Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-11-02
Bee Bureau,
Washington, Nov. l.

reigning king ana queen III INC
very height of their popularity,
have not only been the feted
guests, but have mingled with
society after the fashion of real
Americans. The petite Queen Eliz-
abeth of the Belgians, in her rich,
smart but never extravagant raj
ment; the king Of the Belgians, in
his uniform, as the head of the army
and the grave, unassuming but very
dignifed young crown prince, IN the
uniform of private in the Belgian
army, and his aide in the same uni
form, have first awed, then pleased,
and then enthused the populace
whenever they have shown them
selves. They carried out a strenu-
Gus schedule arranged for them by
the State department which gave
them not an hour to themselves ex-
cept in the early morning, until mid
night, each of these three days they
spent in Washington.
The first morning of their stay the
king was up and out of the big man
sion on Sixteenth street built by the
late Mrs. Franklin MacVeagh when
Mr.. MacVeagh was secretary of the
treasury, and now occupied by the
third assistant secretary of state
and Mrs. Long, where the royal
party were entertained, and had a
brisk walk through the park and was
back at the house by 9 o'clock This
is the hour usually for society to
only begin to think of stirring.
Wednesday morning, a little be-
fore 9 o'clock, the attractive young
prince was noticed walking briskly
up Fifteenth street from F street,
where he and his aide had been
strolling, and mount the platform at
New York avenue and Nineteenth,
where passengers wait for cars.
They boarded a Fourteenth street
car, the prince dropped dime in the
slot machine and the two strangers
in the uniform of privates took seats
down in front, as though they had
been trying an experiment they
were not sure of and were keenly
interested in. They rode to Column
bia Road, got off and walked the
three blocks to the MacVeagh
house, almost everyone who saw
them recognizing them instantly.
Of all the dinners, banquets or
what not, which have been given III
their honor in this country, there is
probably not one to eclipse that on
Tuesday evening at which the vice
president and Mrs. Marshall acted
as hosts. in the home of the late
Thomas F. Walsh. Mrs. Walsh has
given her house over to the work OF
making all kinds of warm, service
able clothing for the suffering chill
dren, women and old men of Bel
gium and France since the early days
of their misfortunes. Her salon,
drawing room, music room and con-
servatory, were stripped of their
rugs, hangings and rich furniture,
and in their places were electric
sewing machines, knitting machines
and work tables.
A group of her women friends
worked here with her every day, ana
they worked hard. The garments
are all made from the cast-off
clothes and articles sent to her.
In the mid-week, last week she
whisked the work all out, had rugs
and hangings put up and the first
floer looked on Tuesday night as
royal as it would be possible to
make any rooms, minus a throne:
There were 81 guests at dinner and
the table was laid in horseshoe
shape, in the salon, which opens
into the great music room, where d
large pipe organ is built in. The
daintiest of fine linens dressed the
table, which was set with complete
service of superb gold. There were
plates, knives, forks, spoons, indi-
vidual nut dishes, innumerable COM
potes, six tall vases filled with pink
roses; five large epergnes holding
rare fruits; many low bowls filled
with bonbons, and all in repousse
gold, and exquisite Bohemian glass,
etched heavily with gold. There
were water glasses, claret glasses
filled with fruit punch and cham
payne glasses filled with grape
juice and no wine was served. Or
chids in low mound were arranged
around the curve of table in front
of the royal party. The vice presi-
dent and Mrs. Marshall and the
royal party made a detour of the
music room and looked at and bowed
to each guest assembled there, in q
semi-circle around the room, Colonel
Ridley, the presidents, aide, an
nouncing the name of each guest.
There was no handshaking.
After the dinner the ladies left
the table first, and went to the din
ing room of the house where the
work was arranged for their inspec-
ton, and there the king and other
men of the party joined them when
the queen presented to and pinned
on Mrs. Walsh the decoration of the
Order of Elizabeth. Mrs. Walsh
was a guest at the dinner. The late
Mr.. Walsh was personal friend
and was entertained by the late
King Leopold and it was a fitting
atmosphere for such an honor.
Among the guests on this occa-
sion were the senator from Omaha
and Mrs. Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock.
Mrs. Hitchcock looked exceedingly
we'll in gown of black chiffon vel
vet with much white lace on the
bodice. She sat between the speaker
of the house of representatives, Mr..
Gillett, and 1t Col. Tilkens, aide
de camp to the king, and the sena-
tor was between Mrs. Breckenridge
Long, wife of the third assistant
secretary of state, and Mrs. John
Rogers, wife of the representative
from Massachusetts,, skilled mix
ing of politics.
The gown Of the queen was an
example of good taste and elegance,
of heavy white satin with , long,
rather narrow train and no trim
mings. A large bunch of orchids
marked the waistline and she wore