The Washington herald., 1909-05-06
WASHINGTON CHAT.
BY THE SPECTATOR.

| the head, was a splendid affair. and is
taken as an indication that she plans 20
entertain sumDtuousiy so long as MT.
Meyer occupies seat in the Cabinet
The affair on Tuesday was. IN fact. quite
Up 20 the standard OF the Official func-
tons Of the Old World. to those Of ST.
Petersburg even. which are almost stu
pendous in their splendor-a spiendor that
| singuiarly appealed to Mrs Meyer, al
though she is a Puritan born. when her
/ husband was Ambassador at the Mus
coyite court Mr. Meyer, 20 be sure. has
been member of the Cabinet for the
past Two years, but his former. portfolio
Is entirely different from the one he now
hoids, which, so far as the social part Of
Il Is concerned. ranks next to that OF the
Secretary OF State. for the navy Is the
most aristocratic branch Of the govern
Inent service. and the reasons why Il Is
the most aristocratic branch are obvious.
The training the naval officer gets al
Annapolis, academic, military, and moral.
Is second 70 none in the world. and no
matter how crude he is when he en-
I ters the Academy. when he receives his
diploma he IS a gentleman, in dsportment
at least To the education he is given
IN Uncle Sans naval nursery IS added
experience and discipline at sea and on
/ land His profession calls him 10 every
part Of the world. He unconsclogslv ab-
sor0s culture, and by the time he is a
iuii-hedged lieutenant IN the regular serv-
ice OF the Marine Corps he should be fit
20 shine In almost any society Knowing
al this. Mrs Meyer has taken I'd her
duties as wife OF the Secretary OF the
I Navy with enthusiasm. with an almost
unexpected enthusiasm. because. when
her husband was Postmaster General she
really attempted little in q social wav. en-
! teTtainiRg for the most part her intimate
/ friends aud the foreigners in town bur
/ she gave evidence OF her intention by. not
renewing the lease on the Jewett house
/ n street, when II expired, IN March.
and choosing for her home the big Nor
gan house. facing Scott Circle.
The history OF this house IS familiar
70 al Washingtonlans. It was built by
Senator Don Cameron for his beautiful
young bride who was born Lizzie Sher-
man When she tired Of its immensely
/ and the duties imposed on her as chzte-
iaine, and bought the old Taylor house
I IN Lafayette Square. Mr.. Cameron sold
/ 1t 20 the Morgan estate. which stiH owns
t. The house IS not a thing OF beautv.
but there IS no house in town any better
( adapted for entertaining. and this is
/ what appealed 20 Mrs. Meyer when she
/ decided 10 lease Il The rooms are all
large. opening into one another. and the
ballroom is a spacious apartment. where
a large cOtillion can be danced with ease
On Tuesday Mrs. Meyer had the place
decorated with marines IN fuu uniform.
/ and the effect was really fine. There
were marines everywhere, and the CAV
{ trappings OF their uniforms furnished
I agreeable notes OF color throughout the
house Then there was music by the
Marine Rand. the members OF which were
/ IN tull dress regalia; and that nothing
should be lacking % make her guests
happy, Mrs. Meyer had stationed in the
/ ballroom a number OF officers whose
duty il was 70 provide partners for the
women visitors
The house was a bower Of beauty. Mrs.
Meyer herself was most amiable and
gracious. and the attendants In the din
ing-room were assiduous in looking after
the comfort OF the guests IN fact. Il
was a splendid affair. and not since Mrs.
Whitney delighted people with her gener-
Gus entertaining has there been anything
10 equal Il; but Mrs. whitney's standard
Is a difficult one 10 reach She not only
surrounded herself with all the msgnsf-
/ cenoe that her inexhaustlble wealth could
supply, but she had q most gracious and
beautiful spirit. and nothing that she al
tempted was done in a pe-functory nan
rer, Every one who entered her house
was received as a friend and welcomed.
and no unkindiy expression could ever be
/ accredited 70 her. though she had keen
sense % hUmOr and abundance OF Op-
/ portunlty 20 exercise l. She would be
/ Incapable, however, OF saying, as one Of
the official hOstesses IS quoted as say
/ ing recently, in greeting an old friend
al one OF her receptions. on, how good
Il Is 10 see you. I have been shaking
hands with utter strangers for the last
/ half hour" A perfectly innocent remark.
but one which has been constantly quoted
to her discredit ever since It was made.
The Meyers exercised the greatest care
in seeing that all the naval officers sta
toned IN tO.sn and their families were in
v!ted. even going so far as TO telephone
10 some OF them 70 ask II the invitations
had been received. and. taken all in ali.
this reception was epoch making for
the next four years; at least, the social
affairs OF the navy viii be properly looked
after.
Mr.. Rockhm has been slated for the
Ambassadorship 20 Russia. a post dis
tinctly in the line OF his ambition, for
! there is nowhere in the world q greater
authority on Middle Asia and the Russian
interests there than the present Ambas-
sador to China, who. when the feat was
a difficult one. Travelled through Mongolia
and Tibet disguised as a Chinamsn. II
seems Incredible that an American should
have learned the Chinese tongue well
enough 70 be mistaken for native, but
Mr.. RockhiH was taken for such, though
he had many narrow escapes. FOR, while
he was generally accepted as a Chlnaman
born. Il seemed inevitable at times that
his masquerade would be discovered. His
interest in the celestial kingdom began
when he was appointed 70 the Legation
IN Pekln. in 1884, and viii never end, for
he has become one OF the most erudite
scholars on this subject In the world. The
account Of his travels in Tibet, written
for the Smithsonian Institution, Is re-
garded as q standard authority on this
interesting country. and It is claimed that
no one has added more 10 our knowledge
OF that quarter Of the world During his
stay IN Pekin Mr.. Rockhill has made q
superb collection Of Chinese curios and
works OF art, which he will doubtless
remove TO his new home.