Evening star., 1924-04-20
nv MARGARET b. DOWNING.

Mrs. Coolidge welcomes Easter with
It's profusion of flowers, and as she
has shown a decided preference for
roses these radiant blooms far out
number the traditional Easter lily.
Not only have the propagating gard
ems Its myriad blossoms and exquisite
hoWering plants, but Washington is
gradually following the custom of
the old world capitals and is ex-
changing floral greetings in the
orIskest sort of way. Mrs. Coolidge
has remembered the cabinet ladies
out of the abundance which the
White House gardens offer, and many
other friends besides.
She never fails to send q handsome
cluster OF Mowers in season to the
Senate Women's Luncheon Club and
she occasionally greets the Congress
sio nal Club in the same pleasant man
ner. But Washington has not
adopted the Easter lily, that fra
grant ecclesiastical emblem of the
day of resurrection. 1t seems too
cold and formal for home decoration
and very few are mingled with the
gay azaleas. the dwarf climbing
roses and the many spring blossoms
which fill the state drawing rooms
and which fairly riot in the private
apartments of the presidential home.
Many flowers were sent to Mrs. Cool
1dge also and they have been given
place in the upper corridor where
the President has his lounge and the
FIRST Lady a combined boudoir and
sitting room. In the few leisure mo-
mentS which now fall to her, Mrs.
Coolidge's knitting needles click mer-
rny and she prefers to work in full
view of the south flower beds and
with her table laden with blooms.
In manv of the old world capital
the dean of the diplomatic corps for
mally sends floral greetings to the
members of the official world where
he is serving, and of course the mem
bers of the corps remember the day
of the resurrection with flowers for
each other. Nine. Jusserand has re-
ceived scores of lilies, for the Latins,
10th European and American. cling
TO the old idea, and no other bios
som except a lily would answer the
purpose at Easter. The Latin Amer
leans here remember their dean, the
Chilean ambassador. with a profusion
of Lilium canadensis, or annunciation
lilies, as they are called locally. They
also send flowers to each other gen
orally, and. not content with this,
every house is fairly laden with flow
erS, lilies and the spring bulbs, which
are of the same family and add color
without departing from the tradition.
For three or four days before the
feast the Washington streets are gay
with messengers, DONS carrying gOr-
geous boxes tied with ribbons, and
with Towering shrubs all decked out
in green trimmings, with vivid red or
bright pink ribbons keeping them in
place. Washiugt on raises all its own
flowers now, anC besides the almost
countless shops there are scores of
fragrant stands on streets and in
hotel Hobbies, where any sort or
Easter greeting is procurable. Time
was when lilies came from Bermuda
and the Pa h3OOaS and
bought by the thousands in New York
city.
One feature connected with the in
coming cabinet families has not es
capped the vigilant eye of the harassed
hostess of Washington, and that is that
between them the Attorney General and
the Secretary of the Navy bring into
the younger set five young men, college
bred, good dancers and fond OF social
pleasure. 1t is regular benefaction
and has at once placed the younger
cabinet contingent on brilliant foot
ing, such as it has not enjoyed through
several administrations. 1t is true that
none of these young men is Immediately
available, but certainly they will be for
holiday dances next winter, if not per-
manently.
The two lads in the Presidents fam
lily are coming on, too. and there are
two sons in the Hoover household. The
three sons of the Secretary OF the Navy
and Mrs. Wilbur are very enthusiastic
Californians and have no idea OF re-
linquiShing their claim on the home
state except on special occasions. But
they will be here for the last round of
the summer al freSco season, and that
taste of Washington's social pleasure
may make them hunger for more. Mar
shall Harvey Stone and his younger
brother. Lauson Harvey Stone, will
come to Washington for every holiday
until they complete their educational
course in Harvard Paul Mellon is
spending more time in Washington
than he did and Miss Olyve Wilbur will
soon come to round out the charming
circle of cabinet girls
In the early years after the Capital
of 1.-THE United States had been re-
mpeed from Philadelphia to the new
Fb@eral City on the Potomac, 1t was
astopic often discussed in Congress
that portraits of the Presidents wives
Should be presented by the govern
nent to the Executive Mansion, as
we'll as those of the Presidents. Mime.
Martha Washington, by Gilbert Stu
AFT, companionpiece to that of ner dis
tihsuished husband was ordered and
paid for by the Congress and a bill
was UP among those early legislators
exidently more gallant than those of
today, to have Abigail Adams painted
and the portraits of Mrs. Randolph,
Jeferson's daughter and chatelaine,
AID of Dolly Madison and Mrs. James
MPhroe. But in the strenuous days
which befell the nation art consid-
erations were neglected and there is
a slong interval in which the charm
ing women who presided over the
White House are not portrayed on its
wallis in that role.
Mrs. Coolidge's handsome portrait,
the gift of the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity,
follows the best traditions about the
canvases of the first ladies. The
Womens Christian Temperance Union
was the donor of that splendid picture
Of Mrs. Rutherford b. Hayes. The
Daughters of the American Revolu-
tion presented Mrs. Benjamin Har-
risons.
Lady Geddes is vividly recalled in
the gay border of tulips and daffodils
which surrounds the circular walks
leading both to the embassy and
chancery doors of the British en-
bassy, and it seems a pity that she
never returned to Washington to her
planting. Lady Geddes brought these
bulbs from her home one summer and
had them and the box hedge placed
about the walks and in the few open
plots in the rear garden. But she
had returned to England before the
Aucklands health having failed COM
pleteIy, he was compelled to seek aid
in London. But the bulbs have
bioomed much more profusely this
spring than ever before. 1t seems to
have required two seasons for them
to get acclimated, and now they are
doing their bravest. There are many
of the old-fashioned garden tulips
rarely seen in Washington, where the
taller varieties, like the Darwins
the parrot tulips, flourish. There are
many of the blue and white Roman
hyacinths, single and very fragant.
The box hedge Is thriving and is max
ing an attractive weave in and around
the walks, which Lady Geddes desired: