The Washington herald., 1919-01-12

In common with the rest OF the
country Washington was shocked and
srieved by the news of the passing
OF Col. Roosevelt-and perhaps In
Washington the shock. and the grief
were a little more yividly personal
than in most places. For to Washing
ton IT. R." was a vivid personality.
He was not merely a name, but a
familiar figure in whom interest never
Tagged.
The two expressions of grief~ that
made the most impression on the ma
tional capital were the utter break
down OF Senator Lodge-usually such
a calm, cryptic sort of person. that to
gee him entirely broken by the news
was a revelation-and the floating Of
the flag over the White House (where
il has not fioated since the Presi-
dents departure, since II Is only Gus
tor1ary to fly IT when the Chief Exec
utive is in residence") simply in or
der to half-mast II out OF respect to
the splendid spirit that had passed.
Naturally Official entertaining
was at a standstill. The William
Phinipses had a dinner on that night
for the Vice President and Mr..
Marshall. IL was promptly Cancelled.
Mr. Phillips had been Third Assist
ant Secretary of State under Roose-
welt, and he had been secretary of
the embassy in London. Next to
Mr. Polk he is ranking official of
the State Department at present in
America. and his dinner for the
Vice President-who in the absence
of the President, yields the pas to
none-was to have been highly Of
u -
postponed-to a date not as yet an
nOunced.
Mrs. Marshall had announced her
first at home of the season for
wednesday-to be followed by a
second two weeks later. She i'm
mediately Cancelled the first date,
and arranged to be at home next
Wednesday (January 15) and the
week after (January 22).
John Barrett, Director of the Pan
American Union. had planned a
highly official dinner on Tuesday
for the new Ambassador from
Chile. Don Beltran Matthew, and
Sonora Matthew. Vice President and
Mrs. Marshall had laid aside the
question OF precedence, and accepted
Mr.. Barrett's invitation to attend
that dinner. That was postponed
until January 1S--and IL is a ques-
tion now whether certain out-of=
town guests, Mr.. and Mrs. Edward
T. Stotesbury. of Philadelphia; Mr..
and Mrs. Stuart Duncan, OF New
York. and Admiral Hugh Kodman.
of the overseas fleet, but recently
returned. will be able to accommo-
date themselves to the new date.
The only thing, even remotely o1i-
cial, that was not postponed was
Mrs. Bromwells dinner in honor OF
Secretary and Mrs. Lane. on Tuesday
highland in that instance the hostess
was not official. though the honor
guests were. Presumably IL the Lanes
had been hosts the dinner would have
been postponed. But Mrs. Bromwell,
daughter OF Mrs. Matthew T. Scott,
is regarded as rather Of the residen-
tial than OF the official set, even
though her husband was, II memory
serves. chief aide to Col. Roosevelt.
when he was President Roosevelt, and
most OF the score OF guests who
gathered at her table were either the
new war people, like Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank Let's. of Chicago. or such pill
lars of the smart residential circle as
Mrs. Richard Townsend, or Gen. and
Mrs. McCawley. Some one told me
night train for New York and was
in New York in time to go to Oyster
Bay the next morning. Not only do
Cabinet officials have to be hustlers,
but it would seem that they have to
be something in the nature Of light
ming change artists-from grave to
gay, from lively to severe
1t was only the debutantes who
danced on. unheeding-and apparently
unknOwing. 1t really doesn't Neem
possible. but was talking to one
Of the sweet young things over the
telephone about noon on Tuesday,
and mentioned something as hav-
ing been called OF, eliciting a WON
derinE Was it called of? wonder
why?' And on being gtold-"Roosevelt?
Do you mean Col Roosevelt? Why.
when did he die?" Again on being
told: Really? Do you mean it? Well.
certainly must read the papers"
Would you have believed it possible?
Theirs were the only parties that
went on as per schedule during the
beginning Of the week. which began
with Leila Gordon's debut. decidedly
one of the notably brilliant ones of
a notably brilliant debutante winter
Lena GORDON IS MIS-. george bar
nett's elder daughter. and both Mrs.
Barnett and her adoring husband.
Mai. Gen. Barnett, are the soul of
hospitality. and have a genius for
entertaining. They fairly radiate well
come and are the most courteous and
attentive hosts imaginable.
As for Leila Gordon, she is in
way the daughter OF the regiment.
to the Marine Corps-offlcers and men
alike. All over town you heard them
last Monday telling about the bang
up party our young Iady's having
down t the Barracks. Ooh Boy:
Some party. believe me-" With unc-
tious details as to the number of
limousines that had come rolling
through the big gates. and the
swell dames." and the pretty girls
and the gladness of their glad rags.
1t was a pretty party. but 1t took
the boys to stir one to the height
Of enthusiasm
In fact il was two pretty parties.