The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-11

~ HE social pendulum Is swinging
gayly. and the season is opening
earlier than 1t has for many
years. A White House debu-
tante. TO say nothing # the forty other
buds. for the most part in resident cir
oles and the increased winter population
of Washington are legitimate reasons for
an earlier season. President and Mrs.
Taft have already entertained several
notable companies In the White House
at formal dinners and informal lunch
cons. and they have innumerable theater
parties and concert parties. for Mrs. Taft
is as deeply Interested in music as she
has been hitherto. and never misses a
good concert when it is possible for her
10 be there. The first state dinner win
take place next Thursday evening In the
White House. which formally opens the
dining festivities.
The Vice President and Mrs. Sherman
came back 10 Washington for the debut
tea OF Miss Taft and TO open their home
here for the season. Mrs. Sherman was
then called back 10 Utica by the illness
OF her mother, Mrs. Babeoek, and has re-
NAMED there since. She will return
on Tuesday if Mrs Babcock is better.
The Vice President and Mrs. Sherman
have cards out for their first dinner party
this season. December 10, in honor of the
President and Mrs. Taft, which sets the
Presidential dinner ball to rolling.
The mourning which has invaded the
n =
at the beginning of last season. viii. OF
course. make many changes in the plans
as previously arranged. Mrs. Knox has
had universal sympathy in this. her third
bereavement within a year. Her aunt
and a brother, ii viii be remembered,
died within a few weeks OF each other
on the eve of the opening OF the social
season last year.
This year Mrs. Knox had made only
one appearance at formal function, and
that at the tea at the White House to
introduce Miss Taft when another be-
reavement overlook her in the very sud
den death OF another brother. the day
after She will not however. observe
deep mourning. except in the matter of
private entertainments. Last year she
escheWed all social functions, but this
year she will carry out her official social
programme and Will entertain at dinner
for the President and Mrs Taft on Jan
uary 3. and will entertain the diplomatic
corps at breakfast on New Years Day,
according 10 the custom of years. II
has been a generous courtesy of Mrs.
Knox 10 put aside her own wishes and
feelings and take up her official duties
after the first of the year. She will be
in her place in the Cabinet line at the
White House also.
In the case of Mrs. Dickinson il will
be different Her son. ]. OvertOn Dickin-
son, died a few weeks after her return
from a trip around the world and she
has just returned to the Dickinson home.
in Connecticut avenue. from her home
in Nashville. where her son died She
will not take part in the official enter
tainments this year, and has withdrawn
from everything,
The next 10 entertain the President and
Mrs. Taft at dinner. after the Secretary
OF State, will be the Secretary of the
Treasury and Mrs. MacVeagh, and then
the other members OF the Cabinet. in
their order OF precedence, Secretary and
Mrs Nagel 10 give the last OF the series.
which Will also be their first dinner TO
the President, as Mrs. Nagel was in deep
mourning last season for the death OF
her sister during the Christmas holidays,
and she withdrew from all social affairs.
Her family did likewise.
The entertainments for this season will
be for a great part farewell affairs, due
10 the exodus of officials who have
been so long Identified with life in Wash
ington that il is hard to picture a Wash
inSton season without them Dinners
and luncheons galore will be given for
them after the holidays for many OF
them will not return until then.