Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-01-14

4
formerly charmed Washington and
Madrid society.
But not for her own wearing-no.
not now, any more, not now!
The papers have all announced, by
cable how she who was the greatest
belle and most prominent hostess Of
Washington's diplomatic, circle
| daughter of the Russian ambassador,
intimate friend Of Alice Roosevelt
rand girls who are now Mrs. Payne
Whitney, Mrs. James Wadsworth, jr.,
| Mrs. Murray Crane, and a. dozen
others: admired and wished we'll all
over the United States: fortunate and
happy in all thlngs--had at last sue
in Florence, Italy!
Alas, the abominable hardships of
the war!
Bravo, the fortitude of it's heroines!
The Countess Cassini has truer rea-
sons to be proud OF her little stock In
Florence than OF all the beautiful
things which she wore so well In the
heyday of her young LAys-when she
bought a new hat every afternoon In
Paris.
X X x
TIER story begins in Picking. China,
/ L i as little girl ten years old.
Daughter of an all-powerful ambas-
sador in the days of Russias prestige
in the far east. the little Cassini'
was made a veritable pet by the dread
dowager empress, and only less so by
that pure intelligence, the viceroy,
Iii Hung Chang. In Ave years time
the two had truly set her on the way
to reading old Chinese, the classic
tongue: and Ii had solemnly pre-
scented her with a wonderful copy
OF the "Tchoung-Young" tmeaning
| "Fixity In Surroundings'D, by Confu-
cius.
! Ha, Fixity in surroundings! You
know. The unconquerable will and
| courage never to submit or yield.
To hold ones even tenor, come what
will! saint In crepe Is twice
/ saint in lawn.
In handing the antique little book
| to the youthful little reader. did the
strange old man, who had an occult
reputation, actually foreseee
glimps Of her possible destiny?
At the age of fifteen she had grown
to be a young lady Gin the limited
diplomatic set Of PekinI and undoubt-
eddy the most powerful girl in China
When they" desired some unattain-
able favor they went to the little
Cassini'' for II. The dowager en-
press was her friend. They" of
course, were of the diplomatic world
| In Picking.
! "Of course. one does not associate
with the Chinese" she said TO me ct
seemed q bit ungratefully) one day
| in Paris. MY greatest pleasures
were to watch the Tartar princes
flying their hawks, and to ride horse
back with papa on the walls. The
| Tartar princes bet fortunes on their
birds. have seen one bring down
a wild goose a mile high in four
minutes The walls that run all
around Picking are broader than ave-
nues. Their tops make lovely
horseback promenade for those who
| have permission. 1t was that way
then. l do not know how IT is now.
We had permission. ."
| I should say 50!
| y x =
INoUNG folks cannot grow up and
! i remain in the far east. Count
Cassini gave up notable opportun-
tiles for self-advancement for his
daughters sake.
When she was fifteen years old she
was sent TO Paris to complete her
4 Ne Ta - Anf
of the Rue Monceau-"having been
F! taught by governesses and professors
previously" as she once told me.
/! A year in the Rue Monceau GER
/ tainIy could not have given her the
eight languages which she reads and
the five which she speaks! 1t was
/ polyglot world, out there In Picking,
| where they SKINNED the cream of
| things for their own use.
MY father was nominated Rus
| sian amba ssador at Washington" she
told me. and it was decided that
should remain at the convent. I was
! not to come out until my nineteenth
/ year That did not suit me-"
What did you do?" I asked.
| 81 did what / wished. / went to
| Washington with papa. Instantly,
| there was a Observation-Disclosures
| lions, dances, dinners. sports. the
lovely life over there, and at Wash
ington In particular. Surely, 1 had a
! good time! Married women rule
| European society. Men rule the East
In Washington. girls rule-they did
! in my day, anyhow"
! AS may be gathered. she has grateful
and enthusiastic souvenirs. Change
America" she repeated, apropos of
something or other, l forget what.
There is nothing to change In America
its perfect!'
! AS the age Of not quite seventeen she
began as hostess of her fathers house
| in Washington--the Russian embassy.
For his first afternoon reception (as If
to emphasize the fact) Count Cassini
invited his colleagues and their wives
| and daughters to view the portrait of
his young daughter by Makowsky--who
made his American debut as portrait
painter with the canvas.
The girl hostess OF that memorable
| afternoon is remembered as tall and
fair, with dark brown hair, and wearing
a trained gown of white broadcloth
edged in sable, its top covered in Rus
| sian lace.
! Presiding at the tea table were Miss
Margaret Hitchcock, daughter of a
| former ambassador to Russia; Miss
Ethel Robson, now Mrs. William Ster-
| ling of London, and Miss Alice Warder.
who Is now Mrs. John w. Garrett of
! Baltimore.
!; The young Countess Cassini soon