The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-26
Viii ,;aslIle
THE WHIRL OF SOCIETY.
WALTER WELLMAN WRITES OF THE
WASHINGTON WOMEN WORSHIPERS.
Thew Shine Afternoons, but in the Even
ing Real Men Come to the Front-An
Austrian Countess Tact - American
Statesmen in Society.
Especial Correspondence

w ASdINGION, Jan. -Sdpildi BUT
ety is now in full wnirl, and the woman
worshiper is again in his glory. Wash
ington in the social season is perfect
paradise for woman and her masculine
adorers. From New Years to Lent the
Washington woman has a world dis
tinctly and wholly her own. Society
engrosses all her time and her energies,
and very often all her strength and am
bition. During this roseate period she Is
absolutely independent Of her husband
for the amusements and activities which
all human beings instlncuveiy crave.
She has her own field, and well does she
know how to cultivate it. All the hus-
band has to Go is to pay the bills, and he
may stick all day to his desk in the gov
eminent bureau or TO his CHAIR IN the
halls of congress, and be but little missed
There are other and perhaps gayer and
Younger men to take his place in the
drawing room or at the tea table, for, be
it understood, the society devotee, with
all her self reliance, all her fOndness for
dear Mrs. So-and-so,' and ''lovely Mrs.
What -her-name," and those sweet
girls. the Newcomers" has no intention
of running this little world of hers with
out the help of the lords of creation.
While the women vastly Outnumber
the men at the round of receptions, teas
and sat homes" enough Of the dear fell
lows are sprinkled in TO leayen the whole
lump with the delightful possibility OF a
Irritation for the young moths and the
certainty of polite and fattering atten-
ton for their mamnas. In no other
American city is there such large num-
Der Of idle, yet cultured, fairly well to
do men, available for society purposes
during the honrs of sunshine, as in Wash
ington Army and navy ofiicers-active,
orders waiting, or retired-are as thick
as bees in June, and, to a man, fond OF
the society Of the lovely women who
make this social whirl in Washington a
kaleidoscope of fair faces and fine gowns.
The diplomatic corps, full Of dandies,
Young and old, who have firted at half
the capitals of the world and in three or
four languages, may be always depended
upon. It's stock of gallants never quite
runs short, and its appetite for tea and
cake, and particularly for good wine and
terrapin, is altogether inexhaustible. Its
repertoire of compliments and fine
phrases is capable Of being turned over
and over without being worn out.
Many SONS Of rich or prominent men
there are here, idling, hstless fellows, TO
whom the social season once a year Of
fers an opportunity TO rouse themselves
and enjoy the novel luxury of some sort
Of employment. 4 few of the statesmen
themselves, senators and representa-
tives, and not by any means the young
ones exclusively, find the parlors Of the
west end, with their flowers and pretty
faces and winning smiles, more attract
i've of an afternoon than the overheated
and speech droning air of the halls of
congress.
So the social whirl brings within its
sparkling circle, even in the afternoon, a
considerable number of men. A major
ity Of these are avowed woman worship
ers. In Washington the woman wor-
shiper thlIves as he thrives nowhere else
or this continent, because here all the
conditions are favorable to his develop
meut. To him who loves to bask In the
presence of women whose sole aim for
the nonce is to be charmed and charm
ing, Washington affords an almost limit
less field. 1t is very easy to get in. Get
ting into society here is as easy as get
ting into the theatres of New York, and
not so expensive. Needed, self conf
dence, fairly good suit of clothes, four
dollars worth of engraved cards. Posi-
bilities, a gay round both afternoon and
evening, invitations to dinner, a rich
bride. Is it any wonder that large
class of Young men would rather borrow
money and go into society than work
and acquire fame and lucre?
The wife of the secretary of the ex.
terror, or Mrs. Senator Blank, is giving
a reception this afternoon. Many car
riages are driving up to the door and dis
charging their contents. Women, moth
ing but women. Women young and
beautiful, women old and ugly, women
who are using hired carriages aud won
en- who luxuriate in wealth. Occasion
ally man walks up and enters the
portals. He is poor young man anC
he lives in boarding house, or hi!
mother, who belongs to one of the ole
families, supports him by working il
the departments, but he is no sooner
within madame's parlor, where the ga,
is burning, and there is a delicious hun
and litter Of soft feminine voices, thar
he is seized upon, gazed upon. hungere(
.ral ! NaI a n
the Dark Continent, a famous poet
great artist or heir TO a throne. He is {;
man, and men are scarce during bust
ness hours.
II is IL the afternoon that the profes
sional woman worshipers find the fielC
best adapted 10 their wants. Then it i
that they sally forth, sure of easy run
ming. with small competition and mucl
success. There are not enough of thes
women worshipers to bring danger o
interference with each other. Wher,
there are fifty women TO one man. tn,
man must be very dull, or ugly, or timi(
who viii not feel a serene confidence il
himself and his proves. Thus from
house TO house and from flower TO flow
er fits the worshiper, slipping the hone,
of Irritation here and there, and drink
ing in the dew and fragrance Of wort
and glance. Poor fool, bissfully un
conscious that Se is rapidly becoming
slave 10 the woman habit, that most in
sidious and deadly Of diseases. He doe
not know that few years more of this
and he will be incapable OF loving ont
woman. of making for himself a homt
and a settled connection in life.
With the afternoon gallant of Wash
jnrfon society woman becomes a lad. f.;