The Washington times., 1926-07-10
WASHINGTON'S
MAYFAIR IS
DESERTED
Massachusetts Avenue
Mansions Boarded Up;
Fashionables Scattered
n LEAN ELI0r

Ion driving down Massachusetts
Avenue.
Washington's s trees ARE itl
glory. The Observatory. Oid-fash'
toned red brick buildings. Lovely
rolling grounds. The .tree-shaded
knoll on which the new British
embassy is to be built. Good pick
ere OF sites, the British. When
they put up the present embassy 1t
was in the country, but fashion
followed the British flag and then
business closed In, crowding out
the residences, but increasing
values fabulously.
The Hungarian legation, looking
but half awake. The Minister Is
stilI Sin residence" Countess
szechenyi has gone abroad.
Mrs. Robert McCornnick's big
house, closely shattered. The Ia
nous "pinlx palace" Of the StolSeses.
also closed. Mrs. Francois Berger
MoraI's pretentious mansion board.
Mrs. Gibson Fahnestock's house,
Mrs. Richard Townsend's resi-
dence-known as 'the house with
the Queen Anne front and the
Mary Anne back 1.-THE Patten resi-
dence, all closely shattered,
Everybody Out Ct Town
Verify here's evidence that
everybody leaves Washington IN
the summer.
The Mccormick house Is. closed
now. most Of the time. Mrs. Nc
Cormicl spends little time here.
Since the death of Senator MedM
Mccormick. Mrs. MediH Mccormick
has shaken the dust of Washington
from her feet. Broken glass along
the garden wall lends a forbiddtng
aspect to q once hospitable man
sion.
The pink palace win doubtless
take q new lease on life next VIM
ter now that Mrs. Stokes 10 Mrs.
BENJAMIN. Holcombe. They're honey
incoming In Newport. Due back in
the autumn Lieutenant Holconlbe
On duty here. .'Syl" Stokes living
IA Warrenton since the picturesque
Margaret Fahnestock Stokes dol-
coEnbe divorced him.
Lasxlo's Studio
Mrs. Fahnestock in Newport.
Tie sPatten girls. In Europe. ldrs.
Townsend in Bar Harbor. Tenn
porary absentees, all. The Larz
Andersons seldom here now. A
caretaker in POSSESSION usually.
Philip dc LaszIo, Hungarian painter,
set up his studio there last winter.
Painted both the President and Mrs.
Coolidge. Did the two Andersons
together. Immortalized lots Of other
notabIes. Was known az the court
painter" Of the Harding Administra-
lion. Seems to have held the job.
Mrs. Moran never opens her
house now. Too much trouble with
servants. Regards it as white
elephant and lives at hotel.
William Mcclellan Ritter's pleas
ant residence. Seems TO have q
new mistress. Next block you'll
kind the Hugh Websters' mouse.
settled on Mrs. Webster. formarly
Mrs. Ritter, when she and ler hus-
band were divorced. The Websters
ht Yester House in the Vermont
Hills.
Mr.. Hennen Jennings house.
Coleman Jennings has just bought
over in Virginia.
Famous Studio House
Studio House, famous in Mrs.
Alice Barney's day. No beds in 1t
then, only divas. The Peruvian
embassy has It now. Wonder IL
It's stiil bedless.
The Rumauian legation. The
Queen OF Rumania win probably
stay there when-or h-she comes
10 washington IN the fall. it's
4 rather small house. Only four
masters bedrooms. Hospitable Col.
Robert n. Thompson owned 1t
- 30
house next door for his guests
when he had house parties.
Mrs. Thomas r. Walsla's rocco
palace. Almost the only big man.
ZION open In the neighborhood. Mrs.
Thomas Riley Marshall coming
boon to be her guest. A welcome
visitor. Mr.. and Mrs. Duncan
Phillips house. Front on Twenty
first Street. Has a beautiful little
Art gallery. Open to the public on
certain days. A memorial to Mr..
Phillips father. Also saves taxes.
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Benning
spencer's wide red brick house.
They're at Watch Hill, r. I.-or at
least Mrs. Spencer and her daugh'
ters are.
Dupont Circle Deserted
Dupont Circle. The Letter house
boarded up. Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph
Letter are at Beverly Farms. Mrs.
Robert r. Hits urns in their
broad covers. A sure sign the mis-
tress of the house il not in resi-
dence. Mrs. Robert Patterson
white marble mansion. Mrs. Elmer
Schlesinger-Mrs. Patterson's daugh.
ter-is there off and on.
The Herbert Wadsworths' house.
Years since it has been opened
Yet once upon a time 1t was the
Bnnartest center Of social activity
In town. Their Thursday evening
receptions were famous. All the
big wigs attended. And the young
dancing crowd, Music. Dancing.