The Washington times., 1924-12-18
w HITE HOUSE
E N F E I E
TONIGHT
Cabinet Dinner Is First.
Of Series Of State
Functions
BY JEAN ELIOT.
VNyHE PRESIDENT AND MRS

WNFfE PRESIDENT AND MRS.
COOLIDGE will be hosts to-
night at the first OF the annual
series of state dinners at the
White House, entertaining in honor
OF the Cabinet. There will be
forty-six in the company and few
other guests have been asked for
the musicale which will follow the
dinner. The program viii be given
BY Albert Spalding, violinist, and
Ralph Errolle, tenor, with Andre
Benoist as accompanist for both.
The Cabinet dinner,'' which ira
ditionaIly marks the opening of the
official seasonthe season which
Washington spells with capital
Sis always an event of consider
able interest. And this year it
marks the emergence Of the White
House from 81 period of mourning.
Since the death of their son the
President and Mrs. Coolidge have
entertained guests, sometimes large
groups of them, from time to time
@G the White House as necessity
arose, and have taken part in more
or less public functions, for people
IN their position cannot let private
grfefs interfere with their public
duties, but this is their first big
party Of q purely social character.
Nearsighted people-and there
are always few who cannot see be-
yond the surface of things-have
been prone to remark upon Mrs.
CoOlidge's smiling face. Her photo
graphs always show her9smiling and
whenever she has appeared in public
she has seemed toFb6 having a good
time. But
An old friend OF the Coolidges
from Massachusetts, who was re-
Gently a guest at the White House,
tells the following incident: Passing
through the cheerful circular living
room on the second floor, in which
the Mistress Of the White House
spends much time, he glimpsed a
fine photograph OF Calvin Coolidge,
Jr., with one white rose blooming
In a slender vase before it. Com
menting on this to one of the White
House attaches, he was told that
Mrs. Coolidge renewed the blossom
each day.
Later on he CHANGED to enter
the room with Mrs. Coolidge and
was moved to take a flower from
his button hole and place it beside
the other in the vase. AT this the
quick tears came into her eyes and
she asked If he wouldn't keep the
vase filled while he was there.
Over his protest she explained that
It would make her happy, because
Calvin was fond of you."
Shows Boyish Treasures as
They Were Left Behind.
Then she took her guest into the
room which had been Calvin's to
show him the lads boyish treas
And there on the pillow of her
fragrant roses. Such things give
close touch with her boy. It's all
Mistress of the White House must
take the days duties, social and
official, as they come and she
cant wear her heart on her sleeve.
1t is at the holiday season, of
course, that the breaks in the
family circle are. most INDIGNANTLY
felt. And it is impossible to
visualize a list for the. Cabinet din
ner without a sigh for the absentee
members Of this little group. Henry
C. Wallace, sometime Secretary
Of Agriculture, is gone-a vital
figure and described as the life of
the party at the Cabinet dinner last
year-and Howard Gore, governor.
elect Of West Virginia, Isl function
ing as Secretary in his place. Ons
must, too, turn down an empty
glass" for Mrs. Work, wife Of the
Secretary of the Interior; who died
last spring. And as q result of