The San Francisco call., 1909-05-23

cuSSed by the RoSSlpS WHO gamer -uh-
der the trees at the country clubs and
over cooling beverages busy them
selves with the social possibilities of
the new administration. \Thoroughly
in touch with the White House situa-
tion through many years of observa-
tion and association and experienced be-
yond the most in the modes and man
ners of the ruling classes at foreign
capitals. nobody marveled greatly
when Mrs. Tart laid hold of the helm
and became the ruling factor in
regime which Will not suffer by
comparison with She most brilliant
page in the history of the city. The
raost ambitious OF Mrs. Taft.s prede-
cessors, Mistress Dolly Madison her
self included, have been content to
leave their personal impress on the
White House proper, Mrs. Taft goes
the best of them one better and aims
to have her reign as first lady indelibly
impressed on the city, at large.
The prompt institution of the Po-
tomac drive concerts is the first made
by the presidents wife toward Chang
ing an order of things generally con-
sidered fixed and inviolable. Instead
of the biweekly concerts in the heart
of the city attended by the rank and
file of the citizenship of the capital.
the Marine band nowadays plays "out
on the fats" of the Potomac, which.
surrounded by perfect speedway, will
eventually be Transformed into public
pleasure ground second only in pic
-turesque possibilities 10 Golden Gate
park itself
Swinging majestically, as far as the
eye can reach, glides the broad Po
tomac, wilLsw fringed and backed by
the wooded hills of Maryland and Vir
ginia. In the middle distance is the
vast tract OF meadow land and on
the horizon to the north rise the great
government buildings, at the base of
which cluster the magnificent trees for
which the capital city is justly famous.
Midway round the drive which en-
circles the meadows Mrs. Tafts pa
vilion" has been built, and here twice
a week the Marine band gives a con-
cert just at the fashionable driving
hour.
The first concert brought together
one of the most picturesque assem-
blages ina ginable. Leading the van
guard was Mrs. Taft in one of the
magnificent auto cars for which the
Taft garage is remarkable. In her
wake. afoot, awheel in traps and
runabouts. in landaulets and park
wagons. in surreys and victorias, in
the smartest and the humblest of We
hicles, f1ocked merry making, sight
seeing Washington three deep on the
wide driveway.
Each recurring concert has been
smarter than the one preceding, and
the climax was reached on Satur-
day, when practically the entire drive
IL
world. A tea house in the meadows
is the next proposition, but as the
property is a government reservation
congress will have to take a hand in
the matter and pass a law to enable
Mrs. Taft to complete her idea of a
smart outdooG rendezvous for society
in general.
Not less distinctive has Mrs Taft
made her garden parties the second
of which was given last week. No
special circle of guests is hidden to
any one fete instead, the diplomatic,
resident official and the army and
navy sets have all representation. sew
eral hundred persons responding to in
vitations which, engraved on cards
embellished with the insignia of the
United States, read:
MRS. TAFT,
At Home
Friday afternoon,
May
From Five Until Seven o'clock
Simple even to the elimination of
the usual marks of punctuation. In
the conduct of these garden parties
Mrs. Taft established her own prece-
dents. The guests enter through an
alice massed on either side with bios
coming shrubs. The Marine band oc-
cupies a triangle TO the west of the
south portico and midway down the
gardens under an immense spreading
tree Mrs. Taft stands to receive her
guests. Back of her is placed a gar
den seat and betimes when the file of
guests has thinned bit the presi-
dents wife, seating herself, is soon
surrounded by a gallant group of army
and navy men, with whom the first
lady is immensely popular personally,
and to whom indeed she is very we'll
known through her experience during
the presidents terms as governor gem
eral OF the Philippines and secretary
of war.
The army and navy men. who by
the way are concomitant parts of all
Mrs. Tafts entertainments, appear in
their glittering uniforms when they
present themselves at the White House
At the garden parties they give a
dash of the Immediately splendid and
military by donning their white
! ducks" The president, who always
! has time TO enjoy life. makes it a
point to spend much Of his time with
Mrs. Taft and her guests. and as the
hours go by, he makes his way about
swapping stories and compliments
with men and women with whom he
is on terms OF intimacy.
Mrs. Taft. who has lately mastered
brand new electric runabout upon
/ the side of which is emblazoned the
arms Of the United States. devotes
much of her time to driving about
i the streets accompanied most times
by some of her more intimate friends in
the city or her house guests Notable
among the latter was Mrs Edwardes.
wife of DR.. Edwardes of California
and sister to the president Mrs. Ed
wardes, who took part in all the White
House fetes planned during her stay.
came east for the Inauguration. Mean
4 time she has been visiting her aunt.
Miss Della Terry, and other relatives
in New England. Upon the compile
tion of her White House visit Mrs.
Edwardes left for the coast. Judge
Heron of Cincinnati, Mrs Taft,s
father, is White House guest at
/ nraSauf ana S0 ofsa Syo.1l