National Republican., 1888-04-08
LADY WRITER'S OF Society.
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ~ THEIR
WORN ANb HOW OVERCOME.
Disagreeabic Embnrra.-n Tttit
Sovices Expertencc--Con
That Frequently Brgct warm AT
Permanent Friendships ScwS Gt;h-
crcrs with Polished Manners.


Permanent Friendships Scw- G,;h-
crcrs with Polished Manners.
In no city Of the world Is the life VI SO
clCty correspondent precisely tht sam u, Il
is in Washington, for the simple reason iimt
in no other city is the sotitl lita II" ,iui'.
To this capital Of our nation the ilnta.,-
mcnts of the people are such AM their hi,y
pastincs 50 crowded within Il few w,n' r.
months that In most cases thOsi wLO lila she
ranks of the press are women. an rs II '',',.
sarlly follows, those who do the work IN ut
by birth or position be entitled to enter even
the most exclusive circles with case aul
confidence, so that poJr Immunity ut pres
ent laboiiDg under the necessity by the uii-
written laws OF the social code Of having
their doings chrOniced, need not too plainly
be made aware of the stern fact that their
entertainments are under the argus
eyes Of terrible reporter and will
the following day, OF perhaps that
very evening be published TO all four quar-
tiers Of the globe and appear in glaring type
In the columns Of the local journals Sad,
yet true, 1t Is that such must he the fate Of
all aspirants after social as well as political
honors who pitch their tent for season in
this city. Therefore 1t will be seen that the
ladies thus connected with the press ore re-
ccivcd with cordiality and treated with
courtesy no less gracious than Is extended
to the highest in rank or fortune, and In
every respect enjoy the hospitality and
confidence of thc hostess aS hOnorcd guests
Few aud far between are the cases Oh record
where any other rule has been pfagticGd,
and rare has been the cases where on tills
employed has taken unfair advantage of the
generous confidence showed them. More
often warm friendships prove the result Of
the system. and In many Instances the latter
even finds IN the former kind and practi-
cal assistant In her work, and IN the int sr-
course with many of the brightest minds of
the age, who yearly make Washington their
camping ground, soon feel the benefits Of
larger views and higher aims so ncces sily TO
Il successful literary career.
Each important newspaper Of the country
Is Represented by II branch editor, whose corps
Of efficient assistants are both in public and
private life granted many privileges In the
way of obtaining information. so that during
the height Of the gay season the half dozen
or more resident correspondents are aug
mented by II full quota of Others, represent
ing every large city Of the Union. who,
coming as they do with letters Of credit from
their respective journals. are received with
the "open sesame" of the liospiiable iuhab-
tarts and soon inundated with invita-
tions to entertainments of every deScrip
tion. enter AZ once into the vortex OF
fashionable life. Alas for the poor
novice in this giddy whirl The first wild
struggle for place in her responsible aud
untricd position often almost drives her 10
despair, The effort to bring order out Of
chaos in the bcwidcring scene seems an
almost impossible task, ami She scehs In
vain to collect her thoughts for the task In
hand and obtain lucid comprehension Of
the whole, Gradually however. the brain
begins to clear and the quick pulses to cool
as the stranCeness and novelty wear of, aud
people TO assume more familiar aspect,
until at length she sCttles down to
true understanding of her part and
enters the most crowded and brilliant scene
of festivity with a mind composed 10 the
task in hand. namely, the taking in of all
important facts, such as thc costumes of the
receiving party. rank 0nd list Of distin
guishcd or prominent guests present with
the toilets Of the ladies, style of spread and
variety Of floral decorations. ail Of which
must be absorbed often at Il single glance,
while apparently listening calmly To the
gay chatter Of some chance acquaintance. or
moving slowly about through the gay
throng, meeting AZ every step familiar
faces, and holding brief converse
with all, one Of many in the bright pageant
who I'll these hospitable homes, attending
every entertainment given just to Kill time
| or ''do the thing" because IL Is the thing TO
| do and by no outward sign In any respect
different from them all, though engaged In
| the performance of stern duty and bread
winning. That To the loOker-on may seem
light and easy task when compared 10 the
pitiflil struggle Of others yet to the initiated
| is known to possess darker side, where
| many sharp thorns are hidden which some
| times prick and wound the tired hands and
weary brain that must never stop so long as
| there is work to be done. One meets t0cm
| everywhere, these busy bees among Il field of
| butterflies, and as they vanish In the moving
| crowd of pleasure seekers the mind in vain
| tries to grasp the knowledge of how they
| lived through the double strain oi more than
| one season. Yet the recent death of one OF
| the bravest OF the band, who for many
| wears struggled successfully against the
weakness OF her failing health 10 fall at last in
the strife with weapons still in hand, but
| not before she had won u name for herself
| in the pages of literature, proves the truth of
! the promise that las our day SO shal our
strength be-
Often after busy day and evening spent
! in scenes of gaiety one must hurry away
| from german or reception TO pen the lines
before the inccssant clck-click of the tele
| graph ceases for the night. and the wcac,ed
scribe soon longs for the blessing of com
parative repose Of the lcntcn season.
Strange yet true il is that seldom does mat
| rimony enter into the calculations of u
young woman who enters upon such a
career, and rarely Of one is marriage re
corded. Doubtless the solution could be
explained in the fact that 10 the average
worker little time is allowed for leisure,
and, though living amid scenes Of plea asurc,
the usual vanity OF the woman is absorbed
in the earnestness Of Il determined purpose,
and all the little feminine arts and graces
lie uncultivated and neglected by which the
soul Of the lover and husband is won. aud
thus often devoted wife and mother is
lost, and the world to which she caters in
their vanity gives but scalt measure of praise
in return. \. +. T.
| The Prize Awarded.