm
possible to absolutely identify, dur
ing the present international tension.
But had a little private tip from a
woman who is usually ''in the know"
that the musicales would be given as
usual-three of tbem-with Alma
Gluck as the star of the first, man
at the second. and that the third was
to be not strictly musicale, but that
the entertainment would take the
form of q costume recital.
fancy, however, the death Of Mrs.
Matthew Maury-Mrs. Wilson's sis
ter-will put an end to any such
plans. -.|..
For the first time in twelve years
there will be inauguration guests at
the White House, which ordinarily at
this time Is in process of transfer
from the family of the outgoing
President to that of his successor,
but the, sudden death of Mrs. Maury
has also put a stop to plans which
seemed to be brewing for the enter
tanning of a large house party and
the festivities thereto.
=
Was Guest at white House
Only Few Weeks Ago.
Mrs. Maury, whose husband re-
Gently transferred his business and
home from Admission, AAa-, to Roam
oke, Va, was a guest at the White
House but few weeks ago, her first
visit in Washington since she at
IL IL h, 1t ~ nd