Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09

Amos KuralS bride standing IN the 1am1ly
nucleus group, her hand on his shoulder, and
innocence and the conscientious energy of
country dressmaker visible in every line. 1t
was startling and for a minute l wondered
whether l had lowered my ideals with my
waist line but the Senator's butler announced
the first callers, and l have not had time to
think since.
Really, the people 1 meet in this way have
opened up a new phase of the Capital, If not
a new world, to me. And turn away from
the dilated horizon to add postscript to my
suspicion of Amoss prominence as ne"
Congressman.
NEW Congressmen's wives, I begin to be-
heve. are the humble skunk cabbages of
the social field here. You see, there are so
many members of the diplomatic corps, and
the position of every last one of them, even
unto the third and fourth secretaryship. is
assured, because-well. because the sort of
references they bring from their Governments
say so. Then, there is quite class of very
worthy good Americans who come to Wash
lngton every winter just because it's more like
Europe than any other city here or abroad,
and the strings of titles in the diplomatic cir
Gle get tangled up with those of the money
bags here IN most amiable fashion. Of course,
the diplomats acknowledge a sort of inter-
national cousinship with our Cabinet officers,
and certain Senators with committee places
that sprout foreign tendrils are brought for
ward with all the dramatic enthusiasm of
newly identified foster brothers. Our Supreme
Court Justices are institutions like the Bank
of England but because of their reputation of
solidity, l suppose, there doesn't seem to be
any run on them socially. The pums are
theirs, however, for the asking The considera-
Bile quota OF our army and navy families on
duty mingle with the elect in spite of small
pay and brief transit
The wives of the House veterans attain
positions where the ladder touches the clouds;
but the new Congressman's wife, it seems to
me, is expected to live and move and have
her social being within the limits of the Con
gressional Circle" There ought to be an
official social informer; for when you first
get here everything is so busy among the
other Congressmens wives, and you get so
absorbed in leaving cards for them and making
up your own basket returns, that you don't
make an effort to get into the bigger social
world that really means Washington,-the
cosmopolitan strata
You'd suppose l would have thought of all
this in seeing the foreigners and all those
people at the diplomatic reception: but it
wasn't until l began to meet them in a per-
sonal way, through their solicitude for Senator
Todd, that really saw into that sphere where
social dark lantern and jimmy to enter
There is satisfaction in having your i'm
pressions confirmed. should feel so, even at
my own autopsy.
YESTERDAY heard the wife OF the Etru-
Ran minister as she waited in the group
was telling of the Senator's condition, re-
mark. Who is thats I've certainly noticed
her somewhere"
And when Captain Roderique had softly
voiced my name and station, she gave an
upwardly infected "Ohi" which clearly i'm
Piled, lust new Congressmans wife! How
stupid Of me to have thought her of any i'm
portance!"
But moment later she was telling me
most confdentially of her own attacks of
heart failure and of the slight thread that
seemed to hold her to earth, and l really wished
could say just the right thing to her. l must
have looked anxious, for Captain Roderique
murmured, as they passed on:
Dear souli too many cigarettes and other
tonics. l wouldn't lie awake nights over her."
Presently he came back. Are you going
soon?" he asked.
Right away" replied: for it was grow
ing dark outside, and it suddenly seemed in
to1erable to stand up there and talk disease
any longer.
II suppose you couldn't think of walking?"
He looked at my light frock
Il have a long coat, and it isn't far to the
hotel" l half committed myself.
well, don't let them order the carriage,
then. III put my lady Ambassador ON four
wheels, and" He shrugged his shoulders,
and his great eyes smiled the invitation.
AS if born to intrigue, Eta, waited in the