The Washington times., 1923-02-13
HOSteSSeS Dread
Jangling of
Telephone
" HE jangle Of the telephone

these days. Every prOSpec-
tive hostess shoulders when she
hears it, for she knows that it
probably means a place to fill
at her luncheon or her dinner. ''I
have a touch Of grippe-or my
husband or my children-and
can't possibly be with you. I'm
desperate sorry" and so on and
so on, while she racks her brains
to discover who can possibly be
drafted AZ the last moment to
even up the table. For these calls
always seera to come at the
eleventh hour.
Commenting recently to a youth
fll hostess on her dinner, which
everyone claimed was a perfect
IL heavenly party" I was greeted
with wild-eyed look. Don't
mention that dinner to me-, she
broke in. 1T was nightmare.
Two women failed me ON the very
day of the dinner, and no sooner
had I filled their places than two
men dropped out. Why, had to
drop in on the Soixante Gourmets
for luncheon to see IL ! couldn't
collect a man or two"
A ND there. by the way. is a
"A tip for hostesses who are
driven to man hunting at the last
moment. For one finds the most
attractive men in town, most or
the diplomatic bachelors and the
dependable young State Depart
men men, gathered around that
] big table at the Hamilton Hotel
which is reserved for the Gour-
mands Club at luncheon time
each day.
The club has caught on remark
ably and one always finds a jolly
company at the noon 1our-a half
dozen women perhaps and q score
or more men. The club member
ship is limited to sixty, as the
name Of the organization implies;
and. although, of course. there are
seldom more than twenty-five or
thirty persons Present at one
time, I understand there Is al
ready q waiting list OF sixty.
-
MRS. ROBERT WOODS BLISS
AVA is one of the many victims of
the grippe and, although she is
mending now. she has been
missed from her accustomed
haunts for the last two or three
weeks. Perhaps that is one
reason one has heard nothing Of
the proposed departure OF the
Blisses-you know Mr.. Bliss has
been appointed American Minister
60 Sweden to fill the place left
vacant by the resignation Of Ira
Nelson Morris. But / suspect
that an even more vital reason
is the fact that J. Butler Wright,
who is to succeed Mr.. Bliss In the
important post OF Third Assist
ant Secretary of State, Is in
South America and is likely to
sbe detained there indefinitely.
Mr.. Wright. 1t viii be remem-
bered, returned to this country
from LONDON, where he had been
serving las counselor OF our EN-
bassy for special duty in con-
nection with the conference on
the Limitation OF ornaments. And
after that was over, it fell to his
lot to compile a record of its de-
alterations which SHOULD prove a
tremendously valuable contribu-
ton to contemporary history.
Then he was sent to Brazil as
a member Of the American COM
mission to the Brazilian Centen-
ial celebration and, believe, has
charge of our exhibit at Rio
Now, IL you please, he has been
detailed to the American .lelega-
ton to the Pan American con-
ference which is to meet in San
tiago de Chile next month and
which, presumably, will last
weeks IL not months. I under
stand he expects to return to
Brazil to wind up his business
there before coming back to the
States. So it is evident that it
win be a good long time before
he will be able to replace Mr..
Bliss and presumably the latter
win not leave his post here until
there is some prospect Of his
relief arriving.
A ND for that reprieve, the
= Blisses' many friends will be
genuinely grateful. Wen be glad
20 welcome the Butler Wrights,
course-Mrs. Wright is in
geuth America with her husband,
- .-elfeve-but we do hate to see
. Blisses go. They are so
en-1rming-and SO decorative, both
s. chem. 1t seems too bad, more
,iffaf, that they should be pulling
O. ftakes here just as their beau
new home is nearing COM
fe' .tion. You remember they
Siount place in Georgetown, sew
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