After all had been introduced to the young lion, and many little pleasant wisps of conversation had floated away, the company proceeded to the dining-room, where ices, fruits, and wines regaled the guests. Mrs. Thornton and Baron Gerolt, the Prussian minister, led the way, followed by the Prince and Mrs. Fish, Minister Thornton and the Baroness Gerolt, Secretary Fish and Mrs. Belknap, Secretary Belknap and Mrs. Creswell, Chief Justice Chase and Madame Catacazy, the wife of the Russian minister, and the most beautiful woman belonging to the foreign legations; Mr. Robeson, the bachelor Secretary, and Philadelphia’s handsome Madame Potestael, and a host of other lights distinguished in the political and fashionable world. The tables were elegantly decorated with flowers, while the vintage at the English minister’s is celebrated above all others in Washington. Conversation was varied by excellent music, contributed by the voice of Madame Garcia, of the Argentine Republic, assisted by Blacque Bey, the Turkish minister, who also took a prominent part in the evening’s entertainment.
Among the guests were noticed General and Mrs. Tete, the new minister from Hayti. These members of the diplomatic corps are of mixed blood, the African largely predominant. Mrs. Tete was dressed in a claret colored silk, high in the neck, long sleeves, and without ornaments. She has unassuming manners, though exceedingly courteous and high bred. She remarked to one of the company that she did not know how she would be received in society in Washington, but so far she had met with nothing but kindness. This evening in particular, she was made to feel at home.
Though the newspapers sparkle with descriptions of a dinner given at the White House in honor of Prince Arthur, there was no such entertainment. The state dinner which takes place every Wednesday at the Executive Mansion occurred as usual, and Prince Arthur happening to be sojourning temporarily in Washington, whilst on his youthful travels, our plain President simply laid an extra plate for his unexpected guest—unexpected, because all the other guests were invited before the Prince reached the city, and these guests received no notice that Victoria’s son would be among them, and consequently could not feel that they had been selected to meet royalty. Only thirty-six persons can be seated in the dining-room of the White House, therefore a “royal” entertainment is reserved for a future folly.
When the subject of entertaining the Prince was mentioned before our President, he simply said: “I think if Ulysses was in London he would be lucky if he got any dinner at Windsor Castle at all.” Whether it was owing to that sly strategy which put down the rebellion, or other causes equally potent, it did happen that some of the most sensible women in the nation were invited guests at this particular state dinner. These women, these wives of members of Congress, are not known to the fashionable world; they dare to live within their husband’s means, and have been known to appear at a full dress reception in plain black silk dress, and without the usual quantity of false hair. In the veins of such women runs the blue blood of the Republic, and their presence is as sweet as violets.
The arrival of Prince Arthur in Washington has created very little excitement, probably for the reason that every boy knows that he has a far better chance of being President than the royal scion has of being king.
Olivia.
[LEVEE AT THE EXECUTIVE MANSION.]
Cabinet Ladies Take Part In Assisting Mrs. Grant