The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-25

ed, earnest gentleman, whose speciality in
his chosen profession of journalism is the
doings of society, and whose careful
methods have commended him to the con-
fdence Of the public. Mr. Keim's training
has not been that of a carpet knight. He
has been in more serious campaigns than
those which begin New Years day and come
to an end with the advent of Lent. The
reader may be surprised TO learn that the
most successful society writer of Wash
tngton Is man, but l am told that a
woman could never attain the position
which this gentleman occupies.
A woman may be successful as O mere
reporter Of costumes and small events, but
In the larger range OF society's activities
none but man can win the confidence of
the chief actors and be able to write au-
thOritatively and semi-oficially. \ man
was the first society correspondent in Wash
inSton. About 1889 Washington society
letters made their appearance in The New
York Mirror. They were the first of their
kind, and created a mild sort of sensation.
Soon there were many imitatOrs, and the
business of reporting the society of the
national capital had made its start. These
letters to The Mirror were written by Ma
thaniel p. Willis, the poet and Hterateur
Wills was at that time fOppish. slender
young man, with prOfusiOn of curly,
light hair, and was always dressed in the
height Of fashion. Having Travelled in
Europe and there mingled with the aristo-
cratic classes, he affected to look down
upon the common people; but with all
his snObbishness he had a wonderful fac
ulty for endOwing triding occurrences with
interest, and his letters have never been
surpassed 1t is recalled of Willis that he
first introduced steel pens to Washington,
having brought over q quantity Of those
made by Joseph elliott at Birmingham.
Before this goose quilts had been exclu-
Bively used
Mr.. Keim, though the descendant of one
of the best families in Pennsylvania, had
no aristOcratic training for his work lie
approached the social field by the military
road. During the war of the rebellion he
was correspondent of The New York Her
aid. While at the front for bis paper
he formed friendships with such great
generals as Grant, Sherman. Sheridan
and Mcpherson, friendships which lasted
Us long as these men lived. It was
to Mr.. Keim that Gen Grant said Just
before they took him to Mount McGregor,
& shall be dead in six weeks" Keim's
first meeting with Grant was at the
front, near Corinth, Miss On his arrival
at headquarters the correspondent ap-
preached a plain, common looking man
whom he saw standing outside the gener-
ais tent, wearing a cheap blouse and
lounging about with a cigar in his mouth
81 am a newspaper correspondent, have
just arrived in camp, and l want to see
Gen. Grant" said Mr.. Keim. This is the
generals headquarters, " replied the plain
looking man, land if you will come here
tomorrow morning l am sure the general
viii be glad to see you" Next morning
Keim was there, and he found that the
man with whom he had talked the night
before was Gen Grant himself.
About this time Keim had his first meet
ing with Gen. sherman Old Tecumseh
had become incensed at the reports of some /
of the war correspondents and had issued
orders just before starting on his Meridian