The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

carvings. wrested from great palaces OF
Europe
From the beginning to the end OF the
season.s the MaeVeaghs entertain and
are the hosts at dinners. luneheons, mu-
sicales and balls. II is a hard life this
! constant entertaining, ana Mrs Mac
Veagh has no daughters with whom she
can divide her duties and ,responsibili-
ties. Her son, Eames, a wealthy. culti-
Nated and much courted young bachelor,
abandons his home in Chicago for a part
OF every season and helps his mother
where he can.
Sixteenth has become ope-of the fash
ionable streets Of town. The Stimsons
live in it as well as the Macveaghs, and
so do the Wickershams. Since he sue
ceeded Jacob Dickinson two years ago,
the Secretary Of War and Mrs. Stlmson
have been mourning for the greater part
OF the time and are, on that account
less well known than any Of the Eaesi-
dents official family. with the exception,
perhaps, OF the Fishers, who are me
latest cOmers in the Cabinet circle. last
winter, however, Mrs. Stimson went
about quite bit. and she Is Planning tor
make her last season in Washington a !
brilliant one.
Secretary Fisher will hardly have COM
pleted two years OF service when his
chief quits office. So short a residence
does not permit one to become of
society. but the Fishers have seen much
Of the official side Of it and have con-
tributed to II as fully as could be ex-
pected. Like the StimsOns the social ac-
tivities Of Secretary and Mrs. NageI
have been curtailed and interrupted by
mourning and illness. This winter notn-
ing prevents them from taking the place
that belongs to them, and the opening
OF the season will see Mrs. Nagel in
the receiving line at the White House
and her own home will be thrown open
for the formal weekly receptions, beside
which there will be a number Of small
and intimate entertainments. In the
Nagel household are several charming
daughters, the eldest of whom. Hide
garde, has already made her debut and
is a most efficient aid to her mother.
James Wilson is the Nestor of society
as he is Of politics His public service
, at the Capital dates back to 49, For
forty years he has been a conspicuous
figure in the official world. while his posi-
tiOn in the Cabinets OF three administra-
tiOns has made him noted socially. He
likes society, this venerable Scotchman.
! ''Tama Jim," and before his daughter
adopted singing as a profession, Secretary
Wilson was an assiduOus host.
at which his daughter presided and was
II frequent host at dinners, but Miss
Wilson's absence left him without am
bitiOn to entertain and advancing age
makes his appearance as guest rare.
Flora Wilson is TO be in at the finish.
however. She participated in the start
Of the Taft administration and is de-
! Itcrmined to see its end. Backed by his
daughter. the Secretary Of Agriculture.
will keep open house this winter and at
his own table tell again the stories for
| which he is famous
The close Of President Taft's admin
| istration will witness a united official
family and a family that has worked
as a unit for its success. social and Off
! cral. Mrs. Taft has done much. instead
II duty, she has made II a privilege
/ TO go to the White House. but in all
that she has attempted the women Of
her husbands Cabinet have been her
,apab.e and sympathetic allies and I"
them a part Of the credit is due.
How will Mrs Wilson compare with
Mrs. Taft as a hostess and. will the wo-
nlen Of President Wilson's Cabinet meas
ure up to those who have been Mrs
Taft's coadjutors throughout the last
four years. are questions being asked
just now with deep interest. 1t has
. often been said that before inviting a
man to become member Of his official
/ family, a President should meet the wo-
men folk Of his candidate and take their
! measure. If. having measured them, h
/ Il els they might Getract from the So
I Cial success Of his administration he
should reject his mar
| Useless to deny thai women play as
great a part in life 81 Capital as men.
that the social side SEan administration
/ or reign is not as important as the Off
cial side The incoming President is too
profound a scholar 10 doubt the influ-
cree Of or to ignore the eternal femI-
MIN anus his own wife and daughters
have set him a noble standard. hence
/ il is safe to assume that his Cabinet
r,lnisters will have wives who will dig
| nifty and adorn their positions.
As the wife OF the President Of a great
university. Mrs. Wilson has established
a reputation as a hostess. That she will
III the larger and more important pO-
sition as well as she ffled the other is
rot to be doubted, nor is it to be doubt
ed that she will maintain the standard
Of living and entertaining Mrs Taft has
established Mrs. Wilson faces less
difficult task than that which met her
/ predecessor. No mistress of the White
I House ever left il in better condition
tran Mrs Taft will leave il. Her work
/ will live after her and she will be known
! I'm history as the one mistress or tht'
] White House who dared where Others
, faItered There may have been. per
/ haps among those who preceded heT'
women more magnetic, more responsive.
mere beautiful than Mrs. Taft. but there
J is no one who followed her duty, as
J. Frr1Tv