Evening star., 1923-08-12
President $ Widow
Always Certain of
Honor In Washington
Mrs. Harding May Be
Guided by Precedent in
Choosing Future Home.

Surmise as 10 the future home Of
Mrs. Warren q. Harding brings one
TO reminise on other women who oc
cupied the same high position OF
which death has just robbed her.
who have chosen Washington as a
home. That the capital should he the
residence of two former Presidents
Chief Justice Taft of the Supreme
Court and Woodrow Wilson. IS in the
first instance the vile of political ap-
pointment while Mr.. Wilson was evi-
IDENTIFY swayed in his selection OF a
home by the desire of his wife.
If Mrs. Harding needs precedent
the scale may turn her in favor of
Washington, for no widow of PreSi-
dent ever held such sway as did Dolly
Madison. widow of the fourth Presi-
dent. No personality lives more
Eividly in present day history and her
home, now part of the Cosmos Club
and on the corner of Jackson square
and II street, is as proudly pointed
out to the stranger as is the White
House. No memoirs of the times fail
to record the salon of Mistress Dolly
and how political differences were
sOftened in her drawing room and how
the great men of the nation, democrat
and Whig alike, loved TO honor her.
That giant military figure of the day,
Gen. Winfield Scott. in his gorgeous
regimentals accompanied by his staff,
would draw up before her door on
New Years day. Immediately after
leaving the White House. Mrs. Madi-
son would be ready IN festive attire,
her turban of gay colors being DON
ned for such gala time and there
would be good cheer dispensed in
the big dining room now given over
to scientific discourses. Leaving the
Madison mansion Gen. Scott would
bow before another distinguished
widow, Mrs. Alexander Hamilton, who
lived higher up on street
In those days. official burdens
seemed to set more lightly on the
shoulders of the Chief Magistrate. for
John Tyler called on the widow of
James Madison early on New Years
day and drank her health in good stin
egg-nog.
President Polk followed this cour-
teons example and SO, too, Gen. Tay-
lor and his successor. Millard Fill
more. Mrs. Madison lived until, lS49
and it was with reason that her
home was called The Little White
! House" She entertained all the
powers OF the existing administra-
tion and all the distinguished visl-
tors to the capital city. Her salons
more nearly resembled those of
the illustrious French and English
lduleS OF the lotn century IMAM ally
others held in Washington, and all
during her residence she received the
full honors aLcruing to one who had
acted so worthily as the official
| hostess of the nation.
In less marked degree. Mrs. Har-
riet Lane Johnston was honored in
Washington. Her home was on L
street near 18th and here she re-
ceived the homage of many who
had been generously entertained by
her uncle, James Buchanan, for whom
, had been United States minister to
the court of st. James, Mrs. John
ston always received special atten-
tfon from the British diplomats and
from those from other nations who
had known her in London. She was
the chatelaine of the White House
. when that Prince of Wales, who was
afterward Edward VII, made his
memorable visit and later she re-
ters from Queen Victoria.
Wherever she may go after leaving
the White House, Mrs. Harding will
gather about her interesting persons
such as have always surrounded her
life. 1t is interesting to note how
choice or necessity drove other first
ladies of the land to choose homes
after retiring to private life.
Mrs. William Henry Harrison, the
first of the mistresses Of the White
House who was bereaved while filling
her high role, returned to the home
established by Gen. Harrison at North
Bend. Ohio, and the vast estate which
a grateful country had bestowed upon
him for his achievements in the In
dian wars. and especially in the cam
,{Continued- on Fifth sPage.l