Evening star., 1923-09-16
Brilliant Daughter of
Former Portuguese En-
voy May Come Here
Marie Sofia Santo-Thyrso,
Authoress, May Visit U. S.
As Guest of Senior and
Senhora Leal.

Not since 1901 Immediately after
the death of President Mckinley has
the government of Portugal sent a
representative here who has been ac-
companied by a wife. The present
envoy, Viscount d'Alte. is bachelor
and he has been in Washington al
most twenty-three years, one of the
most extended continuous terms re-
corded in its history. He succeeded
Viscount Santo-Thyrso, who had
fallen under the displeasure of the
King of Portugal regarding the assassi-
nation of President Mckinley, and
who after leaving Washington re-
signed from the diplomatic corps.
Senior LeaI for the past three years
has been secretary of the Portuguese
legation to the holy see. On the re-
turn of Visceunt d'Alte early in the
new year. he and Senhora Leal and the
lovely little daughters will return to
Rome, where they retain their resi-
dence in that splendid edifice which
for centuries has served Portugal in
Rome and which most appropriately
is situated on Via del Portoghesi of
the transtiber district. Married in
Lisbon. which is the native city of
both Senior and Senhora Leal about
five years ago, they have passed
nearly all their welded life in foreign
capitals. Senhora Leal was before her
marriage Maria Theresa de Barros Sa
of an ancient and distinguished FAM
lily of the Portuguese capital, and
she possesses all the vivacity OF the
Latin and it's decided penchant for
social life. She speaks English per-
fectly and is of vast assistance to her
husband, who knows only the writ
ten language and is experiencing the
frNEf Inc h
knowledge to the requirements of
colloquial speech.
Daughter Well known.
For those of the older generation
who would say that it is only a brief
time since the late Viscount Santo-
Thyrso and his accomplished wife
were such powers in the diplomatic
corps Of Washington. it will seem in
creditable that the dainty little
daughter, Marie Sofia, who was barely
five when her parents returned to
Lisbon is now an accepted literary
power in her native land and has
gained wide reputation as a writer
of Juvenile stories. She is unmar-
ried and lives with her widowed
mother in the old home of the Santo
Thyrsos on the outskirts of Lisbon.
She is the intimate friend of Senhora
Leal, and maintains an active corre-
spondence with her. There is a pos
sibility that If the sojourn of the
present charge d'affaires is more pro-
tracted than Is at present anticipated
that this brilliant young authoress
may make visit here and to Por-
tuguese America as we'll.
The charge d'affaires and his wife
are making their first visit to the
new world, and they are naturally
impressed by the difference in every
thing, the viewpoint in particular
But they are adjusting themselves
NICELY to the situation. though their
home is a rather circumscribed fur
nished apartment in Wardman Park
Hotel. Those who are familiar with
the vast area of apartments In Rome
can appreciate the senhora's bewilder-
ment in attempting to arrange even
a few household necessities in the
space at her disposal. There are two
lovely little daughters, Maria Therese,
who is almost four, and Marie Rita,
who is just two years, and both have
soft blonde curls and a pink and
white complexion which suggests the
north of Europe rather than the south
as their birthplace. They are already
learning to chatter in English and,
hora Leal brought from Lisbon, they
are the object of affectionate atten-
tion whenever they appear.
Summer I'm Bar Harbor.
The charge d'affaires and his family
spent part of the summer In Bar Har-
Dor, and enjoyed that experience
greatly. During the comparative
leisure which a. summer legation en-
Joys he took advantage of this
proximity to certain portions of
Massachusetts,, the Cape Cod district
and the cranberry bogs about Bug
yards Bay, where emigrants from the
Portuguese insular possessions. the
Azores, the Madeira and Canary
islands. make their home. II time per-
mits, he and Senhora Leal may make
longer excursions into other Portuguese
settlements to the south and west.
Senhora Leal, who is devoted to her ma
tive land and to its marvellous textile
productions. has not, because OF the
rather nomadic existence OF the diplo-
mats family, brought any of her treas
ures with kess Ths lcSely lace which il