The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-22
What BOudOir Mirrors
 of Washington Portray


 Copyright. 1923. in U. 8. and Canada, by Women's News Service. Inc: Released paper Alliance for Ths Ass-Hsrsid.j Mrs. Herbert Hoover
 T want 10 be background for Bertie!'
 How is that for wifely ambition in these progressive days? That is what they say Mrs. Herbert Hoover's avowed job in life is. I wonder how many other women want to be "a background for Bertie!" Figuratively speaking, there are quite a number of Berties be- ing quite obscured. Just the other day man died and the newspapers put the heading in large letters, Mrs So- ard-So's husband dies"
 Mrs. Hoover, however, has achieved much more than that. She is not the shadowy setting to vigorous character. There is too much ability to be sub merged. No matter how much she may try to paint herself as a background, individuality etches definite picture of the woman herself.
 Being a cabinet hostess doesn't seem to have daxzled her, nor has it changed her antipathy to publicity. Bertie doesn't share this, of course. No one realizes better than he what the news- papers have contributed to his career. His name is an open Sesame to the news columns.
 Somewhere, some time, in her west ern ranch life, she must have imbibed of Indian lore and become imbued with the Indians gift of stoicism. At will her face is as inscrutable as the sphinx. She isn't disturbed by the stress and surge of public life. Even when speak ing publicly, she b sslf-possessed. But, frankly, speaking isn't her strong point.
 Lou Hoover's whole plan of life has been rather unusual Through most of her impressionable years, she en- joyed boys freedom and camp and ranch figured largely on her map. Mrs Hoover adds one more to the number She brought with her the standards of Monterey, the capital of the old Span ish province of. Alta, Cal.
 She's An Engineer Too Do you know what Bertie was doing when she first met him? They were both students at Stanford university and Bertie was doing part time in the laundry, to work his way through col lege. l suppose that's how he learned Hooverizing. 5,s,
 When it came to deciding. upon career. Lou side-stepped all the usual petticOat courses and took engineering. So did Bertie. But she set a lively pace and passed higher examinations than he did. I'll admit that she had a year or two advantage in age. Some how, she always longed for the free dom of the great outdoors and when she walked out the university door she had mining engineers diploma under her arm.
 The Hoovers were Quakers and Bertie had to wrestle with his con science before he could justify himself in the subterfuge of learning to dance in order to court Lou Henry and warn off intruders.
 It wasn't school engagement-in fact, there wasn't an engagement at all. As soon as Herbert Hoover got a job he wired Lou to come on and yoke up in double harness. And she came Since then they have roamed the world together, Europe, Asia. Africa, even Australia and New Zealand. They don't travel as tourists, content with the superficial, but delve deeply into the habits, customs and traditions of the peoples they visit. Mrs. Hoover doesn't need a Pullman for pleasure. She could make a home on a hum mock. But these outdoor accomplish ments haven't hindered her. indoor de- velopment Nor has the sunshine of prosperity freckled her souls She has weathered social season in London, New York, Washington and elsewhere, but she is quite as much at home in the jungle.
 If you want to conserve anything, page Herbert Hoover!' is the cry that so many raise.
 Tho Cow In The Boxer Revolt
 That's quite right. But when you page him, you always find his wife sup porting his right flank, not in pictures que pose, but with her sleeves rolled up for the job.
 Mrs. Hoover is strong on cooperation. A lot of people think that his idea of cooperation means all getting to- gether and doing what he wants.
 Mrs. Hoover was with her husband through the stirring scenes of the Boxer rebellion and he was never short of a reliable lieutenant. 3.-
 remember an incident she told me about this expedition. The Germans had stolen a calf. It happened to be this calrs mother on which the Hoover baby was dependent for milk. The COW, with true maternal instinct, mourned it's offspring. It was fretting. So the Flowers sent word that the COW was distraught over the loss of the calf and entreated its return. The Ger mans were apparently touched by the grief of the COW and decided on a re- union of the unhappy bovine family. That night they came and took the COW.
 Mrs. Hoover has tried her hand at writing, but her most ambitious uh- dertaking was the translation of an ubstruse old book on mines and metal lurgy. She started it, but Bertie soon took hand in it.
 This was after the family had es- fablished themselves in London, at the Red House in Hornton street. This was rendezvous for all good Ameri- cans in London.