Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-01-12
Professional Chaperons.

i don't know inst what to call her.
She belongs peculiarly to Washington
and is born of the necessities of the
place She is several-or rather there
are several of her. If you are lady
and happen to be elected to Washing
ton society through having your hus-
band chosen to sit in the Legislative
halls or to hold other place of honor
under the Federal Government, you
may find her useful. She teaches how
to entertain, and clears away the thorns
from your path on your entrance to
Washington society.
The wives and daughters of new
Congressman and ficials are frequent
ly thrown into society without previ-
Gus preparation. From the quiet of a
country home this is a terrible transit
ton. There are ladies here in Wash
ington whose husbands have been army
or navy officers. They have spent
years in society, and have held and still
hold high rank. The mysteries of form
and usage are familiar to them, but the
death or retirement of their husbands
has reduced their finances below the
figures of their extravagant tastes.
These ladies now sustain their position
in society by leading the uninitiated
through the mysterious mazes. They
teach the wives of new Senators and
members from the back districts the
polite forms, and pilot them safely
through winter in Washington. The
relation they hold to novice is that
of superior, who condescends to take
the part of friendly adviser or chap
eron. They are courted, followed-and
paid They are women who have been
bellies in society in the past, and who
dictate its forms now. They now make
business of pleasure. They advise
their patrons what to wear, how to fur
nish their house, how to talk and act,
how to set their tables, how to receive
callers and who to receive; when
to call, how to call, and who
to call on. They tell them the
difference between an ordinary tea and
a high tea; between q dinner party
and luncheon. They rub the dust off
their dialect and teach them polite
forms of speech, and tell them what TO
talk about. They lead them around
the circle and teach by example.
These chaperons are not known as
such except to those who employ
them, and they are the most courted of
all society. They are experts in
Washington life.
In the morning, when they are not
circling the rounds of society, they act
the part of private onversationalists.
There are always a number of wealthy
ladies who, on account of not yet
knowing the ways of society, or of ill
health, or perhaps because they are in
mourning, are not in the social swim.
AS conversers, these queens aad J0c-
totatms of society bring all the gossip
and goings-on in society in morning
call upon those wealthy victims of Sc
clusion. They tell them who had re-
ceptions last night and who were there,
what they wore. what they said about
them. They relate the latest private
scandal; tell what different people
think of each other, and how each is
measured 10y the whole of society.
They report how long Mr.. -
talked with Miss Millions, and repeat
what society" thought of it. They
discuss tho engagements made and
broken off. All the little bits Of gos-
sip, small talk and scandals they carry
with exact memory os 10 oil the inter