The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-03
ITALIAN ENVOY
PROVES TOBE
MAGICIAN
New Embassy Is Meta
morphosed Into Fairy
land Over Night
By JEAN ELIOT.

q. party last evening in the new en-
bassy which has been growing up
under his watchful eve. But he had
set his heart on having a house
warming there before he set sail
for Italy and he achieved this ambi-
ton. although a week ago not q
single floor had been laid, three days
ago there was no heat and very
little light and even the day before
the party TIE p6Ice looked hopeless
and the workmen helpless.
But the man who blocked the
Austrian advance by blowing the
top off a mountain Is a construc-
tiYei as well as q destructive en-
gineer. Moreover, he has a way
with him. And he is so popular
with the entire staff Of men work
ing on the embassy-men whom he
has come to know personally as he
has watched the progress Of the
building from day to day-that
they made it a point OF honor to
finish their task by the appointed
hour and by working night and
day they actually achieved the Inn
possible.
So-climbing over seantlings and
picking their way beneath scat
foldings, the little company. of
guests 114SA6Q dltU S6A1J GOS9AAA4C0
entered the embassy to find them
selves ins & pleasant place. No
furnishings had been installed, but
Japanese lanterns and quantities
Of palms, smilax and red roses
made d background for figures
Of fancy and fiction, made real.
The chairs and little tables, decked
out with gorgeous Italian embroid-
cries, which were set about took
away all effect of baroness, and the
open fire blazing in the great fire
place contributed to the hospitRble
A buffet supper, described as par.
tfcuiarly delicious, was served
throughout the evening. But NOT
breakfast. No., tor along about 3
O'clock in the morning Prince Cae-
fanf shooed his guests out to let his
Worknen in, so that progress might
be resumed on the embassy in which
his successor is to be quartered.
Bal Masque Was Small
As Embassy Parties Go.
1t wasn't q big party, this bal
masque as embassy. parties go.
For the guests numbered but zoo
and were limited to Prince Cae-
tani's close frien6N from Official
and resident society. But the cos.
times were especially lovely, rtcn
velvets and brocades, rare laces
and ewels decking out court ladies,
heroines of history and romance
and it was difficult to recognize
familiar faces in unfamiliar guise.
Indeed, everybody came masked,
removing their disguises at the
door long enough to be checked
up with the list OF guests sup
piled the attendants-and there
was much merriment an2 confusion
OF identity for an hour or more
before the unmasking.
Prince Caetani wore the hunting
pink which he usually affects when
there is a masked ball. Mrs. Tracy
BOWS and her lovely daughter, Miss
Margaret BOWS, wore two OF the
most effective costumes shown, the
former appearing as lady OF the
harem and Miss BOWS as Marie An
toinette, all blue satin and billowy
laces, with an enchanting white wig.
Mrs. John Philip Hill as q yelled
Egyptian lady, Mrs. Emery Sands
quite disguised by her white wig
Atom q. gown Of the Colonial period.
Miss Natalie Hammond as a Cossack
the Belgian embassy, wearing Rus
sian peasant dress with a JeWeled
kakoshnik-wereT among the lovely
ladies all the Iovelier for their fancy
dress.
Mrs. Lawrence Townsend, q tall
figure swathed in black with
white wig over her white hair,
was quite unrecognized and was
highly amused at some OF the
Condolences which came her way.
Many rarely lovely costumes had
been made especially for the occa-
sion and a costumer down from
PhiladeIphia-an old reliable Tor
Philadelphia's famous bal masque
came to Washington for q day
or two before the ball and did q
hand office business.
Many Dinners Arranged
To Precede Embassy Ball.
Whitney Warren, the famous New
York architect, who designed the
embassy, came down for the bail
and others here from New York
were Countess Irene de Robllant,
Mrs. w. S. Croker. Captain BOsio
and Lieutenant and Mrs. r. l..
Montgomery.
Prince Caetani dined informally
with one. or two of his embassy
staff, but a number Of more or
less formal dinner parties were
arranged to precede the dance,
guests at several being in fancy
costume. Mrs. Borden Hartman
had fourteen guests at dinner.
Harold Sims, of the British EN-
bassy staff, entertained eight and
others who entertairtd were Mr..
and Mrs. George Angus Garrett
and Miss Caroline Thorn.
With Brigadier General and Mrs.
William Mitchell, who entertained
for his sister, Mrs. Arthur Young,
Of Milwaukee, and took their party
afterward to the embassy, were the
y Counselor of the British Embassy
and Mrs. Henry Getty Chiffon,
Representative and Mrs. J. Mayhem
Wainwright, Admiral and Mrs.
Gleaves, Colonel and Mrs. Baer,
Mr., and Mrs. Frederic Huidekoper,
Mr.. and Mrs. John Buchanan, Gen.
eraI Rockenbach, Mr.. and Mrs.
Walter Tuckerman, Miss Adeline
Oxnard, Major Walsh and Lieu
tenant William Thomas.
The ambassador will leave Wash
lngton tomorrow afternoon at 4:3O
O'Clock for New York and will sail
Saturday on the Conte Rosso for
his home in Italy. The imminence
of his departure gave a touch OF
real pathos to the party last night
and it seemed that the ambassador
was himself a wee bit blue at the
prospect Of going away.
y \
Mrs. Coolidge attended the lunch