The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-20
MISS HELEN TAFT.
Copyright by Harris & Ewing)
BY JOHN ELERETH WATKINS.
Washington, D. C.

Miss Tafts coming debut has
Vanity Fair all a-fiutter. Gladys and
Phyllis and the rest of the poor little
dears are being fairly fitted TO fraz-
zles while their mammals are every
where busting about in the shops,
e attic over such extraordinary provo
ca.ton for lavish spending.
The beau monde feels relieved that
the Presidents only daughter will now
I take her rightful place in the centre
of the social stage and there assume
4 the stellar role which she has laid
aside for the past year. Realizing full
well that Presidents debutante
daughter has-eyerything else being
eaual-more excellent chances for a
brilliant marriage than any other fair
maiden of the realm. society cannot
understand why Miss Taft has al
ready been denied year of such OPP
portunity But the President is not
anxious to marry off his only daughter,
nor does he believe in early marriages.
Il hope that you will not regard
matrimony as necessary he advised
body OF schoolgirls some time ago.
while on another occasion, after say
ing that ne was glad he had no money
to leave his sons. he added:
But for my daughter l am goine
i
give her and as good an education as
j can. so that she shall marry only
when she chooses to marry and not
because of circumstances. I wish that
every woman in the world were so
situated that she did not think 1t was
necessary to marry IL she did not want
to-"
Few Have Had Manageable Daurh.
tiers.
Although he is the twenty-sixth
President to hold office, Mr.. Taft is
only the sixth to be possessed of a
manageable daughter during his adj
ministration. Seven of his predeces-
sors-Washington. Madison. Jackson,
FOLK, Pierce, Buchanan and Mckinley
We're childless Presidents. Buchanan
oelng bachelor. while Pierce and |
Mckinley lost all of their children |
by death prior to entering office.
There We're sons, but no daughters,
to share the social prestige of the
white House with Quincy Adams, Van
Buren, the first Harrison and Lin.
Then there were John Adams. lief.
1erson. Taylor, johnson and BENJAMIN
Harrison, all of whose daughters had
married before having a chance to
make a White House debut, and these
four President. directly succeeding ono
another-Hayes, Garfield, Arthur and
observation-disclosures daughters were all
mere children.
Rooseyelts Break the Record.
The only President to present two
unmarried daughters to society was
Colonel Roosevelt, and both of them
were under eighteen when they made
their debuts. whereas Miss TAFT is now
nineteen. When Colonel Roosevelt UNI
e&pected!y assumed Office 1t was an
nounced that his eldest daughter was
only child. so society counted little
on knowing her for several years. She
mad been in the White House only g /
Few months, however, when, at the be-
ginning of the first social season under
the Roosevelt regime. the young belle
was formally presented at grand ball |
held IN the east room January 8, 1902.
With the exception of the members OF |
the Cabinet and relatives of the Roose-
velts, the 700 invitations were issued |
70 young people, there being three
times as many beauX as bellies present, |
this being arranged so that every
young woman nigh, be assured of a |
partner for each dance. The great