The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-01-01
MISS ETHEL RoosEVELT's EN-
TRANCE INTO SOCIETY


the famous East Room of the White
House transformed into a veritable
flower bower, fit for the reception of
any Old World princess, the final pre-
parations have been completed for to-
nights ball, which will mark the so
cial debut OF Miss Ethel Roosevelt
All morning there was a hurTying to
and fro of decorators and servants,
engaged in adding the finishing touch
es 10 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 famous com
ing out" ball of the Princess Alice. 3"
now Mrs. Longworth, has the White
House been the scene of such a gath
ering Of young people as will congre-
gate tonight to welcome Miss ROose-
vel. TO the full enjoyment Of the So
cia- privileges and duties of woman
hood.
Incoming trains today brought many
of the young friends of the White
House debutante from New York and
Philadelphia, Baltimore and other cit
les being also represented at tonight's
gathering. The younger set" of
Washington is today fairly throbbing
with excitement, and it is likely that
many a fair maiden is spending the
day before her mirror, hoping through
her efforts to outshine all other guests
at the ball.
Remarkably Bright Girl
Miss Ethel is a reserved young wo-
man, so dignified and grave that she
could easily pass for twenty instead
of seventeen. She has been accus-
toned to meeting strangers since she
was a small child. and she has a pOise
and self-possession rarely shown in
one so young.
She is a distinct contrast to her
more famous sister, Alice. She is qui-
ct and studious in her tastes, and like
her father has a love for reading
which is one Of her strongest charac-
te-istics. She is fond of drawing and
painting, and some of her work shows
marked talent. She is clever with her
needle, and in this she is mothers
own daughter Mrs. Roosevelt has
few peers in needlework and Miss
E-hel has been carefully trained in
the Old-fashiOned art of plain sewing,
as we'll as in embroidery and weaving
lace.
Many Accomplishments
She dances we'll, speaks French
and German fiuently and is a water
color artist of no mean ability and
charmington, having received educa-
ton enough to penetrate her natural
reserve. She has grown up in Wash
iugton, having received her education
a the Cathedral school, and from a
resident governess. Even without her
pre-eminence as the daughter of the
chief executive, Ethel Roosevelt
would be a prominent debutante in
either Washington or New York. She
is already taking her place as a full
1edged young lady on all occasions,
although as yet the White House en-
tartaining has been of an informal
character.
The debut of Miss Roosevelt is ex-
pected to introduce a very gay winter
at the capital. Since the marriage of
Miss Alice Roosevelt to Congressman
Nicholas Longworth in 1906, the
White House has been voted a dull
place by young people.
There will be three large cotillions,
to which all the prominent debUtantes
viii be invited, the first being imme-
Ciately after the New Year. This an
nual ball is always a fateful occasion
to the girl in her first season, as upon
her success there depends all her fu-
ture belleship. The girl who can en-
ter society with all her bachelors ia
KEN which is the accepted way of
saying she has a partner for each of
The bachelor cotillions, is assured of
The best of good times, while the girl
who is kept waiting for a partner I'M
Ill the music is about TO begin will
not find her winter a particularly hap
BY one. According to general belief
Miss Roosevelt's first bachelor is
already promised to a gallant young
officer of the army, who secured him
self the fairest partner of them all
about six months ago.