The New York herald., 1922-01-01

Debutante Parties Enliven
Christmas Week in Capital
Princess Bertha Cantacuzene-Speranskey and Miss
Evelyn Wadsworth Among Those Making Debut at
Dances-White House Reception Tomorrow.

WAsHlNCTON, Dec. oil.
w WASHINGTON debutantes are
NJ devoutly thankful to Santa
Claus. He has given to
them the first chance at the limelight
that has come their way. In fact, he
has turned it almost full on them this
whole Christmas week, and crammed
into it for them some of the many
parties that they always have felt
were their just due between Thanks
giving and Christmas, but which have
been crowded out of the social calen-
dar by official entertaining of the most
formal sort for the many distinguished
foreigners who have come here either
as part of the big conference or in
their train, actuated by human de-
sire for a front seat at one of the
thrillingly dramatic episodes of the
worlds history. At last the buds have
come into their own. Most of the
parties of the week. with a few
notable exceptions, have been for them
and for their understudies, the boys
and girls who are at home from school
and college for the holidays.
Children's Country Home, always one
of the smartest of the winters charity
balls and always held on Christmas
night. completely off the map until
next Monday, when it will be, as 1t
usually is, the big event in society.
Strictly, of course, it was not the
debutantes who crowded it off on
Christmas night, but the fact that
Christmas night was Sunday night
and the American public as whole
does not take kindly to the idea of
dances on Sunday.
Many of the diplomats might have
been found at midnight mass Christmas
morning, and after 1t was over many
Of them had delightful informal little
parties of one sort or another. The Pc
ruvian Ambassador. for instance, served
a Peruvian supper. which he prepared
himself to members of the embassy
staff and few close friends after mass
on Sunday morning, along about 2
O'clock.
Parties for Debutantes.
But charity ball on Sunday. II any
one were unwise enough to attempt to
stage one. would assuredly fall flatter
than the proverbial pancake. And when
the group of matrons who usually carry
the Children's Country Home ball
through to @ brilliant finish thought
they would have 1t on Monday-the day
to be celebrated as Christmas in all the
secular phases of the feast-they found
that they would have one OF the big
gest and smartest of the debutante balls
Ito play against" a dance for Princess
Bertha Cantacuzene-Speransk So they
put off their party for a week and are
to have a clear field next Monday
night.
other parties for debutantes this week
were Senator and Mrs. Wadsworth's $
ball tonight for their only daughter,
Miss Evelyn Wadsworth: Mr.. and Mrs.
/. T. Mann's dance for their daughter.
Miss Alice Mann, at Rauschers on
Tuesday: Mrs. Charles M. Ffoulke's for
her granddaughter. Miss Gladys Chap
man Smith, on Wednesday, and Mr.. and
Mrs Charles NJ. Bells for their niece.
Miss Gertrude Grosvenor, on Thursday.
While these were the big events OF their
respective evenings they were by no
means the only ones. Each night had
half dozen smaller parties for the debs
and the sub-debs, and each of these was
preceded by innumerable dinners for the
young PERSONS VINO Wouiu ideci 60 "
the dances.
But having admitted that the week
really belonged to the recruities into
the ranks of society. let's admit that
the elders did few things worth chron-
icling before going into all the thrilling
details of the parties given for and by
the buds OF this season and next. And
I suppose I'd better go back to last
Sunday--Christma day-and begin
with the President and first lady and
their official family.
SO far as the White House Is con-
cerned IL was as quiet n Christmas as
has often been passed in the historic
old mansion-this first Christmas of
President and Mrs. Harding there. There
was not even the beginning of a Christ
mas house party, and there were few
callers. although some of their real in
Inmates dropped i'm to wish the Har-
dings a Merry Christmas. II doesn't
seem to have been n particularly
merry" one-"restfur' would be moro
nearly the right word. The President
and Mrs. Harding went to church In
the morning, Calvary Baptist-their own
chlrch---and apparently enjoyed the
service and the special program OF
Christmas music: but they spent the
rest of the day quietly within the White
House. having a late dinner and no
guests.
There was no tree at the White House
this year, since there were no children
10 enjoy II. Not since McKinley's time
has the White House been so entirely
without children and young people-a
lack of which Is more noticeable at
Christmas than at any other time. The
Roosevelts, OF course, brought a large
family of assorted ages, and Christmas
trees and childrens Christmas parties
were very much part of the holiday sea-
son with them and with the Tafts. Prob
ably the Christmas tree that the at
tendants at the White House like best
TO reminisce about Is the one Charley
Taft--now himself a serious pater fa-
miIiae-got for himself, trimmed for
himself and invited his own selection
Of friends to.
During the eight years that Woodrow
Wilson was President he spsnt three
Christmases away from Washington.
was IN mourning for his first wife on
one and Ill on two (a curious record as
one thinks back-the first Christmas at
Pass Christian. White House deserted; /;
the second In Washington, but I'm
mourning, Mrs. Wilson had died the
prec eding August: the next at Virginia
hot Springs. OH his wedding trip: the
next m washington--but the world at
war: the next also In Washington. with
the United states also in the war; the
next in paris. hailed and feted as the
saNr of Europe, and then for two
Years at the White House. to be sure,
hut wrecked In health). but there were
nearly always children or young people
to make Christmas merry In the old
mansion--groatniece and nephews ut