The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-05-01

guest in line and pass it on to an
other, who in turn repeated ii to
the President. often the names be-
came changed quite bit before
they were announced remember
that on one occasion. Mr.. Sprcckles,
the Hawaiian sugar man, was in
PRODUCED as "Mr. Freckles."
The ladies of the Cabinet received
with the President and his wife,
and the line, with the fat and the
thin, the short and the tall, was
often more amusing than decora-
tive. During some of these very
crowded entertainments people had
their clothes almost torn off their
backs in the terrible brushes. One
woman had the shoulder straps of
her evening gown broken, but kept
her place in the procession, remark
ing when she was introduced, "hr.
President, l cannot shake hands
l have to hold on my dress.
When the crush was at its worst
at the beginning of Roosevclts
Administra tion--thc turning of the
White House over entirely to Off
ccs and the building OF n new
IreS1uPntlaI TPSluPnCC at luf DtGh-
tiful old Dent place, was consider
ed. But the plan was dropped, and
wings to house the offices were
added on either side of the Execu-
tive Mansion.
At typical dinner of the period.
the room would be filled with diplo-
mats, army and navy officers, and
poIiticians-men OF the great world
fhnSn IIh
brains than social experience. There
would be much bowling and click
ing Of heels and introducing, and
then perhaps a general would lead
the way with an ambassadress to
the dining-room.
There was a Mrs. Malaprop of the
Administration who. on such an
OCCASION, observing Sir Joshua Rey-
nolds' Lady Cockburn and her
children" remarked; II suppose
that is the Internationally ig-
noring the three infants and the
Georgian costume; and then, amid
q series of suppressed chuckles, in
Quired IL the portrait of the Duke
OF wellington was not her hosts
father? Her lapses of language were
famous. People never tired of tell
ing how she went around getting sig
natures for a red robin" when she
meant round one; and how after
her return from California, she de-
scrlbed a wonderful trip through
the valley of Gethsemanc" when
she meant Yosemite. Once she
burst in upon an afternoon tea, an
nouncing with loud and cheerful
vigor: I've been out in the coun-
try for a walk. and do you know. I
jumped from rock to rock just like
a. shamrock"
Some of the men were amusing in
their way. too. There was one 7
remember in particular. n rural Con.
gresham who rebelled at taking
designated lady out to dinner, say
ing stoutly: I've never taken in
anybody but my wife yet, and I
guess ] won't change now"
Very different from all this was
the Washington of ffties. described
by Henry Adams: Society went on
excellently well without horses, or
carriages, or jewels, or toilettcs, or
pavements. or shops. or grandesza
OF any sort: and tho market was ex-
cellcnt as well as cheap. One could
not stay there a month without low
ing the shabby town. Even the WASH
ington girl, who was neither rich,
nor wcll-drcssed, nor we'll -eduCated.
nor clever, had a singular charm,
and used II. The happy
village was innocent Of a club. The
one-horse tram on l. street to the
{ apltol was ample for traffic. Every
pleasant morning at tho Pcnnsyl-
vanla station, society met to bid
Eood-by to its friends going on on
aIpyIe CNpreas In four pni
twenty hours Nc could know every.
body: in two days everybody knew
him"
CCopvrirht HouRhtcr. Mifsin Cal
t1e Ne C.-tis.~s w..Hsy.)