Social Life At Washington

Donn Piatt s newspaper, the Washington Capital, has some piquant discourse to offer on social topics, especially with reference to the prospect of a Eepublican Court at the National Capital. It is stated that, for the first time in the history of the country, the social life of Washington is made part of the President's Message, but this year it is taken up and made prominent in the recommendation to build houses for Cabinet offlcers, Congrossmen, etc. But a ludicrous indication of imperialism is pointed out in the custom of infoiming the social world at weddings or other exclusive entertainments that only the immediato friends and relativos are invited. This is invariably found to include the President and family, and also the Cabinet, Supreme Court, etc. which it is suggested come under the head of Federal relations. This innovation is expected to necesssitate a new dictionary of social technicalities, in order to avoid mistakes as serious as is said to have arisen once during the war, when Miss Chase, now Mrs. Sprague, invited an oíd friend, a Union captain, according to the approved formula : " The pleasure of Capt. Anderson Jones' company is requested," etc. The accomplished hostess was amazed when " the captain" appeared with eighty gallant men he was eading to the field. He could not understand the ' company' to mean other than the military organization he had been commissioned to command The Chief Justice, then Secretary of the Dreasury, took the case under violent consideration. The men were marched into the basement, where they got uproariously Irunk, while tho captain was taken into the library and heard a earned dissertation on the various meanings attached to the word "■ company." Perhaps this subject has attained sufficient proportions to warrant the appointment of a Special Committee of Con;ress upon it.