The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-12-04
SOCIETY OF THE
NATIONS CAPITA
BY CATHERINE ALTMAN.

w btC. -.-l
day came, bringing many Of the mem
bers of Washington society back into
the fold. The President and Mrs.
Roosevelt dined en- famille at the
White House, where their return was
most eagerly welcomed.
Invitations for the White House
c~binet dinner On December l3 are
out. This function will inaugurate the
! real season of social festivities. Vice
President and Mrs. Fairbanks will en-
Certain the presidential. party and al
/ ter that will follow the state dinners
by men3ebers OF the cabinet, beginning
with Secretary OF State and Mrs. Root.
There will be many changes in the
homes and personneis OF the official
and diplomatic set this season, a.
though thre will be put two new
hOSteSSeS in the cabinet, Mrs Oscar
Straus, wife Of the next secretary
commerce and labor, and Mrs. George
Won l.. Meyer, wife OF the new post
master general. Mrs. James r. Gar
master general. Mrs. James r. Gar
| fld viii be added to the ist when
! !ler husband becomes secretary OF The
interior after March +.
Mr. and Mrs. Straus have leased the
residence On Sixteenth street recently
built BY ex-senator and Mrs. John B.
, Henderson It is undoubtedly he
nandsLIest as we'll as one II the
largest private houses ever offered for
rent in this city, and was built under
| the personal supervision Of Mrs. elm
dersOn. 1t is four stories high and has
a oOmmaning view of the entire city
and surrounding country. The design
is that of purest Italian architecture;
a Venetian palace with many graceful
balconies. The first story is of white
marble, while the upper portion is in
Venetian pink with white unglaZed
terra Gotta trimmings. A large roof
garden forms another unique feature
of this pink palace Although Secre-
tary and Mrs. Straus have no young
people in their family their beautiful
home will at once assume an impor-
tana place in the social life Of the Cap
ital and will undoubtedly be the scene
Of many notable and brilliant enter
tainmentS
Washington has been unusually hon
ored this fall by the visits of many
| foreigners of distinction, some of
whom were even members of the
r:2al families. First came Prince
Henry Of Reuss. a possible heir to the
crown of the Netherlands; the Wis
countess de la Bassetier renewed her
acquaintance with Washington. as
guest OF her cousin, Miss Acosta: the
Hon. Alan JOhnstone, wife of the
| British minister to Denmark, has been
the guest of her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
James PinchOt. and has been wined,
dfned and feted in smart society. The
Countess HoyOs has been the guest
| OF the wife of theAustrian ambassa-
| dor. She is a sister of the Princess
| B1smark, that remarkably clever wo-
| man who is said to be the author of
| 'Elizabeth and Her German Garden. y
The marriage of Miss Alice Lang
| horne, youngest daughter Of Mr.. and
Mrs. John D. Langhorne of this city.
to Mr.. Stanley Washburn Of Mime
sofa was one of the most notable
events of the season. The bride is
a sister Of Mrs Charles Dana Gibson
of New York city and Of Mrs. Wal
dorf Astor of England, who before her
recent marriage to young AstOr was
| Mrs. "Bobbie' Shaw Of Boston. The
! Washburn family is one of the most
distinguished in the country, the six
/ SouS vi iSdTel "dS0DuTn OF SOuIn
Livermore county, Maine. having each
| attained eminence in his career.
Israel, Jr., was war governor of
Maine, and was afterwards elected TO
congress. Cadawallader was governor
| of Wisconsin, member of congress and
| a general during the civil war. Elihu
was an intimate friend of Lincoln and
Grant, a member of congress during
the civil war the first secretary OF
state under Grant, and for many
years American minister TO France
! William D. Washburn, father of the
groom, was both representative and
] senator from Minnesota, the three
| brothers having figured prominently
in congress at the same time.
An interesting figure in congress
sional society will be the bride Of Capt
Richmond Pearson Hobson Mrs. Hob
son. who was we'll known here dur
Is a cousin Of Mrs Benjamin Harri-
SON, who was well known here dur.
ing the Harrison administration as