The Washington times., 1923-01-14

naturally takes to be an ancestral
portrait.
The pictures are beautifully
hung and lighted quite as though
they were in formal gallery. And
yet there is nothing institutional
about the Mellon drawing rooms.
and for all their magnificence and
the beauty and value of their con-
tents they achieve an atmosphere
Of homie.
THERE was music at the home
= of the Secretary of the Navy
and Mrs. Denby-an orchestra
from the Navy Band, which plays
famous dance music-and also at
the home of the Secretary Of War
and Mrs. Weeks, which con-
tributed a measure of gayety to
both parties. From the Denbys
many callers found their way to
the home of the Secretary of Conn
merce and Mrs. Hoover hard by
or reversed the process and there
was constant passing back and
forth between the two houses al
afternoon.
Failing to make as early start
Is we had hoped, we were obliged
to put off until the next Cabinet
day the round OF calls at Wardman
Park Hotel. where Mrs. Work
was receiving, and Mrs. Fall, Mrs.
wallace, and Mrs. Davis. But we
did reach Mrs Hughes rather
late in the afternoon, arriving just
in time to see Secretary Hughes
strolling up Eighteenth street. as
is his custom on pleasant after
moons. He must have slipped up
the hack way, however, for when
we left he had not joined Mrs.
Hughes in her pleasant drawing
room. Al great log fire was blaz-
ing away on the hearth, con-
tributing an atmosphere of warmth
and welcome which was most APP
pealing. Mrs. Hughes had asked
the wives of her husbands as
sistants, Mrs. William Phillips
and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss. to
preside at her tea table. but they
might well have been selected
merely for their decorative quail
ties. To my mind, Mrs. Phillips
and Mrs. Bliss are two of the
most aristocratic looking women
IN washington, and both have dis
tinctfon and charm.
It's rather q sporting PROPOSE
ton for Cabinet hostess to pre-
pare Tor her day at home. since
there's absolutely no way Of
prophesyfng how many visitors
she is likely to have. Last year
Mrs. Hughes told me she had had
nearly 1000 callers on her first
day at home. and felt quite over
wheImed. And remember once
calling on Mrs. Robert Lansing
when her husband was Secretary
of State, and being told by the
hostess with a mixture of chagrin
and amusement that even the tea
was gone. as the girls schools had
descended upon her like swarm
pf locusts seeking what they
might devour. This time, how
ever, Mrs. Hughes said she guessed
just about right. and certainly her
tea table was laden with tempting
delicacies even as the last belated
callers slipped their tea.
-
IT was at Mrs. Coolidge's that
we encountered Mrs; Pierce,
Butler. wife of the new Justice of
the Supreme Court, and her
daughter, Miss Margaret Butler,
who We're making the rounds.
Mrs. Coolidge and Mrs. Butler-a
handsome. pleasant looking wom-
an in a long coat and matching
skirt of baby lamb or one of the
new rich fur cloths-were discuss
ing the time they had almost met,
for the Buffers were called out of
town at the last moment just as
the Vice President and Mrs. Cool
idge struck st. Paul last summer
In the course OF their Western
trip, stopping off for day or. two
with Senator and Mrs. Frank B.
Kellogg. The Kelloggs and the
Buffers are close friends, you
know. and Senator Kellogg was
one OF Mr.. Buffers staunchest
supporters when the fight was on
against the confirmation of his
appointment. Miss Margaret But
! Ter, who is following in her
fathers footsteps and studying
law, is the only one Of the But
1ers' seven children who is with
them in Washington.
The Brazilian ambassador, Mr..
de Alencar, whom we met in Mrs.
Coolidge's drawing room, we ran
afoul Of again as he was leaving
Miss Melons apartment. And
the Ambassador of Peru and
Mime. Pezet were encountered
first at the Coolidges and again at
the Hamilton Hotel. where Mrs.
Marshall, wife Of the former Vice
President, was receiving. Mrs.
frank Hight, who was pouring
tea for Mrs. Coolidge, also slipped
away long enough tn call nm Mrs