Evening star., 1924-04-20
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
Mrs. Coolidge Generous in Gifts of White House
, 81 Flowers at Eastertide Officers
a1s~ aS Sons Welcomed
Sons Welcomed.


Nilsson and she of Swedish descent,
she would have been charmed IL her
talents were vocal instead of instru-
mental But after year of voice
culture, she gave up this ambition
and devoted herself to plano music
and is now considered one. of. the
most brilliant instrumentalists in
Washington. She is the ideal accom-
panist and is constantly sought when
vocaltstS are tried out in the air.
Mr.. Woodrum, who is from Roanoke
and Is serving his first term, has
been a choir singer for several years.
He is a fiery orator as well as good
singer, but being newcomer in the
House, he has not made the welkin
ring as yet though he is the most
song.
Mr.. and Mrs. Martin Egan. who
have been for the past two years in
the Philippines, are on their way to
this country and viii spend part of
the early summer in Washington. Mr.
Egan, who is one of the founders of
the Philippine Society, has just re-
signed it's presidency, after serving
for the past five years. He has been
succeeded by Brig. Gen. HarbOrd. This
association, which is made up exclu-
sively of Army men who have served
in the far east possessions or civilians
or public officials who have been ac-
lively identified with it's development,
has most distinguished membership,
which includes the Chief Justice and
Gen. Pershing, both of whom seldom
fail to attend the annual dinner held
in May in New York city. Cameron
Forbes. for several years governor of
the islands, has been the treasurer of
the association for many years. Mrs
Egan, the well known magazine
Franklin EGan. is as brilliant
woman as her husband is man, and
her coming to Washington is always
an interesting event. ~he brings
corps of perfectly trained oriental
servants. and her dinners are much
sought affairs. Mr.. Egan is a jour
nalist of international distinction.
and is at present owner and editor of
the Manila Times. He proposes to
take a long holiday from the tropics,
and he and his wife will probably
pass the heated term in Canada.
Sir Esme Howard, who knows his
Washington and its history quite as
well as he does London and its annals,
awakened a keen note OF interest by
making known that there died in Ire
land about six weeks ago the last de-
scendant of that Gen. John Ross
who commanded the British troops at
BladenSburg. In recognition of his vic
tory the British government conferred
upon this warrior the right to add 'of
BladenSburg to his name and as dis
ttnctive of his particular branch This
Ross, who does not inspire either ad-
miration or respect for his military vic
tory or for the way in which he and
Admiral Cockburn used their temporary
advantage in setting fire to the Capital,
was one of the old line of Rosses of
Ross Castle in the lakes of Killarney.
American historians have always sa-
tirically called that skirmish just be-
yond the District line "the Blsdensburg
races, and the outcome of the hasty
flight of the Washington militia before
the assault Of Ross and his trained SOL
diers was to precipitate the most vio-
lent controversies in the chronicles of
the Federal City. causing many resigna-
tions from official posts. the fighting
of many dueis and the finging about of
whole gallons of ink. The Rosses of
Bladensburg never figured in later Brit
ish annals, and the last descendant of
John Ross, co-joint deSpoiler of the
National Capital, died on a small coun-
try estate and had been in civil life for
many years and more interested in
horses and hounds and the meets of the
hunt clubs than in political affairs.
The venerable George Courtney
Jenkins of Baltimore, whom Pope
Plus XI recently made a knight of St
Gregory is well known in Washing
ton and for time resided here. He
Is now in his ninetieth year. Mr.. Jen-
kins is of the well known banking
family of Washington's sister city
His wife was Miss Katherine Key,
grandniece of Francis Scott Key, and
both were deeply interested in secur-
ing the former home of the author of
The Star Spangled Banner" as a ma
tional shrine. Mr.. Jenkins is the old
est son of the late Thomas Courtney
Jenkins. and his mother. Louisa Car
"signer." The Jenkins family set
tied in St. Marys county in the mid
die of the seventeenth century and
has always been prominent in the af-
fairs of Maryland. They also must
have dipped into real estate in the
federal city. for in all the old records,
on the maps and in the letters of in
struCtions from President Washing
ton to his engineer, Mai L'Enfant.
to the commissioners and to Congress.
northeast boundary of the territory
lis to the fat back of jenkins Hill"
The Capitol building now crowns
the eminence known for a half CEN
tury before Washington'S coming as
jenkins Hill" Mr.. Thomas Jenkins
late Michael Jenkins, for many years
treasurer of the Catholic University,
in Northeast Washington.
Lady Astor mas according to re-
cent news. put into execution an idea
countess Bryce, often expressed at
official levees in Washington. The
sprightly member from Plymouth
had neat little tags provided for all
her guests at a numerously attended
political salon, and the result was
wonderful success. Mrs Bryce often
looked wistfully about her in the
east room and remarked to any one
nearby that if all the people present
had their names tagged on their gar
ments she would have more salts
sure, hundreds whom she wished to
know and yet no one could point
them out or introduce them. Lady
Astor not only proclaimed the name
and rank of each guest at her re-
line of political afiiliation. If some
cnterprising hostess in Washington
would follow out this suggestion it
would work almost a social revolu-
ton. At a dinner, for instance, part
ners would take in at a glance topics
to be avoided and those which would
be welcome, and harmony and pleas
ure for all would result. Mrs. Bryce
several times broached the idea to
Some American friends. But Wash
ington was smaller and much more
conservative twelve years ago and
she gained no supporters.
The British premier. Mr.. Ramsay
Macdonald, has solved the vexed ques-
ton OF the post of master of the horse
by appointing the Earl OF Granard to
the post. The earl has always shown
decided leanings toward the Labor
party and has also taken a prominent
place in the new Irish Free State. He
is an inimitable horseman, coming Of
Of Celtic ancestors, to whom
mans best friend has always been a
ruling passion. The Countess of Ora
nard, the daughter of Mr.. Ogden Mills
of New York and sister of the present
now becomes prominent lady at court.
and is, consequently, with Queen Mary
at weekly levees in Buckingham Palace.