Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-03-09
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
Rouen Favorite Spot Of American Ambassador to
France-Efort to Restore South Mountain
Monument Wins Support Here.
BY MARGARET d. DOWNING.

BY MARGARET ID. DOWNING.
The ambassador to Paris, Mr.. Myron
Herrick, has recently been following
the footsteps of those who visit
Rouen, with a reverential desire to
see all that relates to the sainted
maid who is not alone the patroness
of that quaint old Norman city, but of
all France. Mr.. Herrick has fire.
quently broken his trip to Paris from
the coast at Rouen, to admire anew
The regal cathedral and to partake of
the marvellous shrimp, said to be
cooked more palatably there than in
any place of the world One attrac-
ton was to visit the various spots
said to be the place of execution of
the heroic maid of Orleans, for every
guide, and apparently every historian,
had located it on different spot. But
one spot on which all authorities
agree to have been her prison, a grim
old tower, sole reminder of the four
by which Philip Augustus fortified
Rouen after he had wrenched Nor
mandy from England, always eXerted
u strong influence over Mr.. Herrick.
The cell in which Joan was impris-
Uned, where she was frequently tor
tured and the horrible instruments
which remain on the walls had an I'M
canny fascination. But now this cell
has been transformed into a chapel
and the stairs which idle tourists
climbed to see the view of the valley
of the Seine is now a way of the
cross and chanting of hymns and
prayers are heard all through the
day.
Representative Zihlmann's effort to
restore the fine old stone monument
to Gen. Washington on South noun
tain, in Washington county, Nd, will
find 4 cordial moral support from
the voteless citizens of Washington,
for the entire district thereabout has
long been favorite spot for the
motorist and vacationist. Not q gen.
Grafton back the adjacent peak.
denizens of Washington by the hun
oreds and many built pretty cottages
about the excellent hotel. since de-
Stroyed by fire, which crowned the
eminence. 1t was in the old hotel
that President Cleveland and his wife
were prone to steal few days away
from Washington before they had
found a summer home in what is now
called Cleveland Park. Admiral Dahl
Sren in the early 1SS0s built n splen-
did stone dwelling on a part of South
mountain and lived there every sum-
mer until his deaht His widow and
the property of Mrs. Josiah Pierce,
who was the admiral's only daughter,
Ulrica Dahlgren, and was presented
= society during gay part of the
Mckinley regime.
With a political campaign of major
proportions looming as the chief
event of the year. much interest CEN
tiers i'll that collection OF portrait
china which is to bbe presented in
New York gallery toward the end of
March. In the early days of the re-
public no presidential campaign was
properly staged without portrait
plates. placques and cups of the prin-
cipals in the struggle and fncidently
no manager would enter the arena
without musical euloGy in readi-
ness The log cabin plate. which was
a f0a turs in the William Henry Har-
risnn tampa gn. made in Stanordshire
of that Sof' blue china which is so
agraeahla tn tho eve and 50 harmon
ious with - decorations, is the last
of the genuinely artistic contribu-
rions in CHINA though portrait plates
were r.ade down TO the Roosevelt era,
but Of decidedly inferior quality.
Blue Staff nrdshirewar was always
favoritr in colonial times and the
were generous patrons of these fac
torres 80 that when the independ-
ence was achieved and when Wash
inGton was a candidate for the presf-
dency, fine set, ornamented with the
Father OF His Country on a careen-
ing horse. for al the world like Jack
son rides III Lafayette Square, was
despatched to this side. Some of the
plates survive and will, no doubt,
bring a. fancy prize when the collec-
ton is dispersed. The Staffordshire
Factories at once began an output of
the tmuortals in American history,
Franklin, Jefferson, the AdamseS,
Madison. Monroe, with special atten-
ton given to the candidates in the
quadrennial presidential combat But,
in the early 4os, American porcelain,
souvenir plates. crowded out the
Stafnrdsllire market A collection of
all these historic plates would seem
to have q logical place IN q govern
mental exhibit.
An annual visitor to Washington, and
one who links far-receding past with
the stirring events OF today, is MIS-
Custer is d mere wisp of a woman
full Modoc massacre. She is staying for
4 time this winter at the club OF the
university women, and she delights in
the leveeS there and the hustle ana
busy ways of her modern sister. Mrs
Custer is a mere wisp Of 4 woman and
with birdlike SprightlineSS and alertneSS,
and at times she can tell a thrilling tale
very calmly and quietly which brings
tears 40 the eyes Of all who hear. She
such an attractive feature of the big
living room at the club, and the leap
ing iiaIn.S seem to awaken memories OF
the past. But she bears her years light
ly ard with d cheerful heart, and
though she says she did not expect to
survive a month after her heavy grief
fell upon her she has lived to be a very
aged person. and is still in the best of
health. Gen. Miles recent visit was
red-letter day, but she welcomes all the
Army men who saw duty on the plains
in the days of the Indian raids. There
are some half dozen of these still living,
and they never fail to visit Mrs. Custer.
some of them make a long journey for
the happiness of doing so. Mrs. Custer
IS an authority on Indian blankets, and
once on a time she had some superb
specimens of the Navajo weaves. The
Indians, however, do not produce the
articles of bygone days. and she says it
now takes an experienced eye to tell the
modern blanket from those of some fifty
years ago. which are really precious
possessions for those who can get them.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander r. Cox, the
latter Known as the last of the Gar
diners Island GARDENERS, have become
. permanent residents of Dolgelly, in
Wales, ano they will come to their
native snuies only occasionally to
visit. Mrs. Cox was Miss Coralie
late Col. Lyon James Gardiner, who
was twelfth manor lord of Gardiner
House and its acres, which were be-
slowed in patent rights on the first
Lyon Gardiner, in 1889. GARDENERS
Island remains the property of the
two sons of Mr.. and Mrs. Cox, Alex
ander, jr., and Doland, but they live
in Wales also. and have been leasing
the place for the hunting season. Mr..
Clarence Mackay had it for several
seasons, and last year flsning and
hunt club was the lessee nj, manor