The age-herald., 1898-01-16
"A Renumeratiye Business
For ImpeCuniOus Women
laaaaaaaaaaaoae

For ImpecuniOus Women
 Washington. D. C., with it's cosmopolitan population; with it's strange, incongruous mixture of political, military, moral, dipio- matic and business representatives, has pe- culiar social conditions, which do not oo- tain in any other American city. or course there, as in Birmingham, and every other town in the Union, there are in the soelal swim some very new, unfamiliar men ana women. who are almost unknown to society in their native homes In Washington, as elsewhere, the aspiring masculine conuh- gent purchase or rent dress suits, which cause them to look more unattractive than ever, and they plunge into the soclai Nor- tex ignorant of the fact that nothing under the blue skies makes certain classes oi men appear commoner than evening dress. Unless a man is well-bred and well-man- nered he invariably looks like hotel waiter in a dress suit; if he has the good fortune to be a gentleman, he is especially handsome and thoroughbred In appear ance when he attires himself in evening dress. Nature has placed her mark on mankind, which an evening coat has an unfortunate habit of bringing out, witn the power of flashlight. But, men VIII continue to wear evening clothes, whether becoming to them or not, and perhaps so- ciety is more interesting-certainly II Is more diverting-because of an occasionai introduction of the untrained, ill-htting eie- ment. Nobody is deceived, and a fresh amusement is furnished well-bred people by an opportunity to observe the energetlc masculine aspirants for social considera- tion, who have not yet learned that some- thing besides an evening coat and white tie are essential in the best and most re- fined society.
 But in Washington, where the social lines become very much tangled sometimes, few ingenious women have found it an easy and remuneratve thing to be what is termed Social Promoters
 These enterprising females generally se- cure handsome homes, and as they have the entree of the best and most exclusive circles, they find no difficulty in filling their residences with the daughters of the new rich"-at extravagant prices-and intro- duce them to Washington society, and es- pecially to the eligible men of their &C., quaintance
 An exchange thus describes the means adopted by the social promoters to in sure success in their undertakings:
 In this connection it will probably be of interest to know how the "social pro moter" operates. She-for a woman only figures outwardly in the business-engages to introduce wealthy girls into society She will undertake to marry them OH II desired. Her patrons always poard with her, paying frequently $1,000 a month, and she finds no trouble in bringing them out. Washington society is totally unlike that of any other American city. Anybody can force an entrance to the official circles; a little iudicious wire-pulling will enable one to get into the diplomatic set; but to be recognized by the old Washington families is not so easy. Here the path of the social promoter is beset with many thorns.
 She first coaches them in what they must say and do when out.
 The debutante first goes the rounds Of the state affairs. Then a tea is announced ito meet Miss -" who has come to be known as a member of an old family, who have long been the promoters" friends If the girl wants to marry, as she usually does, a second season usually sees her bride, generally tied up to an impecunious foreigner, as there was no stipulation in the bargain as to what sort Of a man was to be provided
 Finesse is the watchword of the pro- moter Of course, while her business can- not be hidden from society folks, she Is not allowed to wear a trade mark on her sleeves The clever wife of a former Sena- tor recently overtstepped the line. She sought to refill her purse by becoming ''promoter." She placed the wife of Pennsylvania millionaire in society, and the lady Is now on the flood tide of the social sea- Emboldened by this success, she undertook to put several eastern girls in the smart set She went so far as to ask invitations for them from ladies who were well acquainted with the fact that she was promoting. The statements in her quest as to the relationship between Mrs. Ex-Senator and the girls did not tally, it is said, with the facts in the case, and she has since then found it impossible to pro mote,' because her society friends do not care to help her, when they believe that she is being paid to work Miss So-and-so through the gates which are at the en- trance of the social arena.
 Promoting will go on, and no mat ter how the bue-blooded in local society frown upon 1t. they cannot prevent it. By the way: But for the industry several of Washington's most aristocratic young rien might not be living in luxury, as they now do Many buds" brought in by the pro- motors were happily married to Washing tonians. and their husbands will always have kindly feeling for this clever and energetic class of men and women.