The Washington times., 1924-04-28
MAYFL0W Err
"SITSFOR"
PORTRAIT
Coolidges Spend Sunday
Cruising on Potomac
River.
by JEAN ELIOT.
who contend Z

AsS WIN COI1ISuU Gn0E
Washington has ''lots of
wealth but no climate must
pe bit COMPOUNDED by such perfect
DAYS as blessed us over the week
end. The world and his wife were
tureo into the open and the Presi.
dent and Mrs. Coolidge, after at.
tending services at the First Con.
gregat1onal Church, spent a perfect
SUNDAY afternoon and evenirr
cruising aboard the Mayflower
Iney were accompanied only by a
small company Of close friends IN.
ciudlng President Olds, of Amherst
Aoliege, Mrs. Olds and Mr.. and Mrs.
frank w. Stearns, who are guests
at the White House..
portrait" Of the Mayflower, Is
being made for Mr.. Coolidge by the
Wen-knoWn marine artist, Haley.
lever VINO Is now in Washington
while an exhibition Of his work ia
being held at the Corcoran Gallery
Of Art. He went to the NAVY YARD
on Saturday to makes preliminary
Mrs. HardIng's Gown Instflled In
Costume Collection at Museum.
The installation of a gown worn
oy Mrs. Warren G.. Harding at her
reception in the Executive Mansion
gaves an added FLIP Of interest to-
the costume collection Of Mattresses
OF the White House in the old
National Museum. The fame Of
this collection, which was gathered
together and arranged by a Wash.
1ngton woman, Mrs. Rose Gouver.
neur Hoes, in collaboration with the
1ate Mrs. Julian James, has spread
80 tar abroad that it is one Of tho
Things tourists now demand to see.
ana 1t was viewed by scores Of
sympathettc and appreciative visi.
tors during the week when the d.
A. r.. congress and several other
sion.
AS there was no inaugural hall
when President Harding began his
Administration, Mrs. Hardine has
selected to be preserved for DOS.
terity the costume which she wore
Tor the first reception at the White
House following March A. It is al
white satin gown, richly embroid-
ereo In brilliants and pearls, with
distinctive sash of black tulle
and a great spray of black velvet
flowers studded in brilliants at the
waist line; and seems a very happv
choice to those Of us who remern.
ber Mrs. Harding's fondness for
black and white.
She has taken a great interest in
the draping Of the gown on its
figure, which now stands in the
case containing the handsome black
Jetted gown worn by Mrs. Wood.
row Wilson, widow of the Presi.
dent, and has visited the museum
several times. usually in company
with Mrs. New. to superintend its
installation.
There is yet to be added to the
figure the black velvet band which
Mrs. Harding always wears about
her throat, with it's familiar dia-
mond ornament at the front. The
gown was a long and graceful
train, outlined in embroidery or
brilliants, crystals and pearls, and
this forms almost the entire front
OF the bodice appearing again on
the skirt below the drapery. The
decoltage is V in the back and
square in front, and the costume
Is sleeveless.
Lady Washington and Her Successor
Presented in Historic Collection.
The costume collection now con.
tains gowns worn by the mistresses
of the White House from Lady
Washingotn's day to the present,
with one or two missing, which 1t
has so far been impossible to OBJ
tain. It represents q tremendous
amount Of work in assembling the
gowns-one was being used as
piano cover when it was rescued
in persuading the descendants of
by-gone mistresses of the white
House to give them up and in
mounting them correctly and in
keeping with the period when they
were worn. The figures on which
these costumes are shown all have
the same face, but the hair is ar.
ranged to conform with each gown.
Another addition to this collec.
ton made last week was the in
augural ball gown Of the late Mrs.
Benjamon Harrison, mistress Of the
White House from the beginning
until the last year of her husbands
administration, when she died in the
mansion. This gown is of rich gray
satin, the gored skirt plain over
the front and showing a very full
and very long train falling from
the waist line at the back. The
basque is tight, pointed in front,
and though it shows a turned-down
V at the front now, it really is
fashioned with high standing col
lar. The train is of plain satin,
while the gold and ashes Of roses
brocade Of the skirt and bodice bring
back memories Of the handsomest
gowns Of that period.
There is a panel Of gold embroid-
cry or lace falling straight down the
was presented to the museum by
Mrs. James Robert Mckee, the
daughter Of the President and Mrs.
Harrison. and who was herself mis-