The Washington times., 1925-02-07
NAH JONGFETE
BRILLIANT
EVENT
Gall Washington" Involv-
ed in Delightful
Benefit
By JEAN ELIOT.

taking part in the colorful spectacle
on the stage or looking on from
the boxes or the orchestra.
Written by Mrs Randolph Keith
Forrest Marie Moore Forrest). who
has put on so many picturesque
pageants for US and with Charles s.
Morgan, jr., of the University OF
Pennsylvania's famous Mask ana
Wig Club, to give pep and punch
to the proceedings. the Game. OF
Mah-Jong" was a fantastic ard
charming entertainment and pre-
scented some memorably lovely stage
pictures.
1t was French night at the big
auditoriun-and Marine Corps
night. For the production was put
on for the benefit of the Belleau
Wood Memorial Association, whose
object is to build a suitable
memorial to the Americans who
fought at the spot which Marshal
Foch has dubbed the cradle OF
victory. and it was the American
.Marines-to quote a modest MEM
Der of the corps-who rocked that
CRADLE Marine officers stationed
IN washington, with their wives
and daughters, had taken lead
ing part in preparations FOR the
entertainment. a detachment Of
marines served as ushers for the
performance last evening and the
very delightful incidental music,
as well as the program which pre-
ceded the performance, was given
by the Marine Band under the
direction of Lieutenant William III.
Santelmann. The opening march,
1.-The Marines Of Belleau Wood,
H. EraoT1
and dedicated to the Belleau Wood
Memorial Association.
'MarsefIIaise" Played In
French Ambassadors Honor.
The new French Ambassador and
Nine. Daeschner were present,
guests of Mrs. James Carroll
Frazer, president of the Belleau
Wood Association, and in their
honor the s'Marseillaise" was played,
the entire audience rising to at
tention. Others in Mrs. Frazer's
box were John w. Weeks, Secretary
OF War, Mrs. Frederick III. Gillett,
General and Mrs. Logan Feland.
Mrs. Henry Wilder Keyes, Senator
and Mrs. William M. Butler, Con-
gresham and Mrs. Louis Frothing-
ham. Lady Henry and Count de
Sartiges and Jules Henry, OF the
French embassy.
The Secretary Of the Navy and
Mrs. Wilbur, whose daughter, Miss
Edna Wilbur, was taking part in
the fete, We're guests OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank w. Stearns in their box.
For the rest Mr.. and Mrs. Stearns
had an "all White House party"
including Mr.. and Mrs. : Everett
Sanders and Commander Joel T.
Boone. Mrs. Boone, one OF the
participants in the spectacle. Joined
the group in the entire acte.
At the close Of the performance
The ''Star-Spangled Banner" was
played and the great banner which
Is to be sent to Belleau Wood and
bearing the inscription ''Berceau
de Victoire" was displayed, mid en-
thusiastic plaudits from the audience
for the entire cast grouped on the
stage for the finale. Two flags,
the Stars and Stripes and the Tri-
Color, already historic since they
had played part in the dedication
Of Belleau Wood, thanked the stage.
During the intermission cries
coming from the back. Of the house.
which sounded suspiciously like
Fire" almost started a small
audience was calling for Mrs. For
rest and she was given an en-
thusiastic welcome when she ap-
peared before the Curtain with Mr..
Morgan. The loosing of quantities
Of gay balloons was picturesque
Incident Of the entire acte, and the
audience was almost as much inter-
ested in watching their course as
In looking over the box parties.
Performance Told Legend of
Old China in PantOmine.
The performance? Well, the tale
was told in pantomime OF a beauti-
ful princess of old China, Mrs.
Goring Bliss, imprisoned in a tower,
who invented the game of nah jong
to vile away her time and whose
only experience of nature-its
winds, its seasons and it's flowers
came through her imagination and
the tiles Of ivory and bamboo upon
which she painted her fancies.
The opening tableau, showing the
princess in her tower, with her at
tendants all in gorgeous Oriental
trappings, posed high above the
stage, had all the color and atmos-
phere of a Maxffeld Parish painting
and drew a spontaneous burst of
applause from the audience. Off
stage music contributed to the eff
fectiveness of the picture.
AS the pieces were materialized
there followed ballots of the tiles
In human form-circles, characters
and bamboos-with special dances
Of winds and dragons-a detach-
ment of stalwart Marine officers
in fearsome garb-flowers and sea-
sons, the latter wearing authentic
and very beautiful Chinese cos
tunes loaned by Mrs. George Bar
nett. The costumes of the other
participants were simple, black
cOolie dress, with beautiful tiles
worn sandwich fashion and painted,
all of them, by Mrs. Minnigerode
Andrews
Laid away in their lacquer box
by the lovely Princess-most effec.
lively portrayed and with a real
flair for pantomime-the human
tiles were brought out in the second
act to be used for a game of NAH
Jong, played American fashion by
four of Washington's crack PLAYERS
Mrs. Breckenridge Long. Mrs.
= Henry d. Flood, Mrs. Leigh C.
Palmer and Mrs. John Callan
OLaughlin. The Chinese announcer
CMaurice Jarvis) interpreted the
play for the benefit Of the audience.
the human tiles being drawn from
the wall as the game progressed.
advertisements were supplied I'm
this act by the Dice Miss Judy
Lyeth and Miss Evelyn Davis,