Life Among the Party-Givers

Now that wealthy Perle Mesta was moving to Luxembourg to be the U.S. minister, something was missing in the capital's social life. Who would take her place as the No. 1 partygiver? Sweltering Washington, where bureaucrats are grateful for a drink or a dinner in the July heat, was anxious for an answer.

Last week Gwendolyn Cafritz, lithe, lynx-eyed wife of Washington Real Estate Millionaire Morris Cafritz (rhymes with "Say Fritz") stepped forward to take Perle Mesta's place. From her luxurious mansion on Foxhall Road, Mrs. Cafritz issued invitations to a mint julep and steak party this week at the Cafritz estate. The guest list, if all showed up, was almost as impressive as a Mesta fiesta. Among those invited: Vice President Barkley, the John Snyders, the Clark Cliffords, Generals Omar Bradley and Hoyt Vandenberg, a hatful of ambassadors and Cabinet members, and General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

A few fusty Washington grandes dames were inclined to sneer at Mrs. Cafritz' ambitions--but then, they had never accepted Perle Mesta either, and Perle Mesta did all right without them (TIME, March 14). Budapest-born Gwen Cafritz, as a matter of fact, had never even quite made the grade with the hostess whose evening slippers she hopes to fill. Gwen was never invited to Perle's parties, although Perle received several invitations from Gwen. Washington gossips like to say that when Perle took a house not far from the Cafritzes, Gwen promptly phoned her, said: "Now that you're a neighbor, I suppose I'll be seeing more of you." Replied Perle: "I suppose not."

Gwen now has her own hatpin drawn for Mrs. Mesta. Says she: "Why, Perle Mesta came to Washington with a telephone book and a cookbook ... I was in Washington when Mrs. Mesta came and I was here when she left ... I just don't really think she matters."

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