The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-21

ties of the finny tribe were taken
from the briny deep. A small shark
was caught in the early part of the cay
an. served for bait. Fishing has new
er been finer than now and parties
going out every day came IN with
record catches.
Does Mrs. Nicholas Longworth in
tend TO conform 10 the etiquette which
at present applies in Washington to
the wife Of d junior member OF con-
gress? That Is the burning question
Of the hour
Friends of Mrs. Nick W h met her in
london say that she is enthusiastic
over the social code of the British
metropolis. Certain il IS IL Mistress
Alice takes it into her pretty head 10
reform the clumsy etiquette, she VIII
have a potent following.
For years Washington society-that
is the real elite, the winter millionaire
colony-has been struggling TO free it
self from arbitrary methods, so the
struggle Will be between high social
position, wealth, in some cases even
noble lineage. and the purely acciden-
tai rank conferred by political fortune.
AS the case stands now. Mrs. Mich
olas Longworth ranks not as the
daughter of the head Of the nation,
but>as the wife Of a minor representa-
tive in congress. When she returned
from her honeymoon she calmly de-
clined to make or to receive calls. al
leging that the season was practically
over and that she dates her new posi-
ton from the beginning of the next
congressional term.
The gossip is that Mrs. Nick has de-
termined to set W as social leader and
to hold a political and literary salon
on the lines of those that exercise such
influence in London and Paris. Opin-
ion varies as to Washington being pre-
pared for such a departure, but # Mrs.
~LongWorth's salon attracts a really
powerful and brilliant set Of men from
both parties, she will probably uc-
ceed in breaking up existing tradition.
The dizziness of washington entertain
ments, as a rule, is not to be described
If the sprightly daughter of the preSi-
dent can amuse people, there is not the
slightest that she will draw
the crowd, eve in definance TO the
sacred laws.
She proposes, so write her friends.
to have drawing rooms to which only
those who get cards are to come. This
instead Of the unutterably Wearisome
routine of standing for several hours
and receiving Tom, Dick or Harry n
his women folks, who may chance to
invade your mansions. She proposes
to plan %banquets to which a small,
congenial company will be invited, re-
CARELESS Of committees or prior rank
or the usual reasons why dinner guests
are chosen. Their she will give a few
dancing parties for a select group Of
girls and masculine friend She will
not be at every ones beck and call
to pose as the lion of any species of
entertainment. Where she goes will
mark that hostess as Of the elect.
Mrs. Longworth would naturally like
to establish that portion of British
etiquette which gives a married Wom-
an her fathers rank and not her hus-
bands and does not propose to submit
to any curtailing Of her privileges. She
will emancipate herself and, inciden-
tally, all the others in Washington So
ciety who do not approve of existing
conditions.
Last winter Lady Susan ,Townley,
wife Of the first secretary of the Brit
ish embassy, set the ball rolling n
attained some measur of success.
Lady Susan is the daughter of the late
Earl and sister of the present Earl Of
Albemarle. She refused to be rated
as the wife of a small diplomat. In
Hall muses. IiS was dACoIucu IL
place Of honor. Once she unseated
the wife af a cabinet officer. who vas
originally placed at the right of her
host, and again she took precedence
over the wife of a South American am
bassador at a luncheon got UP in her
honor. Mrs. LOngworth will, Of course,
recognize Lady SusanS p~retensions n
will thereby get her own case up for
trial. If Washington, which has now
a distinct millionaire society set, be-
gins to distinguish their exclusive en-
~tertainments from the merely formal,
cut-and-dried affairs it will. of course,
have quite a leveling effect on the cab
met who will be robbed of
half their prerogatives. The cabinet
women will have to possess within
herself the elements of social success.
The same is true Of the wives of sem
atOrs. They will get some invitations
always from people who want to gain
the good will of their husbands.
Mrs. ~Longworth's return and her Ill
timatum about the winters social do
ings is awaited here with more anxiety
than Observation-Disclosures Dispatch.
= =. X
The many friends of Mrs. E. Van
Sands, who has been spending the
summer at her cosy cottage on Mason
boro Sound, will be glad 10 learn tnai
she so we'll pleased with the life there
that she has decided to remain there
until late in the fall, probably unit,
November, before returning home.
Original laxative cough syrup. Ken
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