The New York herald., 1921-06-19
sssaas Despatch to THE New York IIr.a;.o.


WASHINGTON. d. c., June IS.
: w WEDNESDAY. certainly wass a
M busy day this week!
After loafing through the
beginning Of the week Washington
suddenly woke up on Wednesday. got
furiously busy. and then. quite ex-
hausted. dosed off again for another lit
tie nap. Almost the entire weeks activ-
ity seemed to concentrate on Wednes-
day. including several distinctly in
teresting weddings. a golden wedding,
q couple Of big receptions in the after
noon and the Metropolitan Clubs re-
ception for the President and Mrs
Harding. which took up the last few
hours of that particular twenty-four-
and then some!
After attending the marriage of Miss
Frances Hoar to Mr.. Reginald Foster.
Jr., both the President and Mrs. Har-
ding and the Vice-President and Mrs.
Coolidge went on to Grasslands for
the reception. The Coolidges fingered
and enjoyed the fdn but the Hardings
had yet another big party on for the
evening and stayed only long enough
to congratulate the young couple and
exchange greetings with few of their
friends. The other party was the re-
ception which the Metropolitan Club
gave for them-which was big event
to the club, even though the members
insisted that it was lust little family
party" and that they were not asking
outsiders at all. And as a matter of
fact they stuck pretty closely to that
idea.
President Harding has been a member
of the club almost as long as he has
been Washington It Is the club to
which about every man of position IN
Washington belongs. And the board OF
governors took the stand that this re-
ception was simply one for fellow club
member to which only club members
should be asked. Instead of formal en-
graved cards members received neatly
typed notices, which were chiefly re-
markable because they conveyed the
information that they were privileged
to bring the women Of their families
It Is said that the last time any one
of the feminine gender was admitted
within the sacred portals was about
fourteen years ago at the housewarming
of the present club building. when the
men asked all their women friends.
especially tTlenQ Wllc, dIo Sooh 81 iSos
pleasure In showing to them the luxu-
rlous ard entirely satisfying place they
had built for themselves, from which the
ladies were to be excluded entirely.
They have no ladies' dining room, and
no ladies' days-or nights. 1t has been
since that night until last Wednesday
an entirely "Eveless Eden"
However. they certainly had a recep-
tion for President and Mrs. Harding.
and even II 1t was private party and
a personal compliment to the club's
most distinguished member. all the world
and his wife were there. Because all the
Washington world, as already set forth.
belongs to the Metropolitan. and as 1t
was the first chance most Of their wives
had ever had to see the inside of that
building-and was like to be the last
they all seized It, and undoubtedly would
have, even without the President and
Mrs. Harding as head liners.
Whether it was a family party" or
not, 1t certainly was as nice one as
has been given for the Chief Executive
and the First Lady. The handsome club.
house was in gala attire-aH dressed
up with palms and Southern smilax and
Florida moss--smilax framing the
windows and doorways and moss drap-
ing the chandeliers, and palms massed
wherever they would do most good. AND
in the supper room upstairs there were
giant flags, and on the tables low clus-
ters Of pink roses and peonies.
MT. Montgomery Blair. presid snt OF
the club, and Admiral Richard VAIN
wright and another of the vice-presi-
dents met the President mad Mrs Har-
ding at the door and escorted them to
their places. whers the Presidents flag
was hung in the bay window of the
big lounge on the second floor Col.
Clarence Sheriff. and Commander Raj
ston Holmes. both in snowy uniforms.
were on duty as aids. and the Presi-
dents immediate party included Brig
Gen. and Mrs. Charles K. Sawyer and
Mr.. and Mrs. George B. Christian. Jr.,
and the guests were already formed
into q solid line which wound across the
lounge and out into the foyer and even
into the reading room on the other
side. waiting to greet the honor guests
of the evening.
Mrs. Hnrding's Costume.
They were, as they are in whatever
capacity they have to meet the public.
exceeding gracious guests, and Mrs.
Harding's costume even though 1t was
placed inevitably in comparison with
some of the handsom est evening gowns
of the women of Washington. who no
toriously do all their buying on the
OtHcI SLUG, Wn1CIl uuTs. f1dTuiHB HOtOti-
ously does not, certainly suffered MOTH
ing thereby. 1t was both handsome and
becoming-of iridescent pailettes. with
an interesting arrangement of thin gold
lace on the bodice. covering the shoul-
ders and forming a high collar at the
back, and touches Of blue velvet intro
duoed into the girdle. The pailletced
tunic was draped slightly toward the
back, and there was a tulle train fall
Ing from the side. She wore lovely
string of pearls. and as usual a black
velvet band with a diamond slide.
AS soon as everybody had had a
chance to pay their respects to the
Hardings, and 1t was rather slow
process, for everybody seemed to want
and get-a personal word from the Presi-
dent and his gracious wife. supper was
served In the clubs main dining room
directly above the lounge I'm which the
reception had been held. The President
and Mrs. Harding were seated at