The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-11
REGRET CAUSED by
SUDDEN DEPARTURE
OF MRS. COOLIDGE
Wednesday AT Home
Canceled-Cabimet
Ladies' Receive.

IF the Coolidges are planning
any sort of a junket immedi-
ately after Congress adjourns. /
haven't heard of it. Mrs. Cool
idge is away, or rather she was
away. for she was due back yes
terday, barring any change for
the worse in the condition of her
father, who is ill and whom she
had been visiting at his home in
Vermont. And suppose she got
in safely.
She just did get her own big
gest and most official dinner out
OF the way-the dinner for the
members of the Cabinet and their
wtves-before the summons came.
OF course, she went up at once.
breaking any number of engage.
ments for dinners, luncheons and
breakfasts" during the last week.
Poor .Mr. Coolidge has had to 60
it alone-and one gets the i'm
preston that he doesn't particu.
larly enjoy the situation. But he
does his duty like a man-and a
Puritan.
The Vice President was out OF
town, too, going up to New York
to make a speech. 1t was only
for a day, but his absence gave
rise to an unprecedented situation
when President Harding suddenly
decided to deliver an address to
Congress. 1t 50 happens that
Senator Cummins, president pro
tenn of the Senate, is Ill, so in the
absence of the Vice President
there was no regularly constituted
official to preside over the SEN
ate in its joint session with the
House. In such cases a member
of the Senate Is named each day
to fill the vacancy and the choice
fell this time on Senator Moses,
but recorders of precedent say
that this has never happened be-
fore on a day when the Chief Elk
ecutive came to Capitol Hill.
0F course, being out of town,
Mrs. Coolidge had to abandon
her secondhand probably last this
season-general reception on Wed
nesday afternoon, when she and
the Cabinet hostesses were SEIZED.
uled to be at home to all and
sundry. The rest. however, did
their whole duty, but probably
thanked whatever gods there be-
that they were not expected to
keep open house every Wednes-
day during the season as Cabinet
ladies have in previous admins.
trations.
One caught a few furtive glances
at Mrs Weeks as If people were
looking for something that they did
not find. One wondered what IL
might be, until one caught a laugh
ing allusion to Mrs. Poindexter's
letter, and the gold-laced officers
with which Mrs. Weeks was sup.
posed to decorate her teas. They
weren't there-not single solitary
one, worse luck! They certainly
are decorative-and they do look
after one so well!
But there's no use trying to
describe the Cabinet at homes.
They are all very much Of a much
ness, except that at Mrs. Hughes
one caught many illusions to the
coming South American trip, and
interested questions as to details.
The details don't seem to be settled
as yet; time enough for that when
the Fletchers get here. Ambassa-
dor Fletcher is on his way home
from Belgium, even now-to serve
as permanent head of the mission
down there. Secretary Hughes
means to go down-but merely for
the opening-not to stay through,
you know. Yes. Mrs. Hughes ex-
poets to go with him. They have
been warmly invited to stop off in
Panama, either coming or going
and it seems likely that they will
do it-though 1 believe that is not
definitely settled.
IT seems to be the impression
that Mrs. Fletcher is returning
ITnptjnraI m Do-n oN