Evening star., 1924-03-02
Tales of We'll known Folk
In Social and Official Life
Ambassador From Argentina Youngest Diplomat
of His Rank Here-Mrs. Vincent Astor
in Politics-Ceneral Notes.

the ancestral home of the Lord Sack
VILE West. once British envoy to
Washington. There Is gallery for
musicians which is furnished with
the actual lanterns and carved oak
seats once the proparty of the Sack
vile Vests. but sold when their for
tunes declined. Several times Mrs.
de koven has entertained the east of
The Miracle" many of whom came
in the robes used in the play. Mrs.
dc Koven's daughter. Mrs. Hlenry
Kierstede Hudson. has been passing
much time in New York. and Is
equally interested In costume balls.
One which she arranged vas regal
affair in which all present came as
some historic royal character. and
Mrs. Hudson as Mary Of the Scots
chased from the Castle Stuarts in
London. A Stevenson ball was an
other feature, merry company ap-
pearing in every creation Of the be-
loved Stevenson from his adventure
on the donkey to the last story
which fell unfinished from his hand.
Few patrons of horse-drawn vehi-
cles remain In Washington's social
set and these are invaria bly, people
Well on in years. who delight in the
easy swinging motion Of a well built
coupe or landau. Likewise. they are
a
their drivers and who cannot on their
account take the newer way of get
ting about. The late Mrs. Matthew
7. Scott had a venerable coachman
who had been for thirty years i'll her
service. and during his lifetime she
kept to her perfectly matched bays.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harris Fahnestock OF
New York. the former the brother OF
the late Gibson Fahne stock OF this
city. have declined to follow the fash :
ion of hmoUsineS or roadsters. and
their neat carriage with two fine
chestnuts and the men in maroon
livery fs a familiar sight III the call
ing hours. Mr.. Fahnestock owns no
sort OF motor car and on his estate
near Stockbridge in the Berkshires.
Tor his own benefit but frequently
for his reighuorS. who relish 4
chanse. Ie invariably gets Il blue
ribbon or two in the shows of the
autumn. Mrs.. Fahnestock habitually
uses brougham. the like Of which
has long ago passed out of view in
Washington. when she goes to church
or makes ceremonial calls. and she
says that when her daughter. Il pretty
little miss, now just turned eleven.
Will make her bow TO society she
will. without doubt. be the only maid
left in the Empire state who will
drive to her dinners and balls behind
2ne horses. Certainly no maid in
Washington can boast that distinc-
ton. and compared with the distances
which separate domicileS in. New
York Washington is, a country vil-
age. .'' r.
Nuptial robes in this country have
hitherto been built on simple lines
and of conventional ma. erial. but at
the fashionable event in late Feb
ruary in New York city when Miss
Ethel Fl. Simmons became Mrs. Van
Rensselaer, Halsey. Partisan fashion
was introduced which was almost
barbaric in its splendor. This robe
was OF cloth of silver with full court
train and an overdress literally COW
cred with rhinestone and seed pearls
which flashed brilliantly under the
artificial lights in the drawing rooms.
Her veil was short and caught around
her head with an Egyptian bandeau
OF diamonds and ps&tlS. and she wore
long earrings of strands OF pearls
aud q. necklace of several strands In
gown came from Paris. and this idea
has been recently carried ont there
in the late winter nuptials. Her
maids were ten in number. and wore
short frocks of Canton crepe with
petticoats of golden brown tulle COM
ing to the ankles. What Paris calls
onion color horsehair hats of tri-
corne shape with outstanding bows
of tulle were rather fetching. The
bride was educated in Paris and has
always been partial to French fash l.
ions. She is the daughter Of Mrs.
Charles II. Simmons and the grand
daughter of Gen. l.. Burd 'Grubb, some
time minister to S2ain. Another
French touch was the all-white cos
tunes of several venerable relatives.
women entering the eighties. who
were gowned from head to toe in soft
cream brocades and white satin.
No more convincing proof that
Europe turns toward dei.ocratic
ideals can bc offered than mat in
France. Italy. Belgium and in some
parts of England and the Scandi- :
navian countries the frst-class rail-
road coach has been eliminated and
the American method of providing a
special car, like the day or parlor
car or night Pullman. has been sub
stltuted. Americans travelling in Eu =
rope have always been impressed by
the tremendous difference in price be-
tween the first. second and third class
way tickets, and that while the ap-
pointments in the cars were widely
divergent, there was no difference in
the rate of speed. AS rule the citi-
Zen from this part Of the world will
pay extra money to travel more rap
idly, and the cost of a seat in the
POI ioa Sai Va q bci III Ill TIE
does not add excessively to his eX-
penses. But, as a rule. the difference
between first and second class trayeI
in Europe vas usually a third of the
total sum. and between first and third
class double il. When Americans
discovered this they promptly took
second or third class passage. to the
thagrin of the rail authorities. In
taking off the first-class compart-
ments in France the press added the
explanation that the thousands of
Americans who travelled SO exten-
siyely always used the second class
and the French public could not af-
ford the first. Hitherto the Euro
pean governments required the mill
| tary officers and public officials. even
petty bureau chiefs, to travel first
class, and this was great hard
ship. So they rejoice at the new
ruling, which Seems to ft into new
conditions all around.
Mr.. and Mrs. Sidney Webb are
among the few members of the Off
cial family of Mr.. Ramsay Macdonald
who are we'll known on this side OF
the Atlantic. They have made several
Mrs Webb has for a long time acted
as her husbands secretary and con
fidentia1 adviser, and their complete
harmony and understanding gave rise
during the recent labor Campaign
to the epigram that they furnished d
the unusual spectacle of two souls
with but a single typewriter" Mrs
Mebb Is now spoken of as being the
logical candidate for the exalted
court post, of being mistress of fhs
robes. But she has always been in
the thick of political conflicts. and
her services to her husband and his
cause are regarded as so Invaluable
that 1T seems unlikely that she would
accept such passive role. She pos
Sesses a large private fortune. and
has always assumed the responsibfIfty
Tor the labor party in the social way
and she is counted on to direct the
activities OF the young and rather