The Washington times., 1920-05-03
Presidents and Pies
An Interesting Account of Washington Peo.
pie of Yesterday and Today By the Wife
Ofthe Weli-KnoWn DiplOmatist
Rv Mrs Tarx Ind
BY Mrs. Larz Anderson.

wore trousers and straight en-
broidered Jackets In rich and bril-
liant colors. and the slippers on
their tiny feet were OF satin. The
little ladies did not look frightened
In the least. but behaved very much
like bright-eyed. self-possessed
dolls, In their paint and their many
colored garments. / thought them
very alien and impenetrable then,
but later, when. during my stay In
the Far East, / had "A chance 20
know the Orientals better, i came
TO the conclusion that they were
not 80 different from the rest OF
US after all.
OF still quite another sort was an
American Indian party, most
original and amusing ansir, given
one evening at a country place out
side or Washington. Mrs. Steven
son, whom we had known out In
Zuni land, had brought me corn
maiden's dress OF white with black
and red, and / wore moccasins,
beads, and bracelets. and had my
hair flying and decorated with
feathers. Mrs Clarence Edwards
also had a correct costume which
had been given her by Frank Millet,
the artist. L., clad in a mask and
a blanket. with a bottle OF whiskey
and a sign, "Lo. the poor Indian"
was one Of the best.
Scene of Realism.
The band was playing plaintive
Indian music when we reached the
place. BY the light OF the setting
sun IL was great fun to watch the
other guests arriving on horseback
cowboys and cowgirls and In
dians giving war whoops. To lend
a touch of realism there were some
honest and true" Indians among
them, tool wondered what they
thought OF II all. As the aftergiow
faded, the trees became starry with
colored lights and the tents were
illuminated. Pistol shots rang out
into the night, and we all danced
madly about great bonfire.
On another occasion some theat-
ricals were given in an artists
house, queer, low-ceilinged struc-
ture of a style called Spanish. with
only a few dim lights hung here
and there. Incense curled about us
and blurred the weird sketches OF
wild-eyed people who peered down
from the walls as we groped our
way about, running into mirrors
and each other.
am sure the house had never
been busted. and 1t smelled as IL II
had never been aired-even the
tapestries on the walls were musty
and the air reeked with perfume.
In the center Of room in which
we eventually found ourselves.
several more or less undraped
ladies with bare feet were posing
and whirling rhythmically. IT was
all quite unusual. but highly d.
verting. At that Zine barefoot
dancing, now so common, was in its
early stages, and this party caused
considerable talk.
Calling occupied almost every
afternoon. The Cabinet ladies re-
ceived one day, and the Senator's
still another. On New Year Day ]
stayed at home in Southern fashion
and served some delicious milk
punch. Possibly the news OF its
virtues spread, for I think every
man in Washington dropped in that
afternoon.
When had a quiet moment.
which was not often. loved sitting
in our winter garden, surrounded
by palms and red aZaleas. A little
bronze faun peeped out from among
the flowers while clear water trio
killed. into q plate Of yellow aIabaster
where lay violet orchids, and a pair
OF inquisitive parroauets futtered
about in the sunshine.
With spring the magnolias bios
somed everywhere and the warm
air was full Of the scent Of budding
flowers. In our walled garden at
the rear of the house the crocuses
came and went, the violets and pan
sizes. the pink, blue-centered tulips.
and the delicate gray Spanish iris
The Japanese peach trees seemed to
bloom in a night and fade in day
Before we knew it, the green leaves
Of the pin oak were giving shade
so that we could sit under IL and
enjoy the scented peonies and snow
balls, and watch the progress of
the budding roses. In springtime
Washington - like fairyland.
Copyright, Houghton. Mifnin Coz
IT~ N. Cnuf1un~d TnunArro-N