The Washington herald., 1911-05-06

Mrs. Taft gave the first Of her spring
garden parties yesterday afternoon in the
grounds south Of the White House, and
\ 1t was what the garden parties always
are under Mrs. Tafts regime-very
beautiful and very charming in every
| way. The guests included the members
OF the Civic Federation now in the city.
ia number Of the army and navy, Sem
atorial. Representative. and resident cir
cles. Mrs. Taft stood under one OF the
large trees just south of the portico. to
receive the guests, and the Marine Band
was stationed close to the house just
outside the lower corridor, while the
table, hansomely laid. was placed under
the trees to the west side Of the grounds.
Miss Taft and their house guest, Miss
Keys, Of Cincinnati. and Miss Letter
man. assisted.
Mrs Taft stood upon a thick rug in
the sunshine and remained until the end
Of the reception and the last guest had
4 departed. She also moved about through
the grounds and had a cup Of tea at the
i tea table Her gown was Of soft blue
chiffon over white, and she wore a scarf
of blue, with white straw hat trimmed
with tiny pink roses. Miss Taft wore a
frock of pink chiffon over satin Of
| the same SnaOe, WIN q nat OF DldCk
with clipped ostrich plume.
The red coats Of the Marine Bands full
dress made a brilliant bit of color against
the stone mansion and upon the green of
the grass which was never more beau
] tiful than 1t is Just now. The grounds
in fact. are more lovely than they have
ever been, and just at this particular
time they are ideal There are many
and huge bushes Of purple and white
4 I.
nolias. and innumerable full-blooming
peonies of all colors in various spots all
over the south grounds The foliage is
| beautiful and fresh, and the wonderful
fountain played gayly, while the birds
sang Justify in the lower parts of the
grounds, far removed from the band. The
grounds are full Of robins and blue birds.
| Among the most distinguished of the
guests were Mr.. and Mrs. Andrew Car
negie who came over from the exercises
at the Bureau of American Republics.
Scores Of people from the horse show went
| from there also, and the clothes were gay
and pretty, though the atmosphere grew
little cool before the last of the COM
pany had gone. The President Joined his
wife in the garden after he left the
exercises at the Bureau Of American Re-
publics. and enjoyed many little cnats
twith the guests under the trees.
Mr. and Mrs. John Hays Hammond held
large reception in their Rhode Island
| avenue mansion last evening for the
members Of the Woman's Welfare De-
partment Of the Civic Federation, which
| held it's first session in the Hammond
| home yesterday. The guests were asked
for 10 o'clock, so as not to interfere with
dinner parties and other affairs which
| might precAde a reception. Mrs. Ham,
| hond had receiving with her Mrs. Sher-
man. wife of the Vice President: Mrs.
Wlckersham. wife Of the Attorney Gen.
eral: Mrs. Meyer. wife of the Secretary
of the Navy: Mrs. Lurton. Mrs. Lamar.
Mrs Hughes. and Mrs. Holmes, wives
of Justices of the Supreme Court; Mrs.
Oliver, wife of the Assistant Secretary
Of War, and Mrs. Beekman Winthrop.
wife Of the Assistant Secretary of the
Navy
Mrs Hammond received her guests
wearing gown of Kings blue satin.
with a bodice of cut beads of the same
color. a diamond tiara. Assisting Mrs.
Hammond were Mrs. Sherman, who wore
gown of black and white brocade vel
vet: Mrs. Meyer. in pink and gold bro
cade; Mrs. Nagel, white satin embrod
cred in gold; Mrs. Huntington Wilson.
pale lavender satin embroidered in orchid
SndUeS, MIS- LdfIidT, 1hrS- oHNtI, anu
Mrs. Lurton.
Among the other exquisitely gowned
women were Mrs. Taft, who wore a
gown of peach-blow brocade and point
lace; Miss Helen Taft, pale pink
chiffon; Mrs. Wickersham, white and
silver brocade; Miss Mabel Board
man, silver brocade; Mrs. Robert Hinck-
ley, deep blue chiffon; Mrs. Oliver,
white satin; Mrs. William Randolph
Hearst white silk net, embroidered in
rhinestones over pink satin. with
tunic of silver and gold cloth brocaded
in pink. diamond ornaments; Mrs.
Winthrop Murray Crane. deep blue crys-
tai chiffon over white satin; Miss Eudora
Glover, pale pink chiffon; Mrs. Fran
co.'s Berger Moran, white brocade satin;
Mrs. Hudgins, pink satin and chiffon:
Mrs. william F. Dennis, white satin;
! Miss Katherine Britton, white satin
and silver embroidery; Miss Marion
Oliver, pink satin; Miss Marjorie Ale
shire. pink chiffon; Miss Mary South
erland pale lavender; Miss Harriet
Switzerland, pale pink satin.
Among the other guests were Mr.. and
Mrs. Andrew Carnegie. Mr.. Seth Low.
Representative and Mrs. Nicholas Long
| worth, Rear Admiral and Mrs. Rich
| ardson Clover, Miss Laura Merriam,
Mrs. Archibald Hopkins. Mrs. William
Phelps Emo, and Mrs. Medill Mccormick.
Miss Mary Mckee. granddaughter Of
former President BENJAMIN Harrison, who
has been the guest Of Mrs. Arthur Lee.
left Thursday for Philadelphia to spend
several days with Mrs. George H. Colket,
who was formerly Miss Gladys Kerens,
daughter Of the United States Ambas-
sador to Austria, who is now living in
Philadelphia. Miss Mckee and Miss
Kerens have been close friends from
childhood.
Gen. and Ms. Weaver had an informal
dinner company last evening at their
home, in the Farragut, and among the
guests were Gen. and Mrs. William L.
Marshall, Gen. and Mrs. Crawford, and
Col and Mrs. Treat
Mrs Robert l. Portner and her daugh-
ters, Miss Anna Portner and Miss Hilda
Portner, have returned from visit at
Atlantic City and at their country place
near Manassas, Va, and are again atA
their home, in New Hampshire avenue.
Mrs. Portner is somewhat improved in
health.
The French Ambassador and -Mme. JUS
serand were hosts at luncheon yester-
day In compliment to Dy. and Nine.
Roaldes. OF New Orleans, who are
spending q few days In Washington.