The Washington herald., 1921-07-03

THERE are three great shocks from which
/ we have yet to recover-the war, prohibi-
ton, and the debutante.
As memory is form of self-indulgence,
which few of afford, we are doing our
utmost to forget the first AS long as nature
continues to provide grapes, and man TO manu-
facture raisns, some of the sting can be taken
out of the second But every time a society
fapper -'comes out" to swell the ranks OF her
fppant sisters, the nervous system OF the coun-
try receives new jar, added jolt. Men must
work and women must sleep, and the ,debutante
comes bounding.
All men have hobbies. Some play golf
Some work themselves to death. Others, like H.
c. Wells, daily with Theriomorphs. But l
an earnest student of the debutante AS OBJ
server of the younger generation. of whom / like
to write, have watched her at Bar Harbor and
Southampton. ! have talked, or tried to talk, to
her at charity matinees and country clubs, and
/ have danced with her at the Colony Club and
the Plaza. By the H. G. Wells OF 1000 years
hence she will probably be called by name that
would make the present specimen gasp-such as,
for instance, the Devultakerdos
Sometimes in her hollow-chested way, she
is very lovely. More often she is merely pretty.
Frequently she is frankly and proudly absurd.
But always, in her point of view, mode OF dress,
of speech, and treatment of life, she is
exactly alike set of teaspoons.
Emerging from her fashionable school she
takes her place in the astonished and mpotent
family circle enclycopaedia of the last
word The keys of life attached to the gold
chain from which dangle her cigarette and
makeup box. 1t is true that she is loftily unable
to answer any OF Edison's questions OF general
knowledge because her schooling has been suit
able only to the daughter of a gentleman; but
were she to interrupt her giddy pursuits long
enough to send Edison list Of questions.
what she doesn't know of the things of which
she ought to know nothing isn't knowledge
From the moment that she enters the room
in which her coming-out dance is to be held she
accepts the earth, and all there is thereon. 1t is
supreme condescension. Her mother, never a
person In whom she has placed much trust
dwindles into an old-fashioned institution. She
is now, "Oh, just mother" dear good lady of a
organize her life to cater to the instant whns of
her young aristocrat-be on hand when her
presence is required, run away when it is incon-
venient or de-trop, and turn herself into an un-
paid maid, secretary and shopping assistant
Her father, who has been hitherto an oc-
casional pet to wheedle and coerce, becomes poor
old dad, the provider, the kind, proud, unques-
honing man who must devote himself more
strenuously than ever to business so that she
may be supplied with jewels, frocks, furs, scents
cigarettes, cocktails, and purring motor car
Should she meet him by accident he may or may
not be acknowledged and patronized. 1t depends
on her mood and her company.
AS for home, that is now place in which
there is bed and a telephone, a drawing room
which be commandeered at any moment for
her entertainments, and number of bedrooms
to be occupied the spur of the moment by
her friends. There are numerous hotels to which
her parents may betake themselves Brothers,
of course, have their clubs.
For the rest, aged IS, she is superwoman,
the sublime egotist. The traffic cop is there to
hold up everyone except herself "Stop, look and
listen, it is / who approach" If she desires to
spend the summer at Bar Harbor the house at
Newport must be closed. If trip to Europe is
the thing to do, the family, without grumbles
must make new plans and escort her across. If
camping is the whim, mother who has set her
heart on the expensive peace of Long Island,
and father, who has earned the right to take his
holiday on the edge of the National must camp
and that's all there Is to it. Or, if they are
selfish enough to insist. upon carrying out their
own most cherished plans, ETC., the debutante in
vites herself most kindly to the camp of fellow
fapper.
Wherever she may go her effect is as quickly
felt that of hand grenade. She has the