The Washington times., 1927-09-06
JEAN ELIOTs NEWS AND GOSSIP OF CAPITAL SOCIETY
SOlOn,s WidOU to Manage Smart Shop
For Mrs. Curtis at = 1llagruder s Corner
Society Matron Finds
Varied Outlets For
Astounding Energies

$50 that's what Laura Curtis Is up
~ tor Such was the comment
over many q breakfast tray this
morning, as the friends Of the lively
and lovely Mrs. James F. Curtis read
the first intimation Of her proposal
to open In Washington . branch Of
the very successful shop she main
tains in New York; shop which
speciallzes in Fortuny gowns and
other feminine frdpperies.
But III wager that none Of
those already In the know
guessed the magnitude Of the new
undertaking. It develops, Il you
please, that Mrs. Curtis has leased
the main floor Of the triangular
building at Connecticut Ave and
e St., 30 long occupied by Ma
gruder's, and is going to set up
shop there. The building has been
Tomodeleds practically rebuilt in
deed, and Mrs. Curtis viii have one
Of the most charningly decorated
and best equipped show rooms in
Washington. Moreover she is to
have q very clever French modiste
on the premises and win make
gowns and other pretties to order,
in addition to handling Paris Inn.
portationS
And--who do you suppose is to be
manager Of the new business? Mrs.
Maurice e. Crumpacker, widow
OF Representative Crumpacker Of
Oregon, whose tragic death this
summer came az a tremendous shock
- Isa-. VEya 1,ays11
be remembered that Mr.. Crumpacker
fell or jumped off q dock in San
Francisco, while temporarily out OF
his head, In the course Of tour he
was making with Speaker Nicholas
Longworth and q group Of their
friends.
Through his intimacy with
Nick" Longworth, Mr.. Crumpack.
or and his wife had been taken to
the hearts Of the gay, smart little
group Of ''young marrieds'' in
Washington-the Longworths, the
Jimmie Curtises, the Robert Low
Bacons, and the rest-and occupied
q position seldom attained by new
corners to the Congressional group.
Varied Interests
Laura Merriam Curtis IL a
woman OF extraordinary and
Abounding energy. She il q re-
markably fine organizer and has
put over successfully q number Of
philanthropic campaigns. And she
always has interesting projects up
her sleeve, whether it be starting
q shop, building . racing stable
or running for District Commits
gioner. Just now she IL also
acutely interested In racing. hav-
ing recently begun to acquire q
string Of thoroughbreds to run
under her own colors and having
the announced intention Of building
q racing stable at Saratoga Springs,
Mrs. William r. r. Hitt, Of Wash.
ington, formerly Miss Katherine
Eldns, Is another Washington
woman who is building at Sara.
toga-but that's another story.
In Good Company
After having spent most Of the
summer at Roslyn. L. l.. with her
husband and children, Mrs. Curtis
tember Is. and I'm told she will
entertain q house party for q num-
Der Of her New York friends about
that time. When she opens her
shop Mrs. Curtis win be one Of an
amazingly large group Of socially
prominent Washington women who
have gone into ''trade''-and have
made the trade sit up and take
notice. Among them, to name but
10 few. are Mrs. Joseph Letter and
her mother. Mrs. Joseph Letter, who
own the Francise Shop; Mrs. Rich
ard Porter Davidson, whose Betty
Hanna Shop is one Of the smartest
establishments in upper Connecticut
Avenue Mrs. Emory Sands and
Betty Grove Hardesty.