The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-21
The Hard Worked ChateIaine.

With so many people to run at her beck
and call, with chef who knows just how
TO arrange any sort Of menu. from heavy
dinner for from forty to sixty guests. 10 a
dainty luncheon for herself and a few of
her most intimate woman friends. with
butler who knows her taste in flowers and
sees that they are always in place. with
a social secretary to do her correspond
ence. it might be supposed that the mis-
tress OF a big modern country house would
have little to do bur TO stand aside and
let the machine run itself
But the chances are that she is worked
harder than any of her score or more of
servants. for she has TO be the command
ing general OF the forces. and upon her
own tact initiative, and ability her social
ambitions must stand or fall
Not every country establishment. or city
establishment, either, for the matter of
that, enjoys the undivided services of a
social secretary. In nearly every case the
social secretary divides her time between
several houses, Mrs Cornelius Vanderbilt
the elder, for instance, employing the
same one who serves perhaps half a dozen
other rich women. Social secretaries are
generally women whose families have suf-
fered reverses, and who therefore cannot
remain in the circles of wealth and So
ciety. It would be hard for woman who
has never lived in such circles and who
therefore does not know the likes and
dislikes of the people In them, to carry
on the necessary correspondence or to
help at the important task Of seating the
right people together when a big dinner
is on. To the servants in most millionaire
houses. the social secretaries are known
as broken down ladies, poor things"
The mistress Of the big country house
where plenty Of entertainment is the rule
is worked quite as hard in the summer
vacation term as in the winters social
season. Some of the palaces in which the
millionaires dwell have twenty or thirty
guest rooms, with accommodations for
servants also. if the guests choose to bring
them. The guest rooms in such houses
are furnished with every imaginable con-
venience. Each has q telephone, each an
electric bulb on a stand at the bedside for
late reading, and each contains a framed
card on which is printed information con-
corning the location of the telegraph
OilltSy TIE nearest IatGfOdQ StdLiDn, the
time of closing the mails and the depart
ure Of trains. the location of all the
churches in the neighborhood, the time Of
services, &c.
Bearing In mind that the number Of
guests she is entertaining must include
persons with differing tastes the mistress
Of the house prepares various programmes,
any one Of which any guest may choose
on the next day, from another card con-
veniently left in the room every morning
Automobile drives. yachting on the lake
or bay. if navigable water is near by
canoeing. coaching. tennis courts, golf
links, squash courts. horseback riding-all
these recreations are provided, the guest
being requested only 10 indicate a prefer
enee before 10 o'clock.
One big country house has q separate
wing for bachelor guests. plunge. shower,
and needle baths being provided, together
with extra attendants who are mastars Of
the art Of valeting" Another house has
several guests suites, each consisting of
bedroom sitting-room, and bath, for mar
ried guests, and breakfasts are served in