Evening star., 1924-05-18
by MARGARET h. DOWNING.

nave All remarked the honey aspect
of the presidential home and its
cheeriness, despite weather condi-
tions. Mrs. Coolidge delights in this
particular feature of the state draw
ing rooms, for while they are spa
cious and can be made formal enough
for all purposes, they may also be
transformed into an appealing and
satisfying home. Damp days find a
oig log fire cracking in the red
room and the flowers are chosen in
Hartably to give color and cheer as
well as to decorate. All of which Is
most charmingly told in a letter
which Mrs. Humphry Ward wrote 10
her son when in May, 1907, she was
received by Mrs Roosevelt in a spc-
clai audience after the President had
welcomed the authoresS in his office
ana had chatted with her and the
British ambassador and Mrs. James
Bryce. Mrs. Roosevelt had tea In the
red room and it was rainy and dis
mai without, as Mrs. Ward notes.
But she was Impressed by the enliven-
ing picture presented from the time
she passed through the lobby and ad-
n1red the Presidents seal, studded in
brass stars in the floor, through fra
giant urns of flowers to where the
mistress of the White House awaited
sort was visible except the usher who
conducted the party, and only Ethel,
now Mrs, Richard Derby, aided her
mother in her pleasant duties. Mrs
Ward remarked that the White House
was really home. and she compared
the dreary lengths OF state rooms IN
Buckingham and st. James palaces
and wondered that any family could
ever hang together after rev
months of this kind of living condl-
tions. Her letters from this country,
about ten in number, nave recen!lE
been published in a literary magazine
of London.
Miss Eleanor Sears, who was so
often entertained at the Whlte Houss
when her intimate friend and far-on
relative, Mrs. Nicholas Longworth,
was the belle of the nation, has re-
Gently received several substantiai
legacies from deceased kinspeople.
But these additions to fortune seem
to strengthen Miss Sears determina-
tion toward a single and untram-
meled existence and to emphasize the
blessings of a bachelor maids inde,
pendence. In addition to her Wen
known racing interests, Miss Sears
has recently accepted a rather unique
post-that of sort OF liafson ofnciai
between feminine tennis interests In
this country and Europe. Whether
this brilliant and capable daughter Of
Boston is to become for tennis what
Judge Lands is for base ball or Au-
gustus Thomas for the legit stage
and Will Hays for the movies re-
that the best element of sportsman
ship has been eliminated by unneces-
sary friction and she Is to command
the waves of opposition on botn sides
of the water and to evolve pro-
gram of harmonious cooperation.
Miss Sears sailed last week for Lon
don and will visit all the foremost
tennis centers before proceeding to
the continent.
members of his staff, together with
other eminent subjects of King VIC
tor who occasionally experience a
twinge of inconsistencies. cannot but
be deeply interested in that expert
Hent of their gifted countryman,
Guardabass. the distinguished por-
trait painter. in opening a care IN
the former home of Mrs. Burke Roche,
has given the name The Lido-Fenice;
Signor Guardabassi has reproduced
the.interior of famous international
cafe at the Lido, and through can
vases, hangings, antique furnishings
and some exquisite mural decoration
has interjected a Venetian atmos-
phere, and this he follows up in the
practical way Of having genuine
italian cooking and service and a
charming stringed orchestra, which
softly plays "Patria," Santa Lucia
and other plaintive ballads so often
heard on the Grand Canal The artist
invited a distinguished company for
the first dining and 1t was remarked
that rarely has such a large section
Of New York's upper set foregathered
at dining in a cafe. Mrs. Lawrence
Townsend was one or the nostesseS.
and so, too, Mrs. Henry e. Gray ana
Mrs James A. Burden. Mr.. and Mrs.
Richard T. Wilson. Mr.. and Mrs. Harry
s. Black. Lady Diana Manners. Mrs.
Henry P. Russell and her mother,
Mrs. Borden Hartman, and Mrs. II:
H Rogers were among the scores OF
notables who are well known here
Signor Guardabassi has painted prac-
tically every member of New York's
smart society III HIS y recent St,,p Postraiof nd Is
Mrs John F. A. Cecil were recently
hung in the great gallery in Biltmore.
Washington's senior bachelor diplo-
mat, the Portuguese minister, Vls-
count d'Alte. arrived during the week
and resumed his post as dean of his
division of the corps. Fiscount d Alte
passed another notable diplomat IN
Constantin Brun. There are many
eminent bachelors in the diplomatic
corps accredited to Washington, and
in the class of secretaries and at
tacheS their number far exceeds the
Benedicts. But one in the ambassa-
dorial corps, Prince Gelasio Caetani,
the appointee of Mussolini. is
bachelor The Brazilian ambassador,
though frequently called one, is mar
ried and his wife resides in Rio. In
the rank of minister an exceedingly
handsome bachelor comes from Fin
land, NJ. Amstrom. and he is popular
the Portuguese minister nor his asso-
ciate, NJ. Brun, is inclined to the
frivols and rarely takes part in the
general activities. NJ. Brun came to
washington first in 1894 and is the
senior in that respect OF any other in
service here. But he was transferred
in 1906 to Constantinople and served
there for six years. He returned in
1912 and he has been here continu-
ously since, giving him twenty four
years in Washington, as compared with
M. Jusserand's twenty-one and Wis
count d'Alte's Twenty-Five. The Brit
ish, French and Spanish embassy
STATS always furnish quota of hos
nitably inclined bachelors, who add
many brilliant chapters to the win
ters gayety.
Mrs. Mary M. Campbell Of Orange,
N J., possesses one of the genuine
historical treasures which this coun-
try can boast-a dainty gold thimble.
the first which came to the colonies
made of the precious metal, he,ans,ne. "as az
Mile. Marguerite Leconte when In
17I0 she became the bride OF Bayley
Pell and mistress of the splendid oid
home Of the Pells at New Rochelle.
~. Mrs. Campbell is the oldest
Hneai descendant of the fair Mar :.
ruerite Leconte Pell on the distah
s,de. and quite logically the thimble
went to the daughter and not to the
SON. according to the law of primo
geniture which held in the colonies
until after the Declaration. Mrs.
Campbeil is naturally called on very
often to exhibit her thimble. which
evidently was Of a venerable type