The Washington herald., 1920-04-12
By MAYME ODER PEAK.

Mrs. Leonard Wood is a good
campaigner. She is an army woman.
accustomed to move from pillar to
post, and to create a home atmos-
phere in the dreariest barracks ff-
teen minutes after she unpacks her
trunks.
A number of weeks ago, when
there was a big meet of the women's
committees in Chicago. Mrs. Wood
descended on one of the hotels,
famed as the habitat of the political
great, with her army kit well
packed with ammunition. From 1t
she produced a tea-table and the
family spoons; hung up the Cen
erals picture; threw a few cushions
and books around, lit the pink
shaded candles, and was ready for
the "at home" to which all the lead
ing suffragists had been previously
bidden via engraved cards. II one
can't get acquainted with a woman
over a cup of tea, IL can't be done,
as Mrs. Wood well knew when she
took time by the forelock and gave
the Chicago tea-party.
Is Not n Politician.
And yet, in no sense of the word
is the wife Of Gen. Wood a politi-
clan. She was born, brought up and
married in the army. and has knewn
no other atmosphere, although her
contact has been unusually broad
and her life full of varied and in.
teresting experiences. She has slept
in a tent under the stars. and lived
in a palace; has pioneered in the
West and queened 1t in the Far
East.
Fate decreed that she should be
born in Havana, where her father,
Col. John Condit-S Smith. who, by the
way. served on the staff of Gen.
Sherman during the civil war, was
stationed. Her mother. who was a
sister of Justice Field OF the Su-
preme Court, died when she was
child, and an ambitious stepmothe-
had charge of the upbringing of
Louise Condit-Smith. now Mrs.
Wood.
The colonel was stationed in
Washington a large part of the
time, and the ConditSmiths became
identified with the old residential
set-the "cave-dwellers" as they are
called today. Naturally, their debu-
tante daughter met the cream of the
army, navy and diplomatic set.
Expert ms Horsewomnn.
She was good looking and attrac-
tive, an accomplished horsewoman,
all-round athlete and outdoor en-
thusiast. and was a great favorite.
Her family thought she had every
opportunity TO make brilliant
match, and the story is told of at
least two generals who were ready
to marry her on the dropping Of her
glove.
But Miss Condit- Smith. the much
sought-after, threw herself away"
on a young lieutenant in the Army
Medical Corps, DR.. Leonard Wood,
who was stationed in Washington.
They were married in 1890 after a
brief courtship. and went ito sta
tion" at an Arizona army post. Here
there were constant outbreaks and
uprisings among the Indians, and
Mrs. Wood saw real frontier life and
hardships.
But it gave them their chance,
for by reason of his service in con-
nection with the capture of the
Apache bands and their chief, Leon
ard Wood was given line duty and
promotion, and when they returned
to Washington five years later. it
was as Captain and Mrs. Wood.
Wood was then assigned to the
White House as physician to Presi-
dent Cleveland, and later detailed in
similar capacity TO his successor,
President Mckinley. Now, il is a
known fac that White House physi-
clans are sometimes very ambitious
ly inclined. but Leonard Wood con-
fined himself strictly to doctorine
and an occasional outing with his
distinguished patient, and such an
idea never entered his head that
some day he would be aspiring to
the big job at the White House.
Certainly, Mrs. Wood never
dreamed of such a thing as she sat