The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-17

young and beautiful lady, known as the Countess Cassini.
 It soon became known that she wasn't countess, that she wasn't any sort of Cassini. Old Washington, se- date, d-Victorian Washington, put up it's lorgnette and then dropped it. The alleged countess became invisible to the naked eye There was merely a hole in the air where she stood.
 Official Washington looked at each other behind it's feather fans and said !:
 A Bond Of Human Friendliness
 Well, really. my dear-but one must draw the line somewhere " ,.l,
 So they drew it at the countess. .
 The countess, however, made q singular appeal to Akee Roosevelt. She's that sort. If she likes people, she doesn't ask for their birth certifi- cate. Perhaps it was the adventurous spirit. But whatever the bond, the Countess Cassini and the Princess Alice became inseperable companions. Princess, Alice was a familiar press title for the White House daughter during her fathers regime. It wasn't her regal bearing, however, which ,in- ducedN reporters to so designate her, but rather her royal indifference.
 What did these two do?
 Hurdle racing was one popular pastime. After dinner they would ar range, the ottoman, chairs and other furniture at intervals round the. room and have hurdle race.
 If you backed Alice you always backed a favorite, for she generally came in the winner. She didn't let skirts impede her progress by hanging down too long. A hitch or two and away she went There is no doubt that Alice had high old time.
 The Russian ambassador finally rushed back to Russia and returned with the announcement that his fair companion had been adopted. Yes, adopteda Washington matrOns didn't even blush watermelon pink. E. and some of them, even then, were nearly sophisticated |
 But the Russian after-thought didn't mend matters. Washington still refused to accept the countess, though it didn't fail to see the fair Alice at her side, and to say well, more than its prayers. But Alice, of course, was always. socially acceptable.
 She Doffs Her Hat sa
 Some of us here remember, not long after. one of the Sunday papers carried highly flayored, largely illustrated story, ofsthe hapless countess. who, it seems, is now living in retirement some where in Italy, earning a precariOus living by taking in plain sewing. Now, if she had come to Washington, Alice might have been able to divert con. siderable custom her way.
 Not that clothes loom largely on her horizon. Neither as Alice Roosevelt nor as. Mrs. LongwOrtb has she been absorbed in dress. ...t 't
 Any day you may see her come into the Senate. In winter heavy beaver coat ehvelops a figure still slim and graceful. Her hat. no matter how be- coming, is flung instantly aside, showing her hair growing rather prettily around her forehead and knotted at the back. It is the same in the few private homes where she visits. Off comes her hat the minute she is inside the door.
 Alice has big dreamy eyes, at least they look dreamy until her interest is reused. Then, they light up with vivid intelligence. Her skin is smooth and fair and has no suggestion of the beauty parlor. In fact, she has no artificeof. that kind, and her charm, though definite, is elusive.
 Did you know that Alice blue was named for her? She was always very partial to dull blues and this shade became popular during her residence at the White House. Since then. of course, we have had the Harding blue, and the Princess Mary blue and Tut ankhamen bfle.
 When rubberneck tourists come chat tering and clattering into the Senate chamber and the barker points out the