The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-04-16
NOW. y.
AHGrd Question,
No AnSlUer!
MOTHS, ETC.
BY HELEN ESSARY

SSA4ASS ~
letter from an anonymous cor
respondent:
''Dear Helen Essary: .-
There are two or three little
things about social Washington
that ], as q newcomer, never
hope to understand. perhaps you
can give me some Of the answers.
''Why do some people Belong?
''In the first place, what is it
you Belong to If you do Be
long? .-..,.
"And If you do cBelong'-why
Is 1t that being rich isn't always
Q help?
Nor being well-bOrn.
''NOr being influential.
''NOr being welldresSed, nor
handsome, nor witty nor genteel?
"SOme people Belong to what
ever it is you Belong to. who
are IS poor as church mice, as
dull as the tomb and really
dOwdy.
"WhO came from the wrong
side Of the tracks and are as
common as diShwater
''While others, as rich as
CrOesus, as fascinating as Cleo
patra or as worthy as the
mother of the Gracchi, are kept
out.
"AlsO, why is it that the wives
Of some Cabinet members don't
belong to whatever it is that
you belong to, and the third
wife or q woman who sells
spinach may be Of a fifth assist
ant secretary the rage?
"SOmetimes 1 hear them say:
"'DOn't have Her, she's got
Q nasty tongue
COR. keep Her away, she's too
sweet
"Or, He's a Little Gentleman,
] can't bear him.
COR, I don't like his stories.
40AG Hill UAk buC uSOs
Sometimes social secretary
seems to be a help. Also giving
. few big parties. Again, giving
parties Is a mistake. 1t shows
you are worried.
"SOme people never have to
give parties. They just accept.
And always says the right thing
which may be the wrong thing
but still the right thing.
'T want to know, too. why it
Il that If e people are seen
too often they get so common.
place that invitations stop.
But If others stay ut home
they are forgotten. They shrivel
and die-alOne.
"And still others seem more
important because they ode
cline"
anyhow, and I ask it again:
"If you play all the right
cards, have all the luck, grind all
the axes and manage to "be-
long" what is it that You ':.be-
long" to, if you do Belong
in Washington.
(Signed) WILL O. THE WASP"
Dear Will o. the Wisp:
It is a question I can't answer
Certainly not in the springtime.
Inquire Of a society editor who
knows all. Not Of a columnist
without convictions.
One reason that my confused
mind cannot tackle the problem
in the preceding paragraphs is
that have just been brooding over
the thought that the moths and
the spring style shows arrive al
the same time.
Just when you are putting away
your winter clothes and putting
on the frocks of spring the moths
arrive to erase the past.
The whole process, has some
thing about it of the immutabilitJ
Of the tides: Of the earth goine
about the sun; of moths quietly
working away in the soft darkness:
on VeVetS and the eternal coming
Of the eternal monthly bills.
It gives one something to think
about these soft dreamy days.
notes on the German Embassy
Taxi drivers say it "sure doe.
take a lot of maneuvering tt
drive up before the door of TIT
German Embassy. That porch
arrangement was built for horse
carriages. It's hard for an auto
mobile to squeeze through"
The style of table decoration
DC the German Embassy is ex
tremel interesting. Flowers anc
greens are always placed in {
formal pattern. Generally fla
on the cloth.
Vases and bowls are almosr
never used. Sometimes the flow
ers are arranged on the exquisite
silver trays which Ambassador
Luther brought home froH. a re
cent visit to Mexico.
The stems of the flowers ART
seldom used and the trays are
bordered with small fern leaves
or other greens. Often thu
damask pattern in the table
cloth is outlined with correct lit
tie leaves.