The Topeka state journal., 1908-12-12
Society Debut of the Daughter
of the White House
Is Set for Dec. %, the Occasion
a Dance.
STILL A LITTLE GIRL.
Thinks More of Her Horse and
Dog Than Anything Else.
Looks Like Her Mother But is
Built Like Her Father.

Washington, Dec 1Z.-ln spite u
the approaching debut of the daughter
of the White House. clouds for time
hung low about the second floor bed
room, boudoir. and bath overlooking
PENNSYLVANIA avenue northeast. This
was the suite of Miss Alice Roosevelt
that was, and now in its fresh sky blue
decorations and maple furnishings is
the private habitat of Miss Ethel, the
prospective first debutante of the land
She was the one particularly affect
ed by the unhappiness, and those near
est the little girl-as all such people
speak of her-say that she begged TO
give up her present visit to New YORK.
For Ace, her yellow dog, was loSt
He was not dfscoverable in the White
House fountain pursuing his favOrite
occupation of bathing there, and he
was not in that comfortable spot Tor
driving, which is his mistress shirt
waist box.
'EUnder the circumstances, said
Miss Ethel her round hazel eyes
overflowing, "I can't bear to think OF
dining and dancing!
But the New York engagements
were made, and Mrs. Roosevelt, who is
punctilious, hustled her daugh hter
away. Then, suddenly, Few Gays
later, out of nowhere Ace walked in
formally through the guarded main
entrance of the White House and up
the wide rounding stairs His return
was instantly announced at the nome
of Mrs Landon in New York by tele-
graph, and brought the hasty response
from her young visitor OF Murray!
Can enjoy myself nightly now!
Ethel
Much Depends on Her Dog.
And, indeed, any one acquainted
with this youngest of debutantes
knows that Ace and his movements
have a definite influence on the sue
cess or failure of her season. So like
wise has the welfare of Montawk, her
beautiful horse, which she has called
the dearest of my earthly posses
sions" For this debut is different in
a way from any other and depends 10
an extent on different circumstances.
1T is the coming out party, as every
dwaIIer in washington will tell you,
not of a young woman but OF little
girl, and one who is not by any means
ready yet to give up childish Things.
Indeed she has said emphaucally
that her debut isn't going in any way
to affect her life as it has BEEN on
Dec. 2S she will enter society at a
dance over which the whole nation is
astir Still, this doesn't mean that
her mart in the New Years reception,
three days later, will be essentially
different from her part in the one
last year.
said to have hung out of the second
story windows and thrown things
down on approaching guests, while
Ethel and her friends moved at a
lively pace through the throngs in
Come on!" she called to a young
companion, finally. Lets get out of
this mess!'' And together they ran
upstairs. dragged the rugs from the
floors. and danced hilariously.
This year her debutante conduct
will be miIder, it is certain, but not
different in spirit It will be no less
spontaneous and not much more ma
ture At a children's party of last |
year one woman said to another: |
''Do tell me which is the little Roose-
velt girl?"
''Wait until you see a little girl
slapping every. boy that comes along |
on the back" the other answered, |
land that will be she.''
This year she won't actually slap
her guests on the back, for she has the |
easy manners and the high sense of
propriety of the daughter of the /
manor, but her welcome will have the
heartiness of this unaffected greet
Ing
She Helps Herself.
And having been simply and |
graciously presented to the political |
society of Washington, she is likely to
mingle democratically the next day
with the crowds on the streets of the |
Ace, her dog. All those who are ex-
pecting anything more extreme in the /
details of this most notable of debut |
events will find it only in the |
imagtnations of those who tell of it,
Day by day she mingles among them |
just this way. When she attends the
theater informally out of season she
usually goes with three or four of her