The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-18
SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
HOW MRS. ROOSEVELT SPENDS
THE PLEASANT SPRING DAYS.

The White House Garden Party-Am
! Interesting Description of It-A
Reception by the Wife of the Sec
rotary of the Mexican Embassy.
Comment on the Death of Members
of COnRress-A Brand New story OF
Representative williams of Missis-
sippi-A Congressman Who Was
Excited by the Sight of a Circus.
other Matters of General Interest.
Washington, d. c., May 16.-Since
the comparative cessation of the social
gayeties of the spring season Mrs.
Roosevelt-devoted mother that she is
has made a practice of going every
pleasant morning for an early drive
with her three youngest children. The
! latter always carry along pals and
| shovels, such as children play with at
the seashore when digging in the sands.
! There is no sand hereabouts. however,
and the digging is done in the woods
and along the country roadsides
through which the drives are taken
And while they are at it, shouting and
laughing in the abandonment of play,
| Mrs. Roosevelt, the carriage drawn up
under a shady tree, contents herself
with a book, or magazine. This is her
| favorite time for reading up" on the
subjects under consideration in her
club which does a good deal of actual
| studying: and she sometimes carries
| along a little portfolio and fountain
pen and writes letters to her intimate
| friends in the open air. The little
| basket phaeton in which the Presi-
dents wife and children take these out
ings is upholstered in tan leather, suit
ed to the wear and tear of dirty little
feet and collections Of all sorts of wood
land treasures, from damp moss and
Checker berries to buckets of baby
tadpoles." Yet it is a very smart look
ing little affair, drawn by a couple of
spirited bays. with the tell-tale red,
white and blue rosettes at their ears
which distinguish the White House
equippages. In order to get all the en-
joyment possible out of these rural ex-
petitions, and to actively participate in
her children's rambles Mrs. Roosevelt
wears on these occasions short walk
ing kirt of serviceable tan cloth, with
a simple white cotton waist and a soft
felt hat of the Rough Rider stvle so
popular several seasons ago. She be-
lieves in the gospel of the eternal fit
ness of things" and knows that the
worst possible taste is shown in over
dressing. The return to the White
House is usually made about IL o'clock:
after which time, until the luncheon
hour. the First Lady gives her I'M
divided attention to her large corre-
spondence, directing her private secre-
tary what answers shall be made. This
mail has been steadily increasing, I'M
til now, besides the private secretary,
the services of several clerks are re-
f,safy cd m aarslxr a4f 10 oil
The much-talked of and twice post
poned White House garden party has
at last transpired. Nature was in
most gracious mood last Thursday aft
ernoon when Mrs. Roosevelt received
hundreds of her friends on the extern
siVe lawns in the rear of the mansion.
which are just now at the hight Of
their spring-time beauty. The Marine
Band stationed near the central foun-.
tain, played throughout the afternoon.
Mrs. Roosevelt becomingly dressed IN
white organdy, with a large hat
wreathed in pink roses, stood under one
of the wide-spreading elms across the
path from the south portico to welcome
her guests, Miss Roosevelt, in rose-p pink
crepe and a picture" hat in pink ana
white. received with her mother. Re-
freshments were spread under tents
on each side of the garden.
l. ACSlNcHA ANOOoCNCll, just DelOIe set
ting out on his daily horseback ride,
came in, all booted and
spurred, to chat awhile with the
guests of his wife and daughter.
Though anything but a handsome
man, with his small, squirting eyes,
wide mouth and teeth as conspicuous
as row of tombstones on a hill top-he
is yet most attractive, being the very
personihcation of manly Vigor health
and Happiness, with strong magnetism
and a winning air of simple, hearty
friendliness.
Early next month the June roses
will present another setting to a sim
liar gathering in the same place. Now
that the Garden Party has been so
successfully revived the charming old
fashion of our grandmothers is bound
to have a great run this summer Ev-
cry society dame who has bit of
lawn, or even a porch, is studying how
best to utilize it: and those city hos
tesses who are poor in that respect,
though with money to burn" are ne
gotiating for the rent of the private
grounds of country clubs, etc, at fab
ulous prices. Last week Mrs. D. K.
Letter, mother-in-law of Viceroy Cur
ION of India. entertained a garden
party of three hundred in the small
but beautifully kept grounds adjoining
her Washington residence. To be sure,
the garden overlooked into the house.
as there was not standing room for
half the number outside, even on the
fiower-beds-but the wife of a Chicago