East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-12-28

Washington, d. c.. Dec. 2S.-Wlth
the famous East Room of the White
House transformed into a veritable
floral bower, fit for the reception of
any old world princess, the final pre-
parations have been completed for
tonight's ball which will mark the
social debut of Miss Ethel Roosevelt.
An morning there was a hurrying
to and fro of decorators and servants
engaged in adding the finishing
touches to the stately ball room
where Miss Roosevelt, with all the
dignity of a full grown woman in
trailing skirts and evening gown, will
receive her guests. Not since the IA
nous coming out" ball Of the "Prin-
cess Alice" now Mrs Longworth. has
the White House been the scene Of
such a gathering of young people as
viii congregate tonight to welcome
Miss Roosevelt to the full enjoyment
of the social privileges and duties Of
womanhood.
Incoming trains today brought
many Of the young friends Of the
White House debutante from New
York and Philadelphia, Baltimore
and other cities will also be repre-
sented at tonight's gathering. The
younger set" of Washington is today
fairly throbbing with excitement and
/. is likely that many a fair maiden
is spending the day before her mirror,
hoping through her efforts to out
shine All the other guests at the ball.
As natural result of all affairs OF
this kind. there are also broken
hearted. fearful or defiant young
women. who had hoped against hope
to receive recognition from the White
House in the shape Of an invitation
to tonights ball, and who were dis
appointed. While the White House
ball room is large, and will accom-
modate many hundreds. there Is not
room for a third of those who hoped
to be invited
Miss Ethel is a reserved young
woman. so dlgnified and grave that
she could easily pass for 20 instead
Of Just II. She has been accustomed
to meeting strangers since she was n
small child. and she has a poise and
self possession rarely shown in one
so young.
4 Contrast to Alice.
She is a distinct contrast to her
more famous sister. Alice. She is
ouiet and studlous in her tastes and,
Ike her father. has a love for read
ing. which is one of her strongest
characteristics. She is fond of draw
! ing and painting, and some of her
work shows marked talent She is
i clever with her needle, and In this
she Is her mothers own daughter.
Mrs Roosevelt has few peers in nee
d,ework and Miss Ethel has been
carefully trained in the old-fashioned
art Of plain sewing, as well as in em-
broidery and weaving lace.
She dances we'll speaks French
and German fluently and Is water
color artist of no mean ability she
has grown up in Washington, hav-
ing received her education at the
Cathedral school, and from resi-
dent governess. Even without her
pre-eminence as the daughter of the
chief executive Ethel Roosevelt would
he a prominent debutante In either
washington or New York. She is al
ready taking her place as a full
f!edged young lady on all occasions
although as yet the White House en-
tertainlng has been of an informal
character.
Ethel has the deep religious strain
Of her mother, and since her early
childhood has taken a conspicuous
mart I'm all the activities of st. Johns
church in Washington and the Epis-
ccpalian church in oyster Bay Dur
ing the past summer at a lawn fete
at oyster Bay, Miss Ethel contribute
ed more than 80 articles. Many of
these were her own work, and the re-
mainder the work of her friends. She
persuaded the president to attend and
t. purchase something from every
Tooth on the lawn.
Salem. ore THE sale of 51O acres
taul ,aptb tbic city