The Washington herald., 1920-04-11

bedrooms, are all the embodiment
OF comfort and case and good
taste. A profusion' of flowers adds
to the beauty of the rooms. and
the breakfast porch which opens
into the dining-room. At Strouds-
burg, one of the features of the
home is the garden, which Mrs,
Palmer personally attends TO.
Walled in by cedar trees, il is
approached by twelve turfed steps.
and boasts of eighty-three varie-
ties OF shrubbery, to say nothing
OF the innumerabIe varieties of
roses and flowers which mass its
wide borders.
Noted for Her Poise.
Not only is Mrs. Palmer noted
Tor her exquisite housekeeping
and delightful hospitality. but for
her extreme composure and poise.
which never seem to desert her
An amusing incident happened
last summer. On the morning
after their home had been bomb
ed and things were considerably
scattered about. including the
remnants of the bomber. Mrs. Pal
mer was found by a solicitious
friend sitting calmly in the midst
Of the wreckage. directing the
work of salvage.
I'm so sorry to have YOU see
my house so mussed UP this morn
ing, was her greeting, in the
apologetic tone one might have
used if an early caller had caught
the house undusted.
Since that time constant
watch has been kept on the At
torney Generals home, and on the
day / called for a prearranged in
terview with Mrs. Palmer my brief
bag and i brought the guard in
stantly from his little box-Iike
station and went through a close
examination before we were per-
mitted to be passed in by the but
ler.
"Whew" thought 1. this is al
most as bad as going to the White
House. But there's nothing like
getting in training
Men in Box Forgotten.a
However. once inside the house.
one forgets all about the man in
the box and can make a face at
him. for all Mr.. Palmer cares, as
he thinks the whole thing a nuis-
ance. But Mrs. Palmer doesnt
want her house ''mussed up" any
more, and with a husband who
has been custodian of enemy
property and now, as Attorney
General. is chief prosecutor of tn,
so-called Reds, she realizes tina;
he isn't the most popular man in
the United States. even if he is
the smartest and the grandest,
OF course. she didn't admit as
much to me, but l saw it shining
in her eyes when she pointed out
an oil painting of her handsomc
husband-so recent it was still
unhung.
Their only child. Mary Dixon.
who is 1ols years old, is anothcr
Of D.1
is her constant companion. Marl
Dixon is studious and boUkish.
and has a dry Wit that bubbl,s
out at times behind her quain.
thee" and thou" that is a con
slant source OF amusement to her
family.
He Called "On Pasteboard.''
Not long ago a dinner party Civ
en- by some important dignitar.
which her parents were to attend
that night, was being discussed
in Mary's presence. Mr.. Palm"r
remarked that in conformity with
the usual ceremony, he should
have called several days before.
but he had overlooked II.
Thee did call, father" spoil,
up little Mary. Mother took tho
on pasteboard."
During the war Mrs. Palm"r
took a course in nursing. and
although her social duties as tn,
wife of a cabinet officer are very
heavy. she still finds time to visit
Walter Reed Hospital and also to
continue her Red Cross work.
At Stroudsburg she has esta,-
lished a public library for the
benefit of the whole community.
and by interesting her friends
has fitted it out and maintained
it by private subscription. When
she goes home in the summer, she
does her turn" at the library.
giving out books and dispensins
cheer in its little restroom, wher,
many tired traveller comes be-
tween trains.
Natural and UnspoiIed.
Oficial life in Washington has
not spoiled her, and in spite of the
fact that she is known as the in
tellectual light of the Cabinet and
also noted for her modish gowns.
one would have to go q long way
to meet a more natural or a SIM
pier woman than Mrs. Mitchell
Palmer.
She takes life as it comes and.
in her quiet way, enjoys 1t from
day to day. I don't think she mas
looked so far ahead as the whit o