The Detroit times., 1910-02-01
HUMBLE WOMEN
WIN RECOGNITION
That Money Does Not Always Open
Doors of Society Is Particularly
Noticeable in Capital.

WASHINGTON, Jan, Sl.-lnhI the
present winter has developed more
clever hostesses than any previous
season can count 10 its credit Is proud
ly asserted by that portion of feminine
Washington whose opinion on such an
important society matter is backed by
long experience, Infinite tact and re-
sourcefulness and much money. The
combination OF qualities necessary 10
make a woman social success In cos
mopolitan critical Washington makes
so many demands on even the most
gifted mondaine that the woman who
is adjudged by feminine experts to be
entirely satisfactory in the role is a
subject for compliments.
For the very rich the problem OF en-
tertaining, although much simpler. Is
by no means easy Of solution, while for
those whose purses are modest In size
the question constantly asked is:
How may one compete with these
awfully rich people who build winter
time palaces in Washington and 10
whom the cost of living is OF no In
terest whatever" While money talks
fluently and 10 the point in Washing
ton as elsewhere, 1t is by no means an
open sesame to the best OF Washing
ton society, as many of the richest
and most ambitious women In the
country have found TO their surprise
and chagrin.
Coming To Their Own.
On the other hand, many a woman
who is possessed of a fortune so sma
as not to be worth considering at all
has succeeded In winning for herself
TN enviable place because Of charm,
which made her everywhere welcome;
Of tact, which endowed her with the
gift OF always saying and doing just
the right thing, or Of beauty, which en-
abled her even when arrayed In the
simplest OF gowns to outshine those
whose clothes and Jewels proclaimed
the wealth and generosity OF the
wearer's husband.
Both the very rich set and those
whose worldly possessions do not en-
title them TO be so classed have d.
vided social honors pretty evenly this
winter, and the season thus far has
been remarkable for the absence or
the clique spirit. So many large af-
fairs have been given that all the sets
in Washington have met on common
ground, and the provincialism with
which much-traveled persons Of former
decades used to charge the American
capital in so far a thing of the past
that Il would be a daring man indeed
who would have the temerity TO revive
old reproach.
Among the social leaders brought
prominently before the public by the
new administration none has taken a
firmer hold on the affection OF Wash
ington society than charming Mrs. Bal
ilinger, wife Of the secretary of the In
terror Mrs. Ballinger was by no
means a stranger to Washington when
! her husband assumed the portfolio or
the interior department, for during
| Mr. Ballinger's service as commission
er of the land office she had made
many friends both in official circles
and among resident Washingtonians.
These fastened 70 welcome her when
she returned as a cabinet hostess ana
rejoiced with unaffected sincerity 10
have her here again. To this already
large circle of admirers Mrs. Ballinger
has added many more. She possesses
in rare measure the art OF making and
retaining friends, and has been COM
pared to Mrs. Cleveland in her ability
to remember and place the persons
whom she meets
All kinds of people like Mrs. Bal
llinger and this fact is attested not
only by the number OF smart affairs
that are given so frequently in her
honor. but also by the pleasing impress
sion she has made on the whole Of
ficialdom. Mrs Ballinger's '1ikeable-
ness" is distinctly Of the sort which
finds its best opponents in the brafny,
breezy. progressive women OF the
west Although an alumnae OF An
eastern college, Mrs. Ballinger has
spent most of her life in the west, and
! is thoroughly familiar with it's people
and conditions Her fondness for
smart functions and the many beautl-
full gowns which exhibit her fine taste
ir dress have not dimmed her interest
! in serious things, and 60 woman in
washington is better informed than
she.
Her cat Homes" Are Patterns.
The many courtesles Mrs Ballingcr
extends TO the young girls of her &C
ouaintance have made pronounced
| nit with the future bellies. Her at
lhomes" Wednesdays are institutions
among official receptions, and there
lone finds invariably at least two Of
II the boarding-school misses from her
home state who are getting their first
/ glimpses Of Washington society as as
sistants at her daintily appointed tea
table. Mrs Ballinger has had consid-
lerable experience as a club woman
and is much interested In patriotic
work. She has been regent OF her
chapter Of the d. a. Il. In Seattle for
several years.