Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-03-18
WASHINGTON SOCIETY
mr.. STILLMAN SAYS ITS UPPER TEN Is
THE THINNEST OF THIN vENEERS.
Interesting Letter Describing the Social
fantasies Of washinston's -Four Hun.
dsed, and How Social Functions
are Conducted II the Capitol.

are Conoucteo ~ the CopuoI.
Washington. d. O.. March IA
Special Correspondence Here follows
. little preachment concerning Wash.
ington society-high society. Boiled
down, it may be said that for hollow
ness. hypocrisy. bloodlessness and
rank idiocy. Washington's high
society" is in class by itself and has
everything else in the catalog OF
Foolisbness beaten several miles. to
use familiar expression.
washington's upper ten society is
the thinnest Of thin veneers. It is
scarcely as thick Is varnish and just
about as transparent. It hides hatred,
jealousy, deceit, and other things not
necessary to mention. There is. how
ever. glamor about it. and this gla-
NOR seems to have hypnotic iniu-
ence on many good people, who get
into it, and then cordially wish them.
selves ont again.
OF course one Of the most important
functions of society is calling.
Many and wonderful are the unwritten
rules in connection with the etiquette
of making and returning calls in
Washington, but the most glaring
feature is the utter lack Of desire or
sincerity prompting this custom.
uora ia an illuakratiOn.
The wife OF cabinet officer drove
up to one Of the fashionable hotels.
few days ago. The footman alight-
ed and it might be assumed that he
was about to assist Mrs. Cabinet lady
from her carriage. But this assump-
tion is an error. She did not propose
actually to call on anybody in the
flesh: she had q list in duplicate OF
the ladies in that hotel TO whom she
owed calls. She counted ont - many
cards as there were names on the list
and these. with the list, were given
to the liyeried footman who disap-
peared within the hotel. At each
apartment on the list he called. and
with q suitable bow. presented a
silver plate upon which rested one OF
Mrs. Cabinet lady's cards. The card
was removed by another fiunky who
deposited it Tin the card case and The
requirements of society had been COM
piled with
Now, it happened that a Lady who
resided in the sans city as does Mrs.
Cabinet lady. and who is real friend
of the latter. happened to be guest
Of that fashionable hotel, occupying a
second story room just in front OF
where the carriage had stopped. Mrs.
Cabinet lady happened to look up in
that direction and saw her real friend
standing in the window. Mutual
recognition followed. and then Mrs.
Cabinet lady fumbled in her muf
withdrew the aforesaid list and with
a pencil scratched off the names with
great display Of vigor, as much a.
to say. II am mighty glad to get that
Job of my hands.
OF course society people here Dc
have a very few real friends. to whom
they are really attached and to whom
they talk frankly. It is through q
lady who is in the swim that / have
learned the facts concerning society
The fact is that the whole business il
an unutterable bore and burden. Al
the conclusion Of tea or q reception
at which the hostess appeared to bs
consumed with pleasure and the
guests gave evidence of heavenly en-
joyment, the hostess throws herself
into q chair with ordinations OF in
finite JOY that it is over.
Very naturally the reader will say
ssIf this is such a bore to them why
do these society butterflies continue
to give teas and receptions: there il
no law to compel them to do what
gives them displeasure. There is nc
answer to that question. Paradoxical
as il is. or seems to be. society IN
Washington continues to do these
bDlukS duu biitn WbCn tifC ioSN SsOos
has departed and the front doors have
been shut. 10 give utterance to vio-
lently expressive language. 1t is an
otner case Of the blaze and the moth
miller. 1t is death to the insect. yet
it will fly into the blaze.
And in many cases. it is literally
death to society butterflies. And
where it does not kill it ruins health
and destroys nervous systems. Hun
dreds of cases of broken down women
could be cited. health ruined by the
inordinate demands of fashion and So
ciety. IL is a life of late hours every
night for months. with rich food,
strong coffee and beverages that
sparkle in thin glasses.
A new senator's wife must first call
ppon the wives OF all other senators,
reversal OF the order Of proceeding
in Iowa towns where old residents
hA Mro