Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

the ever waxing brilliance of the past
with its constant whirl of social events
going TO bed when the sage says II
should. going to church on Sunday with
the ban on work and elaborate entertain
Ing and wthal going back to a revival
OF the times when Sunday was a day OF
standing that wines and liquors Will not
be considered an essential part of hos
pitality.
There seems to be a general desire
among the new cabinet women to dress
simply, live simply and enjoy life. and to
keep within their means" AS one
cabinet hostess expressed it:
None of us are millionaires, none Of
us are even rich. and IL We are to practice
the principles of true democracy we
will live within our husbands salaries
T ne hospitality means something beyond
a mere qualification of the senses. Bril-
liant decorations and elaborate feasts
without the true spirit of mutual appre-
citation and enjoyment are but the hollow
shams OF ostentation."
The ladies of the new cabinet are a
remarkable group of women. All OF them
are OF unusual mental caliber, and their
outlook upon life has necessarily been
serious enough TO consider questions from
several sides. but with them all at pres
ent home life stands first and their enter
tanning duving the spring at least will
follow the simple lines. After that, when
the official season begins in the fall-wen.
there Is something in Washington ofIicial
life which gets into the blood and then
the social whirl begins
What the official standard of the admin
istration will be with regard to its enter
tanning Is riddle and the capital has
neither sphinx nor oracle.
1t is matter of congratulation, both
to the administration and the public at
large, that Mrs. William Jennings Bryan
is the third lady of the land today and
the social mentor for the other cabinet
hostesses. Out of the galaxy of the
there Is none better fitted by tempera-
ment and intellectual attainment to be
the wife Of the premier of the nation
than Mrs Bryan, who combines the
qualities OF wife. mother. talented law
yer, noted club woman. linguist and ear
nest student. with the result that
when the diplomats call at the home Of
the Secretary Of State they will be met
by woman Of cosmopolitan culture
who is thoroughly familiar with the
various political phases of their homo
government.
In a recent interview Mrs. BRYAN de-
clared that with the appointments only
a few hours old it was entirely too early
TO make any statements about her So
cial plans in view of the fact that she
had not formed any other than that
after time she would take a house
and spend the most of her time here
with Mr.. Bryan when his duties required
his presence in the capital.
At the suggestion that her new duties
would be likely to cause her to relinoui.b
large proportion of her club and phf-
lanthropic work, Mrs. Bryan explained
that she would never allow the exact,on.
OF any position to submerge her indiv,d-
uality and that she could see no reason
why the social duties Of the cabinet he
tess should absorb all of her time tn the
exclusion of other interests
Mrs Bryan was Miss Mary Baird. the
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. John Baird OF
Perry. ILL.,. where she was born in June.
FIRST honors from a Presbyterian school
for young ladies In Jacksonville III Att
er graduation she did special work in the
Illinois college and also in the University
of Nebraska.
Her marriage to Mr.. Bryan occurred at
Perry. ILL.,, In 1884. after which, under
her husbands supervision. she pursued the
course of law laid down by the Union
College of Chicago and was admitted to
the bar In district and supreme courts
of Nebraska in 1887 This was done with
out any intention of practicing, but SIM
ply to enable her to enter more thorough
ly into her husbands work and ambition.
His entrance into politics forced her 70
follow him into that field also and she
has endeavored for the last twenty yeacs
10 keep herself thoroughly informed upon
political conditions both locally and IN
ternationally.
Mrs. Bryan feels sympathetic interest
IN the intellectual growth of the women
or the country. and rejoices in their pro-
gress along the industrial lines which
IS broadening their spheres of usefulness.
twenty-five years ago she organized the
Sorosf1 of Lincoln. which has been a most
successful organization. She has main
famed her membership In the Woman s
Club of Lincoln from the beginning. This
club now has an enrolment of about
100 members. and has been responsible
for many reforms and innovations along
civic lines In the city and it's environs
She also is one OF the sustaining mem
bers or the Y. W. c. A. OF that city.
While Mrs. Bryan IS doubly qualified to
;SH In line in the d. A. r. ranks. she has
never Joined that organization. Her
family is wholly American bath branches
having sent members into tha'.Sevolu-
tionary war. Her maternal areegtors
we're descended from Sir Gregory Dexter
who was sent back to England to secure
tie charter for the state OF Rhode Island
Her father comes OF old Pennsylvania
stock. the first of whom came to this
country in the early part OF the seven
teenth century.
Mr.. and Mrs Bryan have three chill
dren. all Of whom are married. and there
's now an interesting group OF grand
daughters of Mr. and Mrs. William j
Bryan. jr.. and the young son Of their
eldest daughter. Mrs. Owen, are with
their grandparents.
Mrs. Bryan has the balance and poist
that nothing disturbs. She is absolutel,
certain Of herself. knows her privileges
and her limitations perfectly. and ont
Will be made in perfect fairness ant
honesty or purpose
She knows Washington offciai and so
cIal life down to the tiniest red-tape
bound detail. To her viii fall the dut,
OF preserving harmonious relations be
tween the wives OF the diplomatic contin
gent and the women of the cabinet an
the rest OF the social world. She will ais
preside and participate in the most bril-
liant functions outside of those OF tn
White House.
She Is firm believer I'm college educa
ton for girls, provided the girls them