Evening star., 1925-08-16
himself could not ask a more eloquent
demonstration of the simple life"

himself could not ask a more eloquent
demonstration of the Simple life"
John D. Rockefeller, who within the
past year made over to his son, John
D.. jr., four Of the handsome estates
which he had improved in various Sec
ttons OF the country, plans for the re-
mainder Of his days to retain only
two, that which keeps its old Dutch
name, kiJk-nit, in the Pocantico Hills,
on the Hudson, and the beautiful place
which has made the name and fame
of Orlando Beach, in East Florida.
kijk-nit is one of the largest and most
highly developed country seats of the
scores which lie adjacent to 1t north
west of New York City. There are
8 milee of fine. wide roads within
the confines of the property, and the
nine-hole golf course is the treasure
which the aged capitalist values above
all his possessions. On July he cele
brated his seth birthday anniversary
with family party, and he and his
sons and daughters-in-law and grand
children practically spent the entire
anniversary on the golf links. Lunch
con was served under a big tree of the
course and the birthday cake of tradi-
tional size and lighted with candles oc-
cupied a smaller table nearby. After
the feast and little speeches of con-
graduation, golf was resumed and
pursued until 1t was too dark to find
the balls. The mansion at kijk-nit is
on a hill 500 feet above the Hudson
and commands a magnificent view of
the valley. 1t is of gray stone of
eighteenth century colonial style and
the rooms are of almost heroic proper
tionS. The -conservatorieS were for
merly an important adjunct, but since
Mr.. Rockefeller spends the Winter in
Florida, he no longer takes such pride
in the dwarf orange and lemon trees,
raised under glass.
Mrs. Charles Frederick Hoffman of
New York Is devoted to English
country life and she has again leased
Bickling Hall in Norfolk. the ancient
home of the Boleyn and where the
unfortunate second wife of Henry
VIII. Anne Boyleyn, was born. Every
year a fine pageant Is held at Bick-
ling Hall for the benefit of the
country schools and Mrs. Hoffman not
only gave the grounds for the pro-
cession but she was generous
patron of the performance. Some
incident Is taken from the career of
the much married King and the
lovely Anne, for whose sake he di.
vorced Catharine of Aragon and this
year their first meeting was pre-
ladies of England acting in the
tableaux. Miss Evan Jones, a local
beauty of Norfolk, was the fair lady
in waiting. who captured the Kings
heart and Henry was presented by
the Earl of Leicester. The Duke and
Duchess of Athol were among the
courtiers and the American-born
peer, Lord Fermoy, formerly Gerald
Burke-Roche of New York. was the
gallant Duke of Norfolk The Bick-
ling pageant, which was staged right
In front of the old mansion which Is
Mrs. Hoffman's Summer home. is al
ray Of names. and includes practi-
cally the nobility and gentry of the
county, who rely on the financial sue
cess OF this spectacle to maintain
free schools about Aylsharn and other
Norfolk hamlets. Rumor has that
Anne Boleyn comes back every year
in the spirit to view the historical
scenes and more than one Norfolk
farmer vows that he has seen her
carrying her head under her arm and
slipping about under the trees.
Miss Mary Halloweli, principal, or
head mistress as the term goes in
Britain. of King Edwards High School
for Girls in Birmingham, is the win
ner during the present season or the
Walter Hines Page travelling scholar
ship and she has been entertained
very lavishly,i in New York under the
auspices of the English Speaking
Union. Mrs. Charles r. Scarsborough
gave her delightful little party at
the yenefated Faunce's Tavern. where
Washington bade farewell to his Army,
and Judge and Mrs. Alton B. Parker
have been giving the British visitor
the most enjoyable time in motor trips
through the Washington Irving coun-
try and to the former home of the
first of American. authors at Sunny
side. 1rving's travel books are
deemed necessary text books and are
found much more generally in Eng
lish schools than in the home of the
revered writer. Miss HaIiowell ar
rived on the Aquitania the first of
August and for the first week of her
sojourn on American soil she was the
guest Of Mrs. Egerton Parsons,
member of the Page Memorial Scholar
ship Board. in her home in New Lon
don, Conn. She. Will visit Philadelphia
and Washington and may journey be
yond the Alleghanies, but she must be