Evening star., 1925-04-12
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
President and Mrs. Coolidge With Other Resi-.
dents. Say 1t With Flowers" in Expressing
the Easter Greeting.
nv MARGARET n. DOWNING.

ers in Washington, as 1t has been for
years immemorial in the older CAPT
tails of the world. A desultory eX-
change of floral compliments had
marked the advent of the most slo-
rious of Christian feasts among the
residents prior to the Spanish
American War, but it was after this
conflict that the fair city on the
Potomac took on a cosmopolitan
aspect, one phase OF which was the
sending of flowers to friends and
public officials at Easter just as cards
and gifts were sent at Christmas.
The White House living rooms are
filled with the masses OF Easter
lilies sent by friends and admirers
Of the President and Mrs Coolidge
and for the nonce the blooms from
the governmental hothouses Which
usually decorate the mansion are
eliminated, going in turn to those
whom Mrs Coolidge wishes to re
member at this season. Mrs. Cooi-
idge says 1t with flowers to all her
aides in the cabinet group ana tne
ladies of her special group OF friendS'
and, of course, all the sick and the
brides and the newcomers, like little
PauIina Longworth, who is seeing her
first Easter and who claims attention
as a presidential granddaughter as
we'll as tNt daughter of the Speaker.
In the foreigo -nS2S 1t Is the Wen
established tradition Sor the stan OF
each ambassador and minister TO
send greetings in the shape OF lines
or roses to the chatelaine OF 'ne
establishment. Ten years ago hotels
and churches were compelled to order
Easter flowers weeks in advance
from New York and from Bermuda
came the lilies. Now, however, the
local florists are able to meet every
demand, which proves how the APP
tai has succeeded in developing thls
charming industry.
Ponce de Icons land must always
have an attraction for Spanish dlpIo-
mats. but il is doubtful If any repre-
sentative of His Most Catholic Ma
Iesty has ever made such memor-
able tour of the Floridas as that Just
completed by the dean of the corps
Don Juan de Riano and Sonora de HI
ano. They passed the last week OF
their visit as the guests OF the City Oh
Tampa, which under the spanish
regime was the seat of the Governor
of West Florida, as st. Augustine was
that of East Florida. The othcials or
Tampa played a heroic part In the
revolutionary days, aiding the strug
Cling colonists in the most adroit
Immediately sent on to the vigorous
vonne Spanish Governor of Louisiana,
Don Calves, who sold them TO the
agent of the Continental Congress-
Oliver Pollock, for shipment up the
Mississippi, th'n over the ONO 10
Fort Pitt, theF inland to the Colonial
Army After che surrender OF Corn
wallis, the british feet sent TO aid
him, arriving too late, promptly
shelled Tampa and forced the capitu-
lation of its garrison. Senior de Rlano
was also the guest of the old city of
St. Augustine and he and Sonora de
Riano were given "a reception in the
venerable fort called Fort Marion
since the British occupation. rms
ancient fortification is the most mas
sive in the new world, shelters the
museum, has extensive reading and
meeting rooms for the historical So
cieties of which former Senator
Chauncey Depew is president, while
its fine roof affords a favorite prom
enade overlooking the bay.
Rear Admiral Robert Edward Coontz,
commander-in-chief of the American
naval forces at sea. has just completed
a most exciting war game, in which one
half the Navy attacked the other half
Just off the Golden Gate. But the ad-
miral, like all other military authorities,
acknowledges that nothing is proved,
since the fight was not under war con-
dtionS, namely, that the attacking fleet
would have had to cross the widest
ocean in the world to reach California
and would no doubt have been badgered
by airplanes and submarines every inch
of the way. But it was thoroughly
spirited game and Admiral Coontz and
hf. into tSl,a II
joyed every minute of 1t. This seasoned
sea lord was born in Mark Twains own
town, Hannibal, Mo-, and all his life he
has been denying that he is the original
of Tom Sawyer" though scme of the
exploits of his youth Tailed with Mr..
Clemens hero But young Coontz had
not yet entered this vale of tears when
Sam and his crew made life miserable
but lively for the deniZenS of Hannibal
In fact, he was born just as the famous
pilot of the Mississippi began to rise
over the literary horizon OF course, he
is devoted TO the Mark Twain legend
and knows his illustrious former fellow
townsman in the most intimate wav
from books and from the tales of his
netghbors. When Hannibal honored the
most eminent of American writer's bv
taking over his former home and buying
a park to surround it, Admiral CoOntz
was among the native sons invited to
the celebration. He is a Pike County
Missourian of the stanchest LOYALTY
studied at Palmyra and then in the COL
Iege at Hannibal and went from that in
stitutlon TO Annapolis. Mrs. Coontz.
VINO is well known in Washington. lived
IN Sitka. Alaska, and it was there she
met and married the future admiral
in 1885.
-
ington can forget NJ. and Nine. Jusse
rand and touching instance of the
Iatters desire to keep every ayenue
or approach open between Americans
and the French in her co-operation
with Admiral Joffre and Nine. SeIig-
man, secretary of the Franco-Ameri-
can Fraternity, in their efforts to
establish and maintain a regular cor
respondence between the French
children and their relatives who have
been so largely adopted into this
country. These children have re-
mained in their own land. though
Americans meet every expense of
their living and education, and the
big boxes of clothing and goodies
which are dispatched from this land
OF plenty are becoming one of the ac-
cepted acts in rural France of
benign Providence. But Nine. Jusse-
rand would like the kindly little
American children who call these
French orphans brothers and sisters,
and whose welfare is as conscien-
tiously sought by their parents as the
children of the family, to write often
to their foster kindred and to relate
the details of their daily life. During
the war Mime. Seligman reported
to her committee that thousands of let
ters came for the little orphans, but
In recent years the number has dimin-
lshed. The Franco-American Fra
ternity keeps the address of every