The Washington herald., 1908-04-05

who will succeed President Roosevelt,
and various are the conjeotures regarding
this important matter
Il am not anxious TO vote for Taft"
said Maine Yankee who passed through
town the other day, on his .way from
Florida TO his home in Portland. Not
that / have any objection to the Hon.
William. but because / object to having
any candidate no matter how desirable,
foisted upon the country; but I certainly
would ike to have the privilege of voting
for Mrs Taft.
Now, there's a woman. ! happened
to have the privilege of crossing to the
other side with her once, and came 10
know her as well as steamer acquaint-
ances generally know each other in the
seven or eight days they are together.
She is about the best representative Of
the very best women in America that
could be found. according TO my notion;
and IL we can't have Mrs. Taft without
Taft, why, I'll vote for William.
All that this enthusiastic son Of the
Pine Tree State said is quite true. Mrs.
Taft is the exponent OF all that Is best
in American wOmanhood. She is beauti-
ful, graceful. tactful. talented, clever,
and would make an ideal first lady
Moreover. she passed some time in the
White House as the guest Of one of the
most accomplished hostesses who ever
presided there-Mrs. Hayes-when she
must have unconsciously assimilated some
of the charm that made the wife of Gen.
Grants successor conspicuous among the
women OF her day.
Mrs. Tafrs father. John W. HERON,
had been President Hayes lifelong friend,
and when Hayes was elected President was
his law partner To the Heron children
Mr. Hayes was always Uncle Ruther-
ford" Mrs. Hayes Aunt Lucy" Il was
under the most intimate and agreeable
circumstances. therefore. that Helen Her
ron visited the White House one Christ
mas time when she was a gay and pret-
ty girl of sixteen, and II is doubtful IL
any future experience in that historic
mansion will equal her first one. even
though fate places her there as its mis-
tress. Aunt Lucy did everything in
her power to make the visit of her little
friend a memorable one; and memorable
II will always remain If Mrs Taft
should become the presiding genius OF the
White House. II is 10 be hoped that she
viii introduce some Of the pleasant fea-
lures that have made Mrs. Hayes regime
there so agreeably remembered-the pub
lie afternoon receptions. the informal
gatherings I'm the evening. and the nightly
late suppers, whep a regular banquet was
spread OF which all who happened to be
present beside the household were in
vited to partake. Ceremony was banished
for the nonce. and this meal was one of
the most informal and delightful Of any
of the White House affairs.
Mrs Tafts favorite hobby. If one may
cali il by so undignifed a name, is music.
II has been her lifewOrk, and every mo-
ment she could spare from her duties as
wife and mother has been given to per-
feeting herself in this art: and that she
has achieved much. many times as much
as the most accomplished amateurs gen
orally achieve. the beautiful prizes. the
medals, vases. and cups. exquisite in de
sign and beautifully wrought, that adorn
her dlning-rooin attest For more than
seven years Mrs Taft was the president
of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra,
and for twice that period she was a hard
working and enthusiastic member OF that
body. Blu despite this devotion 10 music
she has found the leisure to learn several
languages, and besides reading and speak
ing French, German. and Spanish fluent
ly. learned several Of the Tagal dialects
when she was in the Philippines. a fact
that endeared her as much to the natives
OF those islands as any other
Another possible successor TO the chair
Mrs. Roosevelt now holds Is Mrs Knox,
wife Of the junior Senator from PennsyE
vania who may win the Presidential
race after all. even though the contest
for the candidacy now seemingly lies be
tween only two men. a fair little Quaker
announced at a luncheon the otfvr day.
where the subject was under discussion.
that she hoped her Senator would get
ii" For, she explained "our Mrs.
Knox is just grand. She's all that
hostess should be and I don't believe
that there is more popular OF a better
woman in Washington. I've watched her
on many Of her reception DAYS, and the
people just dote on her She Is so un-
affected. so kind and cordial. But" and
she sang in a mellow soprano for the
benefit Of her felIow-convives:
Her hearts IN the Highland her heart IS not here:
Her hearts in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
A-ehasing the Wild deer and following the rce
Her hearts in the Highlands wherever she may 60,
Now. that isn't exactly true: her heart
Is not really in the Highlands, but at
Knox farm, in Valley Forge. She's just
crazy about the place. and / verify believe
1t she did not consider It her duty she
would never stir a step away from it.
You people think that you see Mrs. Knox
at her best when you Meet her out at
dinner or accept her hospitality in her
own beautiful home; but you haven't,
and you never will until you make a jour
ney to Valley Forge. for Mrs. Knox is
only at her best when she is among her
fiowers-snd she is there most Of the time
when she is at the farm. Armed with
garden shears and pruning hook, she la
bors as industriously as any day laborer
in her beautiful garden. for she has
veritable passion for flowers and the
divine talent TO make them grow. 1t
seems to me that no flowers bloom as
early as do Mrs KnOx's. and that none
bloom SO often; and if you could just see
that pretty thing standing in the midst
or her plants, her lovely smiling face
shaded by a great hat. with loose old
gloves drawn over her hands, you would
agree with me that she is not at her best
in drawing room.
Mrs. Knox's enthusiastic friend and
doughty champion is quite right, for no
where is this daughter of the Keystone
State more charming than when follow
ing her own sweet will in the grounds
that surround her home. And she is
famous gardener; but there are a dozen
things she does quite as we'll; in fact,
she is an "all-round sport" rides, drives,
handles an automobile as cleverly as any
chauffeur who holds a diploma. plays
tennis and golf, and is no mean cross
country sprinter. And then last. but not
least, she dresses in exquisite taste. a
talent by 20 means to be scorned. espe-
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