The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-01-23
THE SHAWS AT HOME.
Family Life of New Secretary
Of the Treasury.
WIFE TELLS OF HER SOCIAL VIEWS

Not Opposed TO Decollete Dresses
and Believes Women should He
Pretty-Snys She Is "Not Much OF
Hand For Jewels" - Can Make n
Dress IL Necessary.
ooh, you newspaper people never let
me alone" said Mrs Shaw, the wife or
the new secretary OF the treasury, to
the correspondent Of the New York
World at Des Moines. In.
at is the funniest thing about THIS
whole business And you want TO
know all about our home life and my
taste for gowns. etc. DO you think the
public is really Interested in thatT
Even as she complained she sat down
and prepared for talk that she mani
testify intlmatcd would be n pleasure
TO her. though she had been interrupt
ed In her toilet in preparing to attend
an informal reception. Though no
member of the Shaw family makes
any claim to beauty. their dispositions
are charming. This is particularly
true of Mrs. Shaw. whose frankness
and guilelessness make her exception
ally interesting.
ITO begin with. then. there are I'VE
OF us. As you see. I'm the largest
member Of the family. We love home
above all else, and our greatest JOY IN
life is during vacation time. such as
the present. when we can have our
children with Ms and spend long even
ings together at the fireside.
mir. Shaw, as you know, Is an nc,
tive Sunday school worker. and we all
try to 20 to church on Sunday. MI
Shaw was superintendent of the sun
day school at Denlson even before
married him. and he has been nm OH
Ger pretty much ever since. In Des
Molnes he was superintendent OF the
Sunday school at the First NJ. f..
church for a year, but had to give II
I'D for lack Of time.
at Denison nearly always taught
n class. but haven't done much IN
that line since | came TO Des Molnes'
We are trying to raise our children as
active Christians. and feel we have
succeeded, but do not think that our
love Of home life interferes with an en-
joymcnt OF society.
"I'm fond Of receptions and socials
and such things and have always done
my share of entertaining. expect
when go 10 Washington to do what
ever the other cabinet members wives
do In that way.
"Do | know what that will be? In
deed | do not. | expect to take part
in the receptions given by the president
md members Of the cabinet. and II the
ladies' Of the cabinet have at homes
ever so often | shall too. As n matter
Of fact have been In Washington
but twice and haven't much of an Idea
what they do along that line there.
Each time we have been there we did
not 60 TO visit any one in particular
and stopped at hotels.
1--WE took our children with us when
we went to President McKlnley's inau'
guration. Then | was there about two
years before. But. really, that come
to think Of II, did go out some. WINE
there attended a reception given by
Mrs. John A. Logan and another given
by Mrs. Dalzell. | accompanied Mrs.
Dolliver. Seems TO me went some
where else too.
something about my gowns tool
Really, now, | haven't had a dress
made for Washington yet and haven't
any idea Just what | shall wear. I've
got enough clothes left to do in an
emergency as II is and suppose | can
get everything made need when | get
there.
mo indeed. I'm not opposed to decol-
lete dresses. I'm one Of those women
who think pretty things are made to
wear and that women should look as
pretty as possible.
But as for jewels, while | have
some. I'm not much Of a hand for
them. AS a matter Of fact. | haven't
as many as most women. but perhaps
the public isn't interested in knowing
that. While we have never been great
hands to travel. I've been in the east
a number OF times. In 1894. think II
was. Mr.. Shaw and l were at New
York for a month. dearly love to 90
and am sure | will greatly enjoy life
In Washington.
"But as for knowing what to expect
I'm entirely at sea. This has come up
on us so suddenly and unexpectedly
that haven't had time TO collect my
thoughts. Mr.. Shaw talked over with
Senator Allison how much we would be
expected to expend on society. and we
decided we could get along very nicely
on $1,000 more than Mr.. Shaw's sal.
airy. hatter myself that can make
very nice gown II necessary, and my
girls can too"
Miss Enid. the eldest OF the Shaw
children. is twenty years old. Earl Is
eighteen and Miss Emma Is miss oil
fourteen. Earl attends Culver Military
academy, in Indiana, and Emma is
Junior at Cornell college, Mount Yer
non, la.
snakeskin His Necktie.
Miriam Heller of Long Pond, neal