The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-19
WASHINGTON CHAT.
~ THE srECTAToR.

/ Those ulacQualn1e0 with the exlgencl6S
Of social lifs In Washington are prone 10
make sport Of the social secretary. Such
an assistant, however, Is not only invalu-
able, but necessary 10 8 person who is
really IN society. The obligations of
society man or woman at the Capital are
no sinecure. but require strength, vigi-
lance, knowledge, and experience, and
possessed Of these even its duties are too
exscting to be properly accomplished
without the aid Of a social expert. One
Of the most important requirements in
this connection is to keep a list Ct en-
gagements. for the most accomplished
and experienced person is apt, through
IcarelessneSs or absorption IN other things,
70 make q mistake Only recently a GER
tain general IN full dress appeared at a
house in the West End with the evident
intention OF staying to dinner. As he had
not been invited until the following week
the hostess was somewhat astonished that
he had come unDidden 10 n family feast.
but the dinner was served and everything
passed OF pleasantly until about the mid
die OF the meal. when the telephone bell
rang and a request was made for Gen.
iSo-and-So. He went TO the instrument 10
receive a message from has clerk TO The
effect that he vas due at another house
for dinner; that he had mistaken the
dates. and that his hostess was still walt
Ing for him. Explanations we're, OF
icourse. made and the affair was treated
as joke. but under other circumstances
it might have been very annoying.
Mr.. Taft. the father Of the President
elect. when he came here 10 accept the
portfolio OF Secretary OF War, was the
} ! -
tor Justin S. morrill,. who had advocated
his appointment, had arranged a dinner
I'm his honor Immediately upon his arrival
! IN Washington. The invitations were dis
patched several weeks before the date set.
and on the night appointed the guests
who had been asked 10 meet him assem-
bied but neither the Secretary nor Mrs.
4 Taft appeared. nor vas any explanation
p accounting for their absence forthcoming
Dinner vas finally served and eaten. and
the convives departed. but still ne explana-
ton from the Secretary. Days passed.
and Senator and Mrs Morrill, were still
IN the dark as 70 the misunderstanding.
for misunderstanding they knew Il 10 be.
One day. however. the Senator from Yer
mont received a letter from the Secretary
OF Wsr which explained. His preparations
previously TO coming 10 Washington. and
HIS duties on arrival, had SO absorbed
him. he said. that he had been compelled
70 depend upon his secretary 10 keep a
record OF his social engagements, and
that person being inexperienced IN such
matters. overlooked the date Of the Nor
Till dinner. hence the cOnJre-temps.
A similar amusing incident happened 20
the late Elliott Coues. who was famous
I Ill
airy attachments IN other fields. his last
work before he died. some ten years ago.
being a new edition Of the Lewis and
Clark Expedition DR. Coues had been
, invited by Tyndall. Huxley. and other
|, noted scientists 10 establish himself
IN London. and went abroad for the pur-
{ pose OF talking this invitation over. Nat
uraIly. so distinguished a man was much
sought after by his scientific colleagues
when In the English capital. and there
J was hardly a day went BY that he was
not invited TO dine out One evening Re
drove to a certain street and number IN
the fashionable part OF London, and on
ringing the bell was ushered into a
pleasant and attractive drawing room,
where an interesting family was assem-
= bled. he had not met his hostess be-
J fore. but the greeting he received was
4 SO CORDIAL tlaL ne was az once SCI al
ease He was astOnishe6. however. 10
: find no other guests but himself. as Re
had taken Il for granted from the char
acter Of the invitation that Il was 20 be
a rather formal affair, and naturally con-
! cluded that he would meet a number OF
distinguished people The dinner passed
I OF pleasantly, though the doctor was
I somewhat surprised 20 find that his host
vas seemingly ignorant on some scientific
) affairs IN America. which man OF his
distinguished reputation should be &C
- Quainted with. However, they found
many things IN common. and on taking
his departure ne addressed bis host b
! name. and thanked him for one OF the
; most agreeable evenings he had while n
London
2 But 7 am not Prof SO and So said
D the host; I am Mr. So and SO. Prof
= So and So lives just opposite, and = you
viii look out Of the window you VIII
7 see by the number OF carriages present
! that he IS giving a large dinner tonight. o
] OF course. there were explanations al
around. Prof COues spent the remainder
2 or ire evening al the house opposite, and
he always told the story as an evidence
z OF the most delicate tact he had ever en-
cOuntered, for Il is unusual. 10 say the
- least 20 be entertained as an Old friend
e by a man one never saw before, on WHOM
: he had no claim.
[rnaal-f,- 81 NJ TaF+.S farhar theirs