The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-17
WASHINGTON SET
TAKES UP WRITING
Mania for Literature Spreads
Through Society and Nearly All
Fields Are Being Invaded.

WASHINGTON March 16.-Although
" is only whispered softly as YET.
there is no doubt that Washington
owaggerdom is Loirg In heavily Cor
the intellectual life. Playwrights.
hovelists, artists musicians and phil
anthropists have sprung up like mush-
looms In the set which until recently
lhld no claim TO the ownership OF lions.
IL Is no longer sufficient TO possess the
usual accomplishments, good looks OF
money; one must be known to be in
'erested in something more abstruse
than dinners. cotillons. dances or
bridge TO be considered an acquisition.
The change has been gradual. bus
X appears 10 be complete. Those
members Of the city's swelldom who
are known to possess unusual artistic
or literary gifts are no longer corn.
PEELED TO hide their lights.
Society hardly knew how 10 take
Hiss Helen Hay when that gifted
young woman some years ago ap-
peared In Washington with her father,
the secretary OF state, having previ-
ously made her debut at the court of
ST. James. 10 which Mr.. Hay was thea
accredited. In Lonoon Miss Hay was
Immensely popular. The fact that size
was known 10 have Inherited the poetic
gifts OF her fathar by no means terri
fed the Britons. who thought IL no
dctriment 10 young and beautiful
girl that she should be able to write
verses which stern critics praised.
In Washington, OH the other hand.
Miss Hay then found that the girls of
her own age in smart circles were liz.
cllned TO stand in awe OF her. Ii was
not until they found that her love OF
literature had by Nc means made her
IN l'nerent TO the usual diversions or
their set that they took to her with
CDen arms. and she became eventually
one OF The bright particular stars or
young society here.
The Countess Marguerite Cassini
also brought intellectual accomplish
ments 10 the fore. The countess was
clever writer and contributed sew
erai interesting articles oil Russiar
men and affairs 10 reading magazines
during her uncle's service AS alabas-
S2lor he e. She was fine musician
and liked TO write lyrics. some of
Marguerite also threatened to write u
play, and kept her friends on the qui
vive with expectation. She had
keen sense OF the dramatic, and some
times RECALLED her young chums with
choice tidbits frCn. the dialogue OF the
play, which she never completed.
Washington society grew uneasy
when a real sure enough society novel
list In the person of Mrs. Van Rensse-
laer Cruger appeared upon the scene.
The trenchant pen welded by that
gifted woman and her keen satire OF
the members of the smart set of othe"
cities, frightened Washingtonians,
Who had the idea that they would he
ljinned on her p1ges so clearly that
they might be recognized by all VINO
knew them The members of dinner
parties which Mrs. Cruger frequented
took care to reveal no pee A.arities
which might tempt the authoress 10
put them in print.
And now their own members have
taken TO novel writing and play writ
ing. Even those who feel that the
PRODUCTION OF one or the other OF these
requires too smuCh effort have been
tempted to write stories Some OF the
promising authors have not yet hal
The. courage TO publish their notion
under their own names, feeling mt
their friends would henceforth regard
them with the suspicion due 20 liter
cry character. Rumor has 1t thai d
clever short story which attracted
much discussion when it appeared re-
Gently in Il magazine which has large
sale was the work OF one of the hand
soonest girls in the Washington smart
set and that it's worldly sophistication
was CLEANED from the young author
reading and observation rather than
frNp, har pyDpricnpG