The Washington times., 1914-04-05
THE WASHINGTON SUNDAY: APRIL s. 1914 .
\ JEAN ELIOT%
6 LETTER.

she was right, but finally she admitted that
IF it was not quilt it was comforter"
The Capitol has been the center of at
traction all week. Tea parties and concerts
and all afternoon things have been deserted
and all the women made tracks to the CALLER
ies Indeed, Susan, the women nowadays
not only take a polite interest IN politics
and that sort of thing, but they take
a real interest and they know and un-
derstand just wish you could have
seen the galleries this week. Mrs. Marshall
has been on hand most frequently and so
have the Presidents daughters and Miss
Bones Ruth Hall also goes often with them,
and, of course, Geneveve Clark is there all
the time I've noticed Nine. Jusserand in at
tendance often, too.
One day not long ago stumbled upon a
lot of funny little printed cards that some
poor youngster makes for a nvIng. They are
weird looking things, but | had bunch OF
them and thought might as we'll use them
on some of the people who knew that did
know better. was calling on an old friend
who has been away for long time, and left
one for her. Later met her and she said:
81 suppose your new cards are the latest
wrinkle, copied from some of your rich
friends, but really l don't think much of
them" Wasn't that funny?
The Frederick Brookes will be back soon
from Europe, where their wedding took place
last December. know this because the
Rev. DR.. and Mrs. McKim have sent out
cards for a reception to meet them on April
II at $50 o'clock. Mrs. McKim is Mr..
Brooke's mother, you know, Susan.
The bride of prominent New Yorker,
sometime leader of Washington's younger
set and noted belle, announced recently
that she found keeping house, studying
French, Italian and music, and practicing four
hours day easy and restful compared to the
arduous labor of doing society and keeping
up the reputation of being belle. Some in
teresting sidelights on society as business
were gained in conversation with this young
woman, who told frankly what she had
learned from her own experience and from
watching her friends. The reputation for
great popularity is easy to achieve, she went
on to say. Given reasonably pretty debu-
tante, enough money to entertain OCCASION
ally, few friends to give parties in her
honor, all you need is little press agent
ing and the deed is done. The mere fact of
being a bud includes you in all the enter
tainments of any consequence, the men are
attentive because you are something new
and may prove interesting, and, besides, 1t
pays to rush debutante.
Even the second season is comparatively
easy your pristine enthusiasm not having
worn off, but after that-then begins the real
hard work. In the first place, you are NJ
longer invited "just because" Each invita-
ton is the result of work, either Of making
yourself particularly charming and agreeable
or of assiduous cultivation of party-giving
people, usually the latter. Then there are
endless calls to make, on Mrs. So-and-So,
who has Just given dinner; on Mrs. Some
body Else, who is just going to give dance,
on Mrs. Tom, Dick, or Harry, who might
some day give somthing of some account,
and of course, a belle can't afford to miss
anything. Then your girl friends have to be
kept in a good humor, which requires tele-
phone calls, tea parties, and endless retail
ing of gossip about what "he said" and "she
said'-when you don't give rap what any
body said And, of course, belle must
have beaux, and they take up hours of your
time; morning walks, when you ought to
be getting beauty sleep, afternoon teas, when
tea gives you indigestion, dimly lighted tete-
a-tetes when you are stupid with sleep and
haven't an idea in your head. And the men
have to be managed; each must be made to
realize that there are others in the field and
yet be kept happy with the thought that he
leads in the race for your favor-no easy
achievement, as any woman knows.
And to cap the climax comes the night
work, dinners, theaters, and balls every
night and belle to be a belle must be seen
at all At dinners there is always the neces-
sity to fool a new man, or, worse still, to
keep an old flame fooled and, then the
balls. Up to II o'clock or so they are gooa
fun, but after that you are tired and your
feat hurt and vou want TO 90 home and