The Sunday globe., 1901-07-14
THE high LIFE
Of Washington, as Narrated by a
Southern Correspondent.
A BEAUTIFUL PIPE DREAM.
OF Course, the High Danes Of The Capital Cin
Never Read the Gossip and Scandals Related
About Them and The Globe ReproduoeS this
for the DslsOlatiOn Solely Of It's pIebian
Readers-Arlstocracys Right 10 be Immoral.

The Washington correspondent Of a
Southern newpaper, afflicted with sum-
mer languor, dictated the following
pipe dream to his IS per week stenog-
rapher and then hied himself to Mar.
shall Hall for a muchneeded rest.
The subject matter, it will be perceiv-
ed on perusal, is not in the Sunday
Globes style OF vigorous and robust
literature, but is, nevertheless, repro
duced as a pleasing variety, and, on
the sanitary grounds that light read
ing is necessary sometimes to relieve
the surcharged mind and gigantic in.
tellect. Here goes the Southerner.
Note him:
The number Of persons standing
high in society here who yet are ac-
tual commission brokers in the matri.
monial market, is startling to say the
least of it.
True, they have not yet reached the
point of advertising their wares in the
daily papers, but they do business on
business principles.
Two or three of the guilty ones re.
Gently have been prominently talked
Of and will be ostraCised if the fact
becomes generally known.
Washington is the best place In the
world at which to sell daughter or
buy a count, l should imagine
In Paris there are agencies patron
lied by people of decent family, and
not a few in Vienna, where one can
also reach ambitious or wealthy par.
ties seeking TO mend their shattered
fortunes or battered hearts by the use
of Intermediates. These people how.
ever, are generally well known
/ am not as familiar with the society
of Washington as with that in the for.
mer two places, but only take infer.
ences from what l learn on pretty good
reliable authority. At a recent recep-
ton held at a foreign diplomat
house, 1 met a lady who is well posted
on all grades of society in this city.
Our conversation fell into that chan
mel and she emphasized what I had
learned We are close friends, and
conversed very freely on the subject.
A.ler ! had stated my views to her
sne was willing to admit tnat | was
correctly informed, I'm the first
place" she said, remember that Wash.
ington is the one place on earth where
so many different lines Of social life
converge. By this ! mean that many
grades and nationalities meet on many
different footings.
"A capital city, of course, always
furnishes the largest circles Of better
class and more distinguished people.
London, naturally would in that re.
spect, have the advantage over any
capital, but for the more strongly
drawn social lines there and also the
life at the country houses, which iso-
lates the titled people more,
Washington Is the kaleidoscope
among cities.
Thirty years ago IL was nothing
but a political capital; now, even the
resident may not be in the smart set.
Money in vast quantities was prac-
tically unknown in Washington until
the time Of the Arthur Administration.
This brought in a number Of rich New
Workers, and since that time it has
become a chosen home for the wor-
shippers Of the Golden Serpent
"Then came the diplomatic corps,
and now we have such a recently pro-
duced commingling Of different social
grades of our own that the distinctions
are so very mixed up and peculiar.
"This city is an especially great
place for rich widows with daughters,
women of that particular type Of our
own nationality who 60 abroad as soon
as they have lost their husbands and
travel, generally in Europe and ASIA
1T is among these that you may pos
sibly find the kind Of people you men
Ton most, who move in the highest So
cial grade. and who, abroad, were not
ostracised by persons Of rank, simply
because they were Americans, so have
come back with a large acquaintance
list here, to a better standing
"They are very widely acquainted
~ 4 different classes Of people met on
the more cosmopolitan plan.
MANY Of them gamble for very large
stakes at bridge whist. have known
some of them willing to do almost
ANYTHING to retrieve their lost fortunes
which would not compromise them too
much. They are not above returning
the favor of a wealthy parvenu mother
bv marrying her 70 a decayed duke II
the chance comes along.
"I know very good woman who was
ruined by bridge whist playing, Wnc
accented part Of the doWry OF elII
from a well-known count.
ISbe confided to me the cause Of heI
return to prosperity J Hne" ner wei"
and, IN fact, Intimately. ...,
"She sent a photograph OF the youut
woman 10 the count, asking MIN u sn'
would suit his tastes, but OF course
mentioning the amount OF her dot ah'
also mentioned 20 the count the rae
81 having lost her own fortune, anC
Iaft n "a him 10 make further sugges
t{ons He returned the photograph O
tbe Young woman. as a matter OF non
or and his own with IL. He replied
Win a letter, stating that be had ran
on i'm love with the face at trst slgh'
"The Young lady was an ambition
Girl burning 70 marry "a title. ana, a
tba count was not too dlsrepuiahle, h
was accepted
81 heard a story Of another woma
who was quite In the upper circle.
She was passionately fond OF dla
monds and was not in "a position {
buv very costly gem that she co'
eted. She knew quite Intimately a
aid and wealthy man who was tasclI
ated with a young girl of very grea
beauty. Her cupldlty oVeicam' ne
scruples. She was very highly FeEaI.
ed by the young girl and was half II
lated 10 the elderly man.
cone day she asked him If b
thought so highly Of the young Won
an that he would consider a pearl llf
her equal 10 a diamond.
"To this the old gentleman rephe
delightedly that be would give eve
the Kohinoor IL he could purchase
I'm exchange for her
"The persuasion Of the woman +"
strongly brought 10 bear upon h6
-. ..lnrL To Inhmnn her 10 anl-L