The Washington herald., 1918-01-20
TOcietY
I p VNs''"oT0"7
By Z. c. DRUM-HuNT.
IN WASHINGTON


Informality marks the midwinter
ties abandoned. Yet with all the ira
amuse itself In quiet. simpler ways
sunday is forging ahead a. day for
wartime social AFFAIRS, and Saturday
is THE day Of the week socially.
Every Saturday is marked, II not by
a large ball-for charity or war relief.
Of course-by a number Of small din
ners and dances for the debutantes.
OF course, the explanation for the
popularity of Saturday and Sunday
for entertaining Is the presence In the
city on those days Of the men In the
service who cannot be had on other
days In the week
Also people are now making q
practice Of asking their friends In for
afternoon tea or evening supper on
Sundays, and In some instances these
Sunday entertainments have taken on
the aspect Of a real function. Many
Of the women In the fashionable
world have eliminated their week.
day "at homes owing to the demand
Of war relief work. hence another
reason for the growing popularity Of
Sunday teas and suppers- According
to reports. this new feature II being
generally adopted In all Of the large
Eastern cities Just as the luncheon
hour has become q fad. with the serv-
ice uniform largely In evidence.
During the past few days there were
not any distinguished visitors In town
to entertain. Since last week We
have not only lost the notable visitors
at the British Embassy. the governor
general of Canada. the Duke OF Dew
onshire, and the Duchess Of Devon
shire, but Lord Cecil Arshur Spring
Rice has departed en- route to Eng
land. The Duke and Duchess OF
Devonshire have also closed their
visit in New York and are back at
Government House In Ottawa.
The great change brought about by
the war Is brought homo by the quiet
informal visit Of the Duke and Dutch
ess, when one recalls the festivities
arranged for the entertainment Of the
late Duke and Dutchess Of Connaught
and their daughter, the Princess Pa
trica, during their sojourn In town as
the guests Of the late Ambassador
whitelaw Reid some years ago.
Victor william Cavendtsh, ninth
Duke Of Devonshire, came into the IN
heritanee of a great tradition Of DEM
ocracy. For three centuries the Cav
endishes have been banner leaguers OF
constitutional monarchy. and the fam
fly has a fine record of fidelity to con-
stitutional principles. They took ddes
with the Patriot Party In the Virginia
Company. which granted q constitu-
ton to these early settlers Of this
country, and led the movement which
resulted in the overthrow Of the
Stuarts.
It has been a family Of great wo-
men as well as distinguished men.
Bess of Hardwick. who died In 1sos Is
rightly credited as the founder Of Its
fortune. She was the third wife Of
Sir William Cavendish and bore him
eight OF his sixteen children. In her
youth a gypsy told her that 50 long
as she was building. she should not
die, and the fortunes OF her four hus-
bands went into the building Of great
mansions. Her fourth husband was
the sixth Earl OF Shrewsbury, In
whose care Mary Queen Of Scots was
for a time placed by Queen Elizabeth.
The present Duchess Is the daughter
of a former Governor General of Can
ada, the Marquis Of Lansdowne. It
was during the residence OF the Mar
quis Of Lansdowne that the last spike
OF the Canadian Pacific Railway was
driven in British Columbia, in 1856, the
Duchess being only a girl at the time.
The Marquis Of Harrington, after
ward the eighth Duke of Devonshire,
came to this country In 1867, In the
Great Eastern. to study conditions Of
the dislocation Of industry resulting
from the civil war. and was Joined In
New York by his brother, the father
Of the present Duke. It was this Mar
quis who electrified the House Of Com
mons by yawning in the middle Of his
maiden speech. He'll do" said Dis
raeh, who admired self-possession in
others as well as in himself.
Americans abroad are familiar with
the country residences of the Duke and
Duchess-Lismore Castle in County
Cork, ireland. and Chatsworth, in Der
byshire. Devonshire House in London
is one Of the finest places in the West
End The late ]. Pierpont Morgan paid
10000 for Gainsborough's painting of
Georgiana, first wife Of the fifth Duke
OF Denvonshire. The beautiful Geor-
giana was famous for her large hats,
her costumes, her learning, and her
charm The Duchess Of Gordon was
one Of her rivals in society, and Is said
to have helped the Duke. her husband,