Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-09
PENCILS In SOCIETY.
Something About the Lady Reporters
Who Do Washington.
USUALLY HAVE FAIR INCOMES
Embarrassing Situations They Often Have
to Encounter.
NOTE BOOKS AT THE WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH. I

porter. The doings of Washington in
wining and dining, in giving receptions and
paying calls are now as important an article
of news as the acts of Congresa The social
columns are more read than the speeches on
the tariff, and thousands of dollars are spent
by the leading journals to tell their readers
| Just what Mrs. Senator Smith wore at the
! White House and how Mrs. General Jones
decorated her table. The inaugural balls
bring in dollars by the handful to the
women correspondents, and know one girl
| who made $150 the night of 1darrison's in
auguration in describing the dresses Tor a
number of different papers. She got $40 a
column, and sent the same matter by tele-
graph to New York, Boston, Cincinnati and
! Chicago.
Other friends Of mine make Government
| clerks monthly salary at every White
House reception, and one bright correspond
ent cleared $500 in three months in getting
up special articles for two newspaper syndi-
Gates in addition to her regular society
work, which paid her much better.
THE SALARIES THEY MAKE.
Perhaps the best paid society correspond
ent Washington has ever had was Mary
Clemmer Ames. She made $1,000 year
out of a weekly letter, and shs had at the
same time contract by which she got 500
a week for daily editorial article. She
was, however, more of an editorial and po-
litical correspondent than a society writer,
and though there are perhaps fully as good
| writers in Washington to-day, there are
| none so we'll paid. The average earnings
of Washington society reporter range from
| $25 week upward, according to the sea-
son, the reputation OF the correspondent and
the amount of work done. The duties are
| arduous in the extreme, and as rule we
| gIrls more than earn all we get.
Look at it. In the first place we have to
be persons OF culture and education. Most
of US have by birth right to place in
| Washington society. We have to know all
| about social usages. We have to know who
is who in society, and we have to have
enough friends among the very highest la
dies of the land to give US the bust Of news
as soon as it occurs.
SOME OF THE REQUIREME
1t takes time and influence to establish
such an acquaintance, and TO fix your posi-
tion SO that you are trusted from the White
House to the Congressman's home, and
have, as it were, the entree to the holiest of
the holies of Washington's inner circles.
Then we have to know all about dress. We
have to carry in our heads the toilets of
dozen different noted ladies at one time,
have to remember the names of the distin-
guished people at each great reception, and
be able to describe anything in flowers from
boutonniere to the most elaborate state
dinner decoration. We have at the same
time to talk and be pleasant, and when We
write we have to work our pens as carefully
as those OF diplomat-saying good things of
all and offending none.
All this may seem easy. But take it day
after day and night alter night through one
Washington season, and it is the hardest
and most braln-wearing work imaginable.
, How are We treated?
Generally well. Sometimes otherwise.
But the ill-treatment is due to ignorance
rather than intention or ill-breeding. I
shall never forget some of our first calls
upon the ladies OF President Harrison's
Cabinet.
AN AMUSING EXPERIENCE.
Upon the arrival of a new resident, either
among official or dipl omatic circles, the first
duty of a correspondent is to make herself
and paper known through the medium of a
morning call. Acting upon this rule, set
forth one day early in the spring of 'S9 upon
a round of Cabinet calls. First on the list
was the wife of Secretary Noble. sent up
my card with the name of my paper in
scribed in one corner. Alter some 10 min
utes' delay, was ushered into my lady's
private sanetum. Seated in low rocking
chair in the center of the room was lady in
morning gown, apparently busiIy engaged
in writing and to all outward appearances,
totally oblivious of my presence.
She continued to scribble in nervous haste,
while I remained standing. When at
length the situation grew awkward, ven-
tured to interrupt the steady flow of her pen
with the inquiry whether I had not the
pleasure OF addressing Mrs. Noble. At the
sound of my voice the !. dy glanced hur-
riedly up from her task and. with pen poised
daintily in air, askedi "Did you wish to see
me about anything?"
EXPLANATIONS IN ORDER.
Completely taken aback by so unexpected
reception and uncertain whether to laugh
or cry, 1 hastened to explain that my motive
in calling was merely in pursuance of the
usual custom of paving my respects to the
members of the incoming administration,
and that regretted my unwelcome intru-
sion at an evidently inauspicious moment.
Disarmed bv nv words and evidently greatly
relieved at NY harmless intentions the lady
laid aside her writing and announced her.
self to be Miss Halstead, sister of Mrs.
Noble, who was confined to her room and
unable to see anyone.
| She said she had judged that sought an
| interview, and she had sent for me to come
to her room. She laughingly said she had
| felt considerable embarrassment at the ex-
| pected encounter with reporter. After a
| few minutes, in which I endeayored to ex-
plain our true position in society, I made a
move to withdraw. when a voice from the
| adjoining bed chamber peremptorily called
| Miss Halstead by name. Without word
my hostess incontlneptly fled, leaving me to
find my way out as best could. I felt out
ragged, of course, but alter few weeks So
! journ in our midst there was no more hos
pitable home to be found in days round
of visits than the dwelling of the Secretary
of the Interior.
STORY OF MRS. SENATOR sPooNER.
This feeling is most natural one among
| strangers to our social code who regard all
newspaper representatives in the category
| of ordinary casualty reporters, and much
| unnecessary embarrassment is the conse-
uuence Take for example my first call
| upon the wife of Senator .Spooner, woman
| in thousand and one whose genial cordi-
ality and warm hearted sympathy has won
for her host of devoted friends.
High upon green terrace overlooking
the Capitol grounds, giving a magnificent
view Of the city and river below, stands the
spacious Spooner residence. 1t was here
| found myself surrounded entirely by
strangers, without the familiar face among
the ladies of the receiving party. I had to
have a report Of the reception and was COM
PEELED to seek the desired information as to
names ct cetera, by asking questions. Ap-
preaching nearer to the hostess, as I ex-
| tended my hand in farewell, quietly made