The Washington times., 1922-06-04
BEAUTIFUL HOUSES
N 0 w A'BUTLDTNG
i'm CAPITAL CITY
Members of American
Diplomatic Service
Settling Here.

THE State Department crowd"
plays an important part in the
scheme OF things In Washington.
since the representatives of ono
diplomatic service who come here
for duty from time to time are
usually men OF wealth and breed.
ing, with the cultivation and
charm which comes OF travel and
life in foreign countries, and their
wives. IL they have wives. are
likely to be genuine acquisitions.
Consequently, Washington Is to
he congratulated when the mem.
bers of this group buy or build
houses here. as the Irwin Laugh.
Inns and the Warren Delano Rob
bins have done and as the Robert
Woods Blisses are doing. To be
sure, Mr.. and Mrs. Robbins have
recently set sail for Germany, Mr..
Robbins being now counselor OF
our embassy at Berlin, but the
fact that they bought the pictur-
esque old house at the corner OF
Q street and Twenty-ninth and re
modelled II into a gem OF q place
gives earnest that they intend to
return and that they regard Wash.
ington as home.
Similarly Mr.. and Mrs. Irwin
IAughlin propose writing them.
selves down permanently "of
Washington" although presuma.
bly, Mr. Laughlin will be off again
before long to some diplomatic
post. He is at present on leave.
enjoying a well earned rest after
his duties with the armsmsnts con
ference.
THE Laughlins have been In
L possession for some weeks, nay
months. OF their beautiful new
home, 1928 Crescent place. hut
within II Is still In the hands OF the
decorators, and without .hs ,gsr.
dens and the landscape settings are
just beginning TO take shape. so II
Is even now impossible to get
really adequate idea OF how the
house will look when II has grown
into It's surroundings. II Is. how.
ever. a beautifully propo-tioned
house-John Russell Pope Ia the
architect-and boasts q command
ing situation on the brow OF the
hill overlooking Sixteenth street.
Senator and Mrs. Peter Goelet
Gerry are the Laughlins' nearest
neighbors. having occupied for sew
eral years the house in Crescent
place which Henry White built.
but in which he has not lived since
the death OF his first wife.
Mr.. Laushlin. who has held n
number OF important posts In the
diplomatic service, Is one OF the
Pittsburgh Laughlins and a nan
OF Independent wealth, while Mrs.
Laughlin was Miss Therese Iselin
before her marriage. The Laugh.
Inns expect to go abroad this sum
mer, but will not sail for some
time.
TT has been long time sincs
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Woods
Bliss bought The Oaks. the lovely
old Blount place overlooking
Georgetown, and started In 10 re-
model II. But even now the house
Ia n long way from completion.
The reason IL that they have prac.
tically torn down the old house and
are rebuilding on a much larger
scale. and building in a solid fash.
ion and with care for detail
which Is exceedingly rare In this
day and generation.
Even in its embryo state, It Is
evident that the house is to bo
delightful. Built of mellow brick,
II is long and rather low, with
OH tltntT emu
back and embracing a tree.f filled
courtyard or garden. And all
across the back OF the house, both
upstairs and down, run broad
galleries with great windows look.
ing out into the garden and grace.
full stairways at either end. That
is the feature OF the house which
charms me most.
On the ground floor there is-or
will be--a beautifully proportioned
oval drawing room across the hall
from the dining room. with a huge
library on beyond. One wing is
occupied by kitchens. pantries,
offices, etc, and the other is taken
up by a great music room, with
windows on three sides.
II seems rather odd that the
Blisses should buy this fine old
place and put up what practically
amounts to new and modern
'house. And yet by this transac-
ton they acquired the magnificent