Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-17
MISS ISABELLA HAGNER
is TTGG WE'D Mr.. JAMES
Event To Be Quiet One in November
in Presence of Members
of Families.

No announcement in recent years
was received in the city and elsewhere
with greater interest than the engage
ment, made public yesterday exclusive
ly in The Star of Miss Isabella L. Hag-
ner and Mr.. Norman James of Balti-
more 1t was made by the eldest broth
err of Miss Hagner and his wife, DR..
and Mrs. Francis Randall Hagner.
The wedding will take place in No
nember. and will be quiet event, in
presence of the members of the two
contracting families. Miss Hagner
holds position in Washington society
and public life which is quite unique.
Her family connections had placed her
most enviably among the interesting
people in resident circles, and she en-
boyed a belleship second to none. but
her appointment as private or social
secretary to Mrs Roosevelt. the posi-
tion being created for her. put her at
once in the front of the important per-
sonages of Col. Roosevelt's admins
tration. 1t ranked her among the
closest friends and intimates of the
entire Roosevelt family. and her place
In their household was almost that or
one of its members. Although she
House, she was identified with all OF
its private as well as its pubic slde
during that period.
Was in State Department.
At the time of her selection for sec
retary by Mrs. Roosevelt, Miss HaSner
WAS a clerk in the State Department.
having been transferred there from her
Gle
Department.
Being the first person to undertake
the duty of clerk to the wife of the
President. she created the system which
WAS followed by her several successors
in the Taft term This system divided
her time at the White House for the
Intervals most convenient to her chlei,
the morning hours having been gener-
billy selected by Mrs Roosevelt Tor at,
tention to her CORES pondence, etc, ana
company downtown for shopping tours
Miss Hagner also set aside an hour
zach morning when newspaper writer's
who had inquiries to make could reach
her in person or by phone. She it was
who arranged the seating at the Presl-
hent's dinners. and had most to do with
the questions of precedence. etc, eSpe-
TALLY the ones on which the State De-
partment had not passed, and were
Incorporated among our unwritten laws
N fact. Miss Hagner's place during the
Entire Roosevelt term was as lmpor-
liant as that of any official whose du-
lies brought him there.
No Ordinary Triumph.
Her selection by the late Mrs. Wood
row Wilson as her secretary was
Triumph of no ordinary kind. The po-
Eition was sought after by a number
BIZ women. whose real or fancied abil-
ty and the urging of influential friends
made it rather difficult foA-a decision
o be reached. but it was made in Miss
Hagner's favor a month before the
Wilson family left Princeton for this
tity. Miss Hagners closeness to the
wife of the President was Immediately
n evidence. She was also the frequent
kompaniou of the daughters of the
household, and shared with them all the
Sightseeing expeditions and social oc-
,asions with which they FILED the nrst
tnree months of their White House
Residence She received nearly every
.fternoon in the red room with the
Presidents late wife, generally pre-
kiding at the tea table, and was, OF
course of tremendous value TO poth
he hostess and her daughters in hav-
ng official and resident Washingto-
mans properly introduced 10 them. heI
intimacy with the family brought ABOUT
uarv Dleas ant incidents. She spent the
6rgt summer with them at Harlaken-
len House at Cornish, y. H., and chap
eroned the Presidents daughters then
and on many other occasions.
Miss Hagner has always been regard
ri as good looking She has very
brieht eyes and an engaging smile. No
be,son in this city is better informed
as TO the who's who of the capital, and
certainly there are very few who nave
lad Miss Hagner's opportunities for ac-
uiring information and of estimating
personal and social values.
Mr.. James is a widower and has three
children.