Evening star., 1922-01-15
SOCIETY
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
AMUSING White House Incident In 1806-Prizes
for Pedestrians-Beautiful Gift to Marshal
Foch-Other Notes of Interest.

Since Sir Auckland IIedueS mas h"eo
in this country long enough to develop
an acute and almost American sense of
hunnor he would, after attending the
brilliant evening levee at the "hite
House, last Thursday. enjoy 10 the 1uii
the description given by MIR. Henry
Adams in his history of the United
States Of the first presidential function
in which q res dent British envoy par
ticipated. This occurred in 1906 and
occaSioned what must be the funniest
state paper in the British archives.
President Jefferson. to prove MS true
democratic principles, eliminated every
semblance of precedence and order and
all and every one had the freedom OF
the mansion. When he gave dining
the guests seat ted themselves as they
wished. and MIR. Merry and his lady,
after having beeI eibowed and tramped
on at the evening lcvec, endured the
crowning ignominy at the dining 10
which the diplomatic corps, then con-
sisting of six members. was invited.
The President. instead of offering MS
arm to Mrs. Merry. since he had no
chateiaine in the mansion honoTed MIS-.
Madison. The Spanish minister, the
Marquis de Irujo. knowing the proper
procedure. bowed before Mrs. Merry.
and the British diplomat was about to
seat himself beside the Spanish lady.
when Il member Of Congress rudei!
showed him away and took over tne
honor. All of wI,ic-l he construed into
an insult to the British flag. and tine
country narrowly escaped another war.
Mr. Merry'S description of that leNee
and banquet is a classic and an eX-
ceedinCly valuable state document which
the officials of Downing street kindly
permitted Mr.. Adams to copy verbatim
in his graphic story OF Jeffersons amen
tiles when acting Us head of the man.
sion.
Connecticut avenue as q promenad dc
and even tne home!ior shopping dis
tricts along F and G streets have lost
so much of their vogue that the action
of several country aud ;tthleti clubs
in offering definite prizes for pedes-
trian matches comes in time to save
a good daily walk from extinction. Two
important clubs of New York city have
placed prizes for the best pedestrian
records on their books, and all about
Morningside Park and the river front
young men and women may be seen
plunging along at TOP speed. No Presi-
dent has revived the pedestrian record
Of Theodore Roosevelt and his son. now
assistant secretary Of the Navy. al
though following his father III many
lines. shows no disposition to emp ate
it physically. Few men in public life
cultivate the noble art "of getting any
place you wish to go under your '-7n
steam" Senator Aslurst. who live' on
K street near 10th, formerly cleared
the intervening mile and a half TO the
Capitol every morning in about forty
minutes. and it is all uphill Now,
however he rides with 4 friend much
oftener than ne walks The late Chief
Justice White was a constant and SO
reliable a walker going to his duties
up on Capitol Hill that sundry boot
blacks along the line of travel set their
Waterburys correctly on his passing.
Senator and Mrs. Borah were formerly
indefatigahle walkers and spent all
their holidays tramping. Now there are
no holidays either for public men or
their wives. and they ride everywhere
they wish to 60
One OF the most beautiful gifts
which Marshal Foch carried home was
that massive gold. bronze and copper
helmet of victory which was pre-
sented him the day before he sailed
by Miss Katherine and Miss Ellin
Mackay. daughters of Mr.. Clarence H.
Mackay of New York. in behalf of
their family and some ten others who
were on the committee to aid France
during the early days of the war.
The helmet was made in Paris by the
eminent goldsmith. Jean Dunand. and
complete. Above the helmet proper,
as worn by the high officers Of the
French army, is a wreath of laurel.
and rampant is glorious cock.
Growing at the top of his lungs,
seemingly. though he is Of FURNISHED
copper, highly carved and ornamented.
Marshal Foch visited the great state
Of Texas during his travels, and
learned from some of his buddies
down there that the rooster is the
genuine emblem of the democratic
party, and not that ignoble beast, the
donkey. foisted on it by its enemies.
Being a devoted lover of the horse.
the great warrior sympathized heart
lily in the reputation of the mule-a
poor thing without pride of ancestry
or hope of posterity. So for a dual
reason he prizes his victory helmet.
and it SO happened that this Growing
cock was the only one presented him.
alive or in effigy. And the marshal
always gratefully reminds his hearers
that it was a democratic President
who came to the aid Of France.
Lord Northampton and his bride
are tarrying for a time at Lake Pla-
cid, enjoying the winter sports. before
making their promised visit to Wash
ington. Their Wedding occurred in
late November. and was tremen-
Giously fashionable event of Bath, and
attended by the great world from
London. Lord Northampton is taking
his bride by leisurely stages all