The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-05-17
Presidents and Pies
An Interesting Account of Washington Peo-
pie of Yesterday and Today BY the wife
of the Well KnOJUn DiDl0matist
H2 BY Mrs. Larx Anderson
BY Mrs. Larx Anderson.
tcontinusd from saturday. }

Another time Mrs. Taft asked Us
90 dine and chaperon her young
house party at the theater. Their
two big colored men took our coats
+ when we arrived and ushered us into
the Red Room, where a coy fire
was blazing. In few minutes
down came several young girls and
boys. followed by their host and
hostess. Dinner was announced,
the President offered me his arm,
aud we marched into the dining
room; l.. took in Mrs. Taft.
- The President was genial and de-
lightful. and we talked and capped
stories about Unitarians. for both
otus belong TO that denomiIrition,
and 1 had a charming time. Later
he took us to see the portrait that
Sorella was painting of him, which
J.. and both thought very strong.
Then the young people went with US
to the theater. accompanied by Cap
tain Butt, the White House aide,
who was drowned on the Titanic.
After the play they all came back
TO our house for supper and We
opened the kitchen and made
Welsh rarebit and cooked eggs.
The kitchen is near the music
room, and it's whitc-tiled walls are
hung with shining coppers. When
we had party there we all put on
aprons and begin by taking down
the pans and walking round in "A
procession banging them and sing.
ing.
Once when we were right in the
midst OF one of these lively frolics
bell rang and "A White House aide
appeared with the information that
II
and would like TO come in. so l..
and ] went to the door, aprons and
all. to receive him: he gave me his
arm and walked straight out into
the kitchen. where everybody set to
work to make special dishes for him
while he kept us in gales OF laugh
ter with his funny anecdotes.
wonder who ever had "A President In
her kitchen before?
\ diplomatic reception at the
White House was very like the
others I had been to there, except
that no line formed in the big
ballroom. as had been done in
Roosevelt's day. and you talked
with anyone you pleased. An anus
ing incident occurred when l.. was
taken for Mr.. Wilkie, the chief of
the Secret Service. Later in the
evening the chief came up and inn
troduced himself and the two men
were really amazingly alike; he
said he had been taken for l.. many
times. They exchanged photo
graphs, and when the pictures came
out in the papers few days ater-
wards, even the people who knew
both the originals could not tell the
difference between them
At this reception, or some reason
or other. the ministers were not
supposed to go into the same room
with the ambassadors and it caused
bit of discussion. The Spanish
minister grew quite irritated. He
was the man who later stayed in
Brussels throughout the war, look
ing after the interests Of many le-
cations besides his own. His ca
-reer is especially remarkable be-
cause of the fact that he has beeen
from birth an incurable cripple;
our disabled soldiers would find his
career worth studying.
Among others present were the
Haitian minister and his wife, both
as black as teakwood and she wore
lovely low-necked blue satin
gown. They were really the only
unusual guests, however. Times
had changed since the days when
one coul dsee at a Presidential re-
ception "rowdies. cab drivers, bellies.
beauX. diplomats like the new dis
covered fossil. half-golden lizard,
half-crcsted bird; last. but not
elast troop of Red Indians in war
paint. with their best necklaces OF
bears claws. come to honor the
great father"
Although political entertainments
predominant, still other kinds are
to be found in Washington.
Supernbundance of News.
] went to a literary tea one aft
ernoon and met some clever people
who quoted extensively and made