Evening star., 1902-03-24
HENRY
EVANS,
O22 and O24 Est. N. w.
And 1929 Conn. Ave. NV.
not care to come over the little creek whic
separates them from Washington.
Easy to Enter Society.

Easy to Enter Society.
Washington by many in the states has
come to be regarded as a winter pleasure
resort. 1t presents so much Of advantage
| for social intercourse, diversion and i'm
| provement: it's museums. it's works of art
| Its magnificent public buildings. the an
| nual assemblage Of Congress. it's theatri-
cals-SecOnd only to New York-and so
many other attractions, that those Of means
and leisure are more and more drawn here.
rich men from the east and west year by
year erect magnificent palaces. specially
ntted Tor entertaining. and vieing in extent
and appointments with the luxurious abodes
OF the wealthy in all the great cities of
America and Europe In some degree there
Is measure of excluSiveneSs In what is
called Washington fashionable society. But
most any one who lives in a big house, en-
tertafns on a lavish scale and has not been
In the penitentiary finds little difficulty In
getting In. There is no question the bars
are left down more easily than in other
cities. Some Of those who cut big dash
were never able TO get in the charmed pre-
cincts at home. This is the class Of persons
who usually affect the most.
In Washington there is large body of
men famous In art, science. philosophy and
literature. whose high attainments and
whose happy facility in communicating
their knowledge make them welcome
equally at social or Semi-social gatherings
There are not few women also of emf
nent literary qualifications. A leading Eng
lish journalist who came to washington
this winter, wrote home that in the whole
world there was not to be found such a nu-
merous and distinguished body of scientists
and philosophers of the highest grade as In
/ Washington. These men, who are mainly
In the executive departments pursuing their
particular specialties. have instituted va
riOus organizations, including in their SCOPE
and presenting in popular style everything
OF interest to the cultured and of advance
ment for the seeker after KNOWLEDGE Upon
rpf Shyaa TO aera
are altogether intellectual, but society is
always represented.
Society Women Not All Butterflies.
Society rushes at a furious gait from the
beginning Of the season until the end. When
Lent comes there is brief intermission of
few days and then it is all on again, ex-
cept that 1t Is done a little more on the
quiet. There Is SO much going on in dances,
dinners. muSicales, recitals teas and re-
ceptions that 1t Is quite impossible to per-
init the Lenten season to interfere. All
through IT. however are sandwiched those
functions which encourage and promote
the development Of the more exalted and
finer instincts Of human nature which i'm
prove character and intensity our best i'm
pulses. l have never had any patience
with the talk that the society woman is Of
necessity mere butterfly, with no aims or
purposes beyond the physical enjoyments
of the hour With many Of these women
social pleasures constitute the only en-
brOidery Of life. They are model sisters,
daughters, wives. mothers. They are not
so engrossed but they have a mind and
heart for domestic duties and obligations
and there is no chill in that warmth of af-
fection and interest which makes the hap
py home.
Professional Diners-Out.
There is extensive class of profess
sional diners-out. They study how to make
themselves desirable and to be regarded as
acquisitions. In this list there is a sharp
sprinkiing of the younger and unmarried
members of the diplomatic corps. These
will take everything in sight, and when not
in sight will ask for it. Many senator's and
representatives who do not keep house are
always open for invitations. There was a
man not now In Congress. but who figured
consp.cuously for twenty years. He was n
superb cOurtier. He could whisper airy
nothings with grace Of gesture and an
eloquence Of tongue which captivated wo-
men and made men envious 1t was said of
him that during his whole twenty wears in
Washington he never had to pay for his
dinner. He was one of the public men who
did not bring his wife to Washington.
There are others. There are members of
Congress who for years have gone about
everywhere. and although it Is common re-
port that they have wives at home you
would not know IT, from anything they say.
Necessary economy Is not infrequently the
cause Of this. fer, as intimated many of
these mon have nothing but their salaries.
Again, there are instances where the alb
sence of the wife may be traced to feelings
of pride. You know in our country where
the highest preferment is open to all, no
matter how humble. men get into public
position whorare entirely destitute Of early
advantages. fsi The wife. coming from the
Same class has heen kept at home. while
the husband Is out in the world rubbing off
his rough edges by constant contact with
his fellows. SO IL Is natural both should
shrink from the idea Of her coming to
Washington iahd throwing herself into that
maelstrom where, there Is SO much polish
cism. SO much dtsparagement, SO much
emulation. Howeter. 1t Is often observed
wives and daughters catch on to the ways
of society AMI the amenities Of good man.
ners quicker and better than the head of
the family The wife of a certain senator.
whose name Is much in the papers, was SO
awfully shy, so painfully out Of place. so
from her country home and thrown head
long into cosmopolitan society that the
hardest Of heart. the most merciless of
critics were fain to pity her Today there
Is no more accomplished woman of the
world to be found. She asks points of no
one. Not only is she authority on fashion
and all that sort OF thing. but she is well
up on politics and political intrigues and
the husband Is constantly indebted to her
for suggestions and counsel
a Peculiar Custom.
There Is another custom which, I imagine
IL rather peculiar to Washington Person.
OF note are always receiving Invitations
rot only from thosesthsy do not know, but
f,em those ef whom they have never heard.