The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-01-02
SOCIETY NOTES
FROM WASHINGTON
Capita Is In Midst Of a Bril-
liant Season
SOCIAL ADMINISTRATION
Miss Helen Taft Shines as Leader.
New Precedent is Set for New
Year Reception at the
White House.

Washington. January 1-tSpecial)-
Washington Is just now in the midst OF
the mid-winter society revel With Miss
Helen Taft at home and with society
loving administration this season will
shine forth socially. President Taft and
Mrs Taft are very fond of society. While
Mrs. Tafts health has been somewhat
impaired it is not serious and she is be-
ing ably assisted in her social duties by
her sister, Mrs. Thomas K. Laughlin, OF
Pittsburg.
The President and Mrs. Taft had only
Vice President Sherman and members of
the Cabinet with their wives to assist
in receiving at the New Years reception.
This brilliant function this year estab-
lshed a precedent in social usages, in
cidentally Heretofore the guests were
invited to the Blue Room which custom
was known as separating the sheen
from the goats That plan will prevail
at all the state receptions, at least during
Mr. Taft's administration.
1t is whispered that many minor
changes in the social customs will be
established by the Tafts. Mr.. Roosevelt
did not care for society, but, with his
tremendous energy and initiative II is
really exciting to contemplate what GUS
toms he would have instituted If he had
been Mrs. Roosevelt to some extent
shared her energetic husbands aversion
to society. The Roosevelt girls were So
cial favorites and liked the gayeties of
the season but their father had no time
for such things.
Mr. Frederick Carpenter, the Presi-
dents private secretary, has been spend
ing the holiday season with his mother,
in. Sank Center, MINI.
I understand Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Lei
ter will play an active part in the bal
ance of the seasons social activities.
They have cards out for a dance on jan
uary T.
, saw the charming widow of the late
Senator Saunders, of Nebraska upon
PENNSYLVANIA avenue the other morning.
Mrs Saunders, accompanied by her son.
came here to spend the holiday season
with her only daughter, Mrs. Russell B.
Harrison who took house in the capital
for the winter.
learn that the relations between Mrs.
r. R. Hit, called by some the statliest
dowager of the capital and Miss kath-
crime Ellxins, daughter u the West Vir-
ginia senator, have become somewhat
strained We all remember the whis-
perngs which linked the name of the
| fair Miss Katherine with Billy Hit.
NO matter what the wmsperlnes tolo
nothing came OF the rrlenoship-ho, not
even near engagement. All the while
the newspapers were pruning STORIES py
the ream about MISS Elkihs ana .he DUKE
OF the Abruzzi. But tnat Is twanoie.
| There will come forth a man some day
but 1t VIII not be Billy HIT nor even
his royal hgnness the Duke
incidentally Mrs. Hit Is now settleo
In her new mansion al Sneroah circle.
| which seems 10 nave become the nucleus
I or the social a1stocrsts For more IMAM
thirty years the HIT ramily occupied the
residence at Fifteenth and Is streets.
l am pleased TO announce that MRS.
MacVeagh, wife or the secretary or the
Treasury, has completely recovered from
her indisposition, which really was notn-
ing more than cold.
The marriage OF MISS Alma stewart,
daughter or Mr.. and MRS. A. b. Stew
art OF Seattle. wash, TO MT. John b.
Ballinger, formerly OF TINS city out now
of Seattle, will take place In the Pli-
grim's CONGREGATIONAL church OF seattle
on January 2s Announcement OF the en-
gagement was received with considerable
interest here. MISS stewart Is mem
Der of the younger set while the groom
of the interior. Mr.. Ballinger is lawyer
and is rapidly making a name for HIM
self upon the Pacific coast.
I was very much amused at some of the