The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-15
SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
A PRINCE WHO WAS ACTING AS A
SERVANT.

some to Washington Housewives.
The President and Family at Oys-
ter Bay-SOme Comments on the
Washington Season-Miss Hanna,S
Approaching Wedding-An Event
at Senator MasOn's Washington
HOme-Other Matters of General
Interest.
Washington. June 1S.-The depart
ure of Mrs. Roosevelt for her sum-
mering at Oyster Bay closes the White
House to the social world for several
months to come and practically ends
one of the most graciously hospitable
seasons in the annals of that historic
mansion. OF course, the Roosevelts
have their critics-plenty of them;
but not one can say with truth that
the Presidents wife has neglected any
obligation social or domestic, or that
she has ever failed in tact and hospi-
tality. The position of First Lady of
the Land" is by no means a sinecure,
but entails boundless discretion and
an amount of hard work that would
first day on that lofty pedestal Mrs.
Roosevelt has fulfilled every duty, not
only as the head of national society,
but as wife, mother, housekeeper-
and, better than all, she has succeeded
in making a genuine home in the ma
tons house-a shining example of
what true home should be in this
happy land of homes. Ours is the
only language, you know, which has
any word in it expressing home.
French, German, Italian, Russion, all
the rest of them, are poverty-stricken
in that regard.
The Spaniards come nearest to it,
with their word hogan, meaning
''hearth'-when, in reality, there Is
not such thing as a hearth, or fire
side for the family gathering, in any
Spanishspeaking country. During
Mrs. Roosevelts short regime she has
received and entertained in the White
House thousands of distinguished men
and women, of highest official and So
cial prominence in the United States,
and titled personages from abroad;
and thousands more, of whom the
world has never heard, have been just
as graciously welcomed. When the
Roosevelts came to the White House
it was expected that they would give
many dinners, large and small, because
in private life the President was noted
for his hospitality; but in original
conception, brilliancy and numbers,
their entertainments in the executive
mansion have already eXcelled all ira
ditions. In addition to the regular
five official functions and the series
of state banquets, there were the
splendid dinners to Prince Henry of
Prussia, and to the French visitors
about the Rochambeau business, be-
sides unnumbered semi official spreads
for visitors of note in Washington,
and a. great many informal dinners to
personal friends from here and other
cities. Then there was the beautiful
ball marking Miss Roosevelts debut;
the several receptions rendered the
public by Mrs. Roosevelt; six must
Gales, when from 100 to 300 guests
were invited to hear the best talent
of the country, each musicale being
preceded by a dinner to a few guests.
Then there We're the Monday after
noon teas, which invariably brought
together several hundred people in a
delightfully."- informal manner; and the
Friday afternoon "at homes" when
Mrs. Roosevelt revived Mrs. Cleve-
lands popular custom of receiving la
dies only-not exactly public recep-
tions, as most of the guests were in
vited, yet giving an opportunity to
strangers within the gate to pay their
respects to the mistress of the White
House. The most beautiful event OF
the past season, and the most thor
oroughly enjoyed by the several
hundred fortunate receivers OF
cards, was the White House
garden party on the south front lawn.
a. h hppY1 two HIT the
first was spoiled by the weather.
Should Mrs. Roosevelt accomplish
rothing more while First Lady she
will, with Dolly Madison, have paid
the greatest tribute possible to the ex-
traordinary beauty of the Executive
Mansion grounds, which have lorg
seemed unappreciated. And then the
letters that constantly come to Mrs.
Roosevelt, literal wagon-loads of them,
every one of which is duly answered,
mostly by her dictation; the number
less calls of personal friends, the in
cessant demands upon her time. Yet
with all this the Presidents wife has
found an hour nearly every day, for
drive, or horse back ride with her chill
dren or husband. she has exercised
careful personal supervision over the
training of her little ones, educational
and otherwise; and has even attended
to self culture by membership in
study-club and reading all the new
books. AS a farewell for this season,
on the last afternoon before going to
Oyster Bay, Mrs. Roosevelt gave an
informal tea to her personal friends.
Her sister, Miss Carow, who has been
a guest in the White House for some
time, did not accompany the family to
their summer home. She went with the
President to West Point instead, for
the centennial celebration at the Mill
tary Academy, and will so to Oyster
Bay later in the season. She is devoted
to her nephews and nieces, and is god
mother to the eldest and youngest
sons. Theodore and Kermit are god
fathers to the baby and have expressed
their earnest intention of living up to
the responsibilities that they have thus
assumed.
Have you heard of the historic forest
in embryo which has recently been
started in front of the State Depart
ment building? Supt. Baird began it,
about two years ago, having conceived
the idea of planting memorial trees
upon the lawn of that stately struc-
ture, which in time will form a grove
our nation will be proud of. Secretary
Root. who is a lover of trees and flow
ers, readily embraced the idea and
with his own hands planted a double
Towering cherry tree. Following him,
trees were set by Secretaries Hay and
Long, Assistant Secretaries Hill, Adee,
Cridler, Hacket and Sanger. Secretary
Moody, the new head of the Navy De-
partment, added his contribution the
other day--a sycamore, which bids fair
- in nf