Evening star., 1915-04-04
White House Improvements.

Spring housecleaning at the White
House is in progress. and besides the
hundreds of feet of white paint being
spread over the outside of the big IN
diana sandstone structure, other parts
OF the house and grounds are being at
tended to with care. The charming
Italian gardens planned by Mrs. VIII
son to take the place of the colonial
gardens designed by Mrs. Roosevelt
will soon be in full glory OF green
grass and blossoms. In keeping with
the late Mrs Wilson's ideas, the Ions
iasoons on either side of the south
front portico of the mansion. and Whlch
reflect with artistic effect the columns
of the semi-circular porch ana the
residence itself, are ready to be hlied
with water A border of tulips about
the oblong plats of ground IS 1nst
bursting into blossom. and the skill
fully carved stone benches. Whlch were
also ordered by Mrs. Wilson. have been
brought from their winter shelter ana
stand at either eEd of the gardens. the
charming Italian statue or ran, Wnlch
stood in the western garden, mas
brand-new coat of paint TO protect MIN
from the weather and VIII soon pc
trundled into position. There mas oeeh
no effort to care for the great stretch
Of lawn at the south of the mite
House, other than trimming the trees
and shrubs. for the historic esq folnns
Easter Monday will leave II a Verita pie
wreck for the time being. The violets
and buttercups that dot the lawn IN
springtime and even the crocus pios-
sons are shy about coming up untli
the thousands of little feet nave ndu
their turn on the beautitul lawn. iheLe
is often heard a protest against tne
custom of egg rolling on that particu-
lar spot. but the oldest of the White
House gardeners said last week thal
it did not hurt it little bit ana the
big rollers would have II IN me tfiin
in less than a week.
Numerous minor changes are oeins
made within the White House during
the spring furbishng-up. and there
has been rehanging of pictures IN the
large sitting room over the state par.
lor or blue room. The wonderful
ancient Persian PRAYER rug which was
presented to the White House during
the Roosevelt administration by r. r.
Topakyan. and was hung in the Presi-
dents private apartments, has been
brought to the ground hoor ana nuns
in the diplvl..~tic reception room
where II can be viewed by the thou-
sands of tourists who traverse the pub
lie part of the building in single |
month. The best possible light and po-
sition was selected for II, and there Is
a continuous stream of Obs and Ans
before it every day. The real beauty
Of the weaving is enhanced by back
ground of gold which shows through
in some figures, and the whole rug is
bordered and elaborately embroidered
in thousands of seed pearls and some
large ones. while amethysts, turquoise |
and emeralds in larger size are skill |
fully set in pearls. While the value of
this rug is announced to the public |
which views IL as worth fully $4,000, |
its res. value is far beyond that; with |
the wonderful Sevres vases. the his |
trio clocks. portraits and other treas |
ures Of the White House, 1t will take |
its place. next to the gilt plateau or |
table piece bought by Dolly Madison, |
~ being the most valuable of them all |
Furniture covers are being laundered |
or new ones made to cover the ancient |
gold furniture which once graced the |
blue room. but Is now in the room
with this valuable tapestry. Another |
touch to this part of the house is the
new Martha Washington plate, per-
sonally presented by Miss Mary Custis |
Lee, and which came down through the |
Custis family. of which Miss Lees |
mother was a member. |
That there will be an early de- |
parture from the White House for |
Harlakenden. Cornish. N H., the sum- |
mer home of the President and Miss |
tions going on, even though bright |
wood fires burn on every hearth on the |
living floor. the wood being carried up |
in graceful baskets made for the pur-
pose.
Miss Wilson will, as usual, have the
cabinet women and their children as
guests for a time tomorrow on the
south front balcony to watch the egg
rolling. The Daniels boys, the Greg
ory boys, the Houston children, John |
Bryan. the grandson of the Secretary
Of State; Humphrey Redfeld and others
will form the merry party, and the [
younger children will for a time min T
gle with the vast concourse of little |
folk on the lawn
The reception of Nine. de Cespedes.
wife of the Cuban minister by Miss |
Wilson and Miss Bones Wednesday in
dicates that Miss Wilson will make |
the necessary official engagements |
from now on. especially in the case of |
the wives of diplomats. Sonora Brenes |
Mesen. wife of the Costa Rican minis
ter. who recently Joined her husband |
here. has not yet been received. The !
drawing rooms have been closed, even
for such receptions as these, since the |
death of Mrs. Wilson in August Of |
last year. and it is only in a strictly |
Official way that Miss Wilson will re- |
ceive this spring.