The Washington herald., 1909-04-09
WASHINGTON CHAT.
BY THE SPECTATOR.

=
BY THE SPECTATOR.
II is good news thar. although the
fortunes Of politics have put Mr.. Cool
idge out OF Office for the present, he VIII
remain in Washington. where ne has
built one OF the handsOmest houses N
the West End Il is IA Massachusetts
avenue 10 the west OF sheridan Circle.
/ and furnishes as ine an example Of
colonial architecture as II to be found n
: town The furnishings are IN keeping.
handsome and appropriate as are the
pictures and other adornments. but the
chiefest ornament is IT'S mistress. who
was born Anna Pickerin. a daughter OF
/ the New England family by that name.
I Mr.. Coolidge belongs 10 the Harvard
colony here. which increased so signafy
I In numbers during the Roosevelt admin
istratioA, for. By placing them In Office.
4 and for other reasons. Mr.. Roosevelt
tempted many sons OF his alma mater
I 10 make their home az the Capital As
/ 2 result. the Harvard Club. stared a few
years back, has Quadrupled IN numbers
and its members, besides dlspOrting them
: selves socially. keep the interests OF
their university always before them.
They have project now on foot 70 es-
} tablish scholarships
Apropos OF the efforts OF the temper
ance women 10 persuade Mrs. Taft not
20 serve wine at the Official dinners Al
the White House. the following story
! concerning the late William NJ. Evarts
4 IS resurrected. II viii be remembered
that Mr.. Evarts was a sort OF a master
/ CT ceremonies IN President Hayes ad-
ministratiou. and when Mrs. Hayes was
I about 70 give her first dinner 10 the Dip
lomauc corps. Mr.. Evarts pleaded
earnestly with her 10 serve wine. but
/ Mrs Hayes was immovable
7 think" she said. the ministers will
have 70 make up their minds 70 be
sOciable with water"
WhSreupOn Mr. Eyarts replied. Mrs.
Hayes. 1 have never known people 70 be
/ sociaoie with water-except IN a tath."
( Whether Mrs. Hayes was shocked OF
/ not IS not written. but she carried her
/ point, and. according 70 Mr.. Evarts. Al
/ mat historic dinner water flowed like
/ champagne"
Apropos OF the meetings that have been
recently held 10 protest against the
| charging By the Mount Vernon Associa-
! ton OF an entrance fee 10 enter the home
I OF Washington. Il should be remembered
\ thst this estate was preserved 10 the
/ country through the patriotism. energy.
/ and self-sGcrifcs OF a woman. and
! through her is passed into the hands OF
I the regents that now have Il IN charge
\ The story Of Miss Cunningham's connec-
I tien with Mount Vernon has been often
! told; but It cannot be 100 often told. for
il is an inspiration FOR the best kind OF
I patriotism The tablet that was a few
I years back placed under her portrait in
I the South Carolina room IS a fitting
/ tribute 70 her meDOry- On the tablet is
| the Cunningham coat OF arms and the
I inscription: TO the memory Of Ann
Pamela Cunningham. the founder, in KS
+ and the hrst regent OF the Mount Vernon
/ Ladies Association"
BY her Efforts and IN response 10 her
; appeals the purchase money was raised.
/ In lS0S the home and tomb OF Washing
\ ton became the property OF the Mount
vernon Ladies Association Of the Unloa
which tells the simple story; but -Esr
/ e1orts' only those who know the story
4 OF her consecraJed life appreciate. She
/ writes in one OF her letters: None bur
my God and I can ever know the mental
labor and physical suffering Mount Yer
non cost me-.
The plan that the women OF the eoun-
/ try should buy Mount Vernon and pre-
] serve ii as a memorial originated with
the mother OF Miss Cunningham. 10 whom
IL occurred as she sailed down the Po-
/ tonac one evening and the bell toIled the
usual requiem as II came opposite the
I home OF Washington.
/ So impressed was she BY the neglected
/ condition and desolation OF the place
| that she then and there formulated the
project. which her daughter so faithfully
and successfully carried out Miss Gun
ningham was AZ that time an invalid. bot
the moment her mother suggested L &c
her she took Up the work with enthu-
/ siasm and her enthusiasm was quickly
communicated 20 others.
A native Of South Carolina. Il was
natural she should FIRST interest her SIS
ters in the South. but the women OF the
North clamored for q share IN erecting
this great memorial and from every
where came help, sympathy. and ap-
plause, Edward Everett devoted his eIo-
Quence 20 the cause and his lectures
I glSFOS0 ilc sum OF ScSrlVO toward the
| purchase OF the place. The entire sum
was finally raised. but Mr. Washington
refused 70 sell under the conditions the
charter imposed. February p, 1853. how
ever. the purchase was completed and
Mount Vernon became the property OF
the Ladies Association, wbsch since that
time. has successfully administered its
affairs.
To restore the estate. 10 keep II IN re-
pair and properly guarded required mon
| ey, and how, after the estate was pur-
/ chased. 70 raise funds necessary for its
/ maintenance was the first problem that
confronted the regents. The simplest,
easiest. and most direct way seemed TO be
I 10 charge an entrance fee. and as regret
able as II seems 10 every right-thinking
| person that loy6l Americans must paw
fee 10 visit so sacred a place as the
home OF Washington. what other alter
native was there Tor the women who
he'd and directed its affairs. and is
] there for their successors OF to-day2
Where the Blame Lies.
From the PhSladslphiA Pzhiic Ledger
The United States has by common con