Wichita eagle., 1890-02-08

w dSnlngJon, was wondering now LTleu0 VI
hers an older woman and longer resident,
managed to get SO many desirable invita-
tions
''Oh, it is just as easy as anything" ex-
planned the latter; ''au you have to do Is to
push your way right in. Start out early IN
the season, pick the people who give tho best
entertainments, call and leave your card and
your husbands card, with your address
plainly printed thereon, and they daren'r
ignore you. They all want to make their hus-
bands popular. and win reflections for them,
and you needn* fear but they win send you
invitations All you have to do is to sail in
and demand your rights"
'iBut don't know any one," said the new
conner. II don't know what to say or what
to do"
THAT doesn't make particle Of difference.
Walk right in as if you owned the place.
Have the servant announce your name, and
pretend that you are somebody. How are
they going to know that your husband gets
only a thousand year at the government
printing officer
AS likely as not the tlmid little woman viii
''sail in" and in mon.h or two, SO quickly
are our sensibilities hardened, become a con-
frmed "pusher." This official society is very
seductive Seen at New Years reception
at the White House, which everybody is free
to attend, it glitters and daZzles. No wonder
the humble little woman from the back coun-
try, having gained possession Of a smart new
gown and a dollar or two to hire a hanson
with, Is unable to resist the temptation to
'push in" And, having once made start,
even if one of but Indifferent success, with
cold shoulders and sharp looks here and there,
what fascination it all has for her! How
eager she is to continued In other cities q
woman's social circle is necessarily circum-
scribed, limited. Here it is as broad as the uni
verse Though of humble origin, poor estate,
careless breeding and defective education,
no pent up Q Utica or distant Oshkosh contracts
her powers. She may call upon the families
of the justices Of the supreme court, of the cab
met, Of senators and representatives, and keep
going from Monday to Saturday. She may
meet all the beauties and celebrities of the day,
see elegant gowns, hear a dozen languages
spoken by the members of the diplomatic
corps, get some really desiraf q introductions
and a few invitations to ''card" affairs, pick
up some choice morsels of gossip, and be as
happy as a rabbit in clover as long as the gay
season lasts. A woman loves that sort Of
thing, and in order to enjoy it is likely to
neglect home and children. For seven weeks
the social activity Of the capital is genuine
dissipation. But sweetest of all to the wo-
man who has succeeded in pushing her way
in is the pleasure of sitting down and writing
to her friends in the country about having
met the Baroness So-and-so, and the Duchess
Such-and-such, in the drawing room of Mrs
Justice That, Mrs. Secretary This, or Mrs
Uall cha hot ia
country friends will sigh and envy her, and
gossip about it at the church and the
sewing society till all the town knows that
Sally Smith, who everybody thought had
made a mistake by marrying that good-for-
nothing Bill Jones, has come to the front in
Washington society, where she Is flying high
with the fashionables.
Forcing ones way into society," bidding for
invitations is nothing new in Washington So
ciety. Fifty years ago it was a practice
often complained of, and the fashionables
have never been free from its vexations.
Young men who work on government desks
and inhabit boarding houses are particularly
eager for invitations to receptions at which
refreshments are served, and some funny
stories are told about the ruseS to which they
resort in order to obtain bids. Failing to get
cards they go anyway. If the young man,
ambitious of social honors, will confne his
self exploitation TO the afternoon s'open" re-
ceptions he will get along very we'll
The young man is at premium on such
occasions Imagine 4 room full of pretty
girls and handsomely dressed women trying
to be merry over the weather and a conver-
sation about La grippe, with acolored servant
the only man in the rooml Even depart
ment clerk is welcome here, fact which
some young men of humble station and scant
salaries have not been slow to discern and
take advantage of. When young man can
take half day off from his desk in the state
and be welcomed by score Of
bellies, the wives and daughters of million
aires, senators and secretaries, there is no
reason to fear that our boasted social equality
is going to the dogs. But woe to the young
man if he do not keep his place. He is well
come in the afternoon, simply because he is a
man, and because men are scarce. In the
evening, when men of station and wealth are
plentiful, he is not wanted. He then does
well to stay in his boarding house.
The uninvited guest is irrepressible. At a
recently given by Chief Justice
Fuller to introduce his daughter to society it
is estimated there were present twenty-five
unlimited persons of both sexes. All had
large appetites with them, and they fingered
lovingly over the refreshment table. No one
knew them, but the servants were as polite
to them as to any other guests, and of course
the host was not willing to incur the risk Of
making an error or creating scene by asking
the unasked to depart. If Washington social
leaders dared they would require showing of
invitation cards at the door, as do the thea
tres and circuses, but that would make them
hopelessly ridiculous.
This was done In one case, not long ago, at
one of the legations. None but member of
the diplomatic corps would venture such a
startling innovation. The diplomatic has
little fear of ridicule The American poll
tician and Office holder lives in holy terror Of
it. A conical scene was that at the japanese |
legation one night last season. The minister
had made arrangements for a tea, to which |
were invited most of the fashionable people Of
the city. By mistake of the printer, a local |
newspaper, in announcing the tea, gave the |
wrong date, and on this day the minister and |
his wife were surprised and amused on seeing |
a score or more Of people, all unknown to /
them, present themselves at the front door /
for adrittance to the tea.
The balls given by Minister and Nine. /
Romero at the Mexican legation are among
the most enjoyable of the gay season Just |
within the arch leading from the hall to the
oarlor at the right the minister and madame
usually stand to receive their guests At the
asst ball number of guests were seen slip
ping through the hall without greeting their
loSt and hostess, and little investigation
disclosed the fact that these were uubidden