The Irish standard., 1914-01-24
MRS. JOSEPH P. TUMULTY.
Only Woman in Washington Honore.
BY Calls From President.

woman in Washington who is ever
honored by an informal call from the
president of the United States, says
Selene Armstrong Harmon.
President Wilson not infrequently
lust drops in at her house in the
course of an afternoons automobile
ride to ask after Mrs. Tumulty's
health, to chat moment with her hus-
band, his secretary, and most especial.
ly to pass the time of day with the
Tumulty children. When the White
House car draws up at the front door
of the Tumulty house, there is a mad
scamper of IL little feet from the
nursery to the front door. For the six
Tumulty children are on intimate
terms with the president, and with
every member of his family.
When Jessie Wilson was married to
Francis B. Sayre last November, little
Mary Tumulty was about as keenly
interested in the details of the we'd
ding preparations as was the bride her.
self. She received, at the particular
request of Miss Wilson, an invitation
addressed especially to her tiny self.
And when the hour for the wedding
arrived, little Miss Tumulty, white
frocked, blue-ribboned, her blond curls
in order, her eyes shining with ex-
citement, was one of the most inter-
ested of spectators.
If one. approaches Secretary Tumul-
ty on a busy day at the executive
offices of the White House and asks
him for the names of all his children,
he is as likely as not to call on one
of the under secretaries for assistance
in setting them down, with their re-
spective ages opposite. Mrs. Tumul-
ty, however, knows the list by heart,
and can even say it backward. For
the main business of her life is the
rearing and educating of their six
children. Her position in Washington's
official life. as wife of the secretary
to the president, gives her entree to
that cosmopolitan society at the cap
ital which the average woman would
find irresistible. Mrs. Tumulty. how
ever, cares little for it. About the
only function which she and Mr.. Tu-
multy have thus far attended during
the present season in Washington are
the White House wedding and cab
met dinners.
In health, beauty and happiness the
Tumulty children have repaid their
mothers care a hundred fold. There
is no more interesting family in Wash
ington's official life, and with the ex-
ception of the family of, Senator and
Mrs. James A. O'Gorman, whose chill
dren number nine, none larger. The
names Of the Tumulty children are,
Mary, who is nine years old; Joseph,
eight; Grace, seven; Catherine, six;
Alicia, five, and Philip, two. The three
oldest go to school at the Sacred
11OdlC SOutCHl.
Mr.. and Mrs. Tumulty have been
married ten years. AS children, they
were playmates together at the school
of st. Brides in Jersey City. Theirs,
however, was not a romance of child
hood. They worked their fractions to-
gether, and later corrugated their
Latin verbs from the same grammar,
without having their minds distracted
by thoughts of romance. When the
proper time came, the two young PEG.
pie fell desperately in love with each
other, and were married at st. Bridg-
cts church in Jersey City. Before
her marriage, Mrs. Tumulty was Miss
Mary Byrne. daughter of Patrick
Byrne, a prominent contractor and
builder of Jersey City. She has re.
tanned to remarkable extent the
youthfulness of her girlhood.
Since coming to Washington, Mrs.
Tumulty has not allied herself with
any social or philanthropic organiza.
tons. She declares that any woman
who looks after the needs of a fus.
band and six children has IL hours a
day of her time already engaged.
A1yl~