The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-14
BY
GRACE
PORTER
HOPKINS.

{ Honor at Card Party.

Especial Correspondent Of the Tin1es-
as Dispatctl.)
WASHINGTON, D. CT, Feb. LITTLE
severe weather OF the past few weeks
has givenyway to Washington Sunshine,
and horseback riding Is again vleing
With automobiliig as n fashionable ex-
ercise. Fencing, too. has had It's place
on the calender Of the ultra set, and
there are many young women who have
become proficient In tho nrt under the
instruction OF d wel-known London tcnch-
er, These young people have formed "a
club and meet cacl, morning In tic
club house near the British Embassy.
location selected, on dit because the
sound OF: tho clarking swords would he
less offensive to tho British ear than TO
Soma others ono could mention. Y
rho President and Mrs. Roosevelt are
both fond Of riding, but Archie, the ten
year.oder. IL the most invctcratc rider
at the White House. The late civil Ser.
vice Commissioner, Mr. Proctor, was his
frequent companion upon long ridcs ana
often they were Joined by Ethel Roose-
velt, who seems to inherit her fathers
rough rider habits. Miss Alice Is n good
cross country rider, but has been out 1T
tie since her father came to the White
House. as her exercise Is now taken on
the ballroom, floor What this amounts
to can easily be imagined, when II IS
realized that. she has attended six hun
drcd dances In two years, with teas anu
receptions too numerous to count.
General Miles Is another noted rider
VIII looks every inch the soldier that he
is when In the saddle on his favorite
bay. II one thinks sailor cannot rae
he ought to see Admiral Dewey. who rides
as we'll as he drives. and ls q much sought
companion with old and young.
q The list OF young women who ride Is
one that includes tho name OF nearly
every girl "out." since 1t Is conscded that
not to ride Is to argue one self unknown.
,Gs3} a few Of the girls use the divided skirt
for riding, but the majority have adopted
n short skirt that barely reaches the STIR
run, that has the credit OF being safe II
not thing OF beauty. Following the
fashion OF Mr.. Hugh Legere., OF the French
Legation. many society people ride with
tho head bare whenever the weather
permits.
Mrs i. T. Letter and her daughter.
Miss Daisy Letter, arc again In their
Washington home after a Visit to the
.VlccreIne OF India, nee Miss Mary Letter.
2'rhe Letter home is on Dupont circle.
within stones throw OF het new home OF
Mr.. Thomas Nelson Page and the mar
BILE palace OF the Thomas f. Washes In
other words. 1t is on Millionaire row.
Furnished with everything that refined
taste could desire and money supply, the
gowns OF the ladies must necessarily
compare favorahly with the rooms, and
thus It is that Mrs. Letter and her beau
tiful daughters have wardrobe equal!ed
by no other American women.
When they entcrta ined recently In hon
or OF Miss Alice Roosevelt. Mrs. Letter
wore a lnce gown that took years 70
,AV- = ny To- nyoS mn
Of many like 81 owned by the same lady,
"A kings ransom would be required to
nav the duty on her Jewels. which are
80 many that they have been used to
embroider a white satin gown. worn at,
ono OF the seasons White House recep-s
lions, but made first to wear at the DEM
sdurbar, In India.
s People with money In Washington have
lately had a good opportunity TO buy,
and others to see, one OF tho rarest col
;lections OF Oriental rugs and CUSHIONS
ever brought to this country. The rugs
formerly belonged to Gen. Isaac Khan.
the Persian Minister. who had them I'M
norted from Persia, with the especial
purpose OF furnishing his home here Win
Oriental splendor. Just as the minister
had completed the furnishing ana was
preparing to entertain. he fece.sea ~.
tice from the Shah OF Persia to take the
49, y il
considerable promotion.
Having no time to pack, General hhan
decided to follow the custom OF his prede-
cessors and do his part toward enrich
ing the homes OF wealthy Americans.
Some OF these rugs are said to have been
made for the Shah. and this IS quite
probable as General Khan Is his AIDE
de- camp. An interesting feature OF the
collection were the prayer rugs" OF soft
silk and camel's hair materials, and PEI
culIarly rich III design. It is on these
rugs that tho Persans, with faces toward
the east. knec and perform their snlnams.
a lady'st prayer rug mas aesls htu VIZ ~
5trce az lifc. surrounded by the pigeons or
tho Koran on an ivory ground Another
unusually rare specimen in the collec-
ton was an antique royal Kumanshah
carpet, Mosque design. This wonderful
carpet Is subdvided into nine tlelds.