Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-11
BY MARGARET ID. DOWNING.


The French Ambassador. NJ. Paul
Claudel, who has been almost con-
tinously in Paris since he left Wash
ington last Spring. gave some OF ms
impressions of the United States, re-
visited to the press of his country,
shortly before sailing for his post In
Washington The Ambassador spent
three years in New York, Boston and
Jersey cities some 80 years ago. lie
makes special note of the progress
made toward gallantry, even In the
great, rushing cities Of the East. lie
found that women are universally
shielded and given polite attention,
even those whom he humorously de.
scribes as being strong, agile ana
forcefuI and quite as able to look
after their own safety as men are.
The Claudels have beautiful ola
home in the PaSsy region OF tarlS,
and it might be described as an ORR
entail domicile, so numerous and hand'
some are the Japanese ana Chlnese
treasures which the Ambassador
brought from his former MISSION
Since three OF the five Claudel chill
dren are at school in France, Nine.
Claudel will remain in the home in
passy at least until the Spring, when
II is probable she will bring her two
sons and youngest daughter, Nile.
Refine. on a visit to this country. The
eldest daughter, formerly Mile. Marie
Antoinette Claudel, was married in
April to NJ. Bonami Of the foreign
Office, and, with her husband, is to
spend the Winter with Nine. Claudel.
Mile. Refine, the young daughter, VINO
will be the chatelaine of the French
embassy this Winter, has been the
inseparable companion of her parens
and has lived all the time with them
in the East, receiving her education
from tutors.
Lieut.. Col. Thomas Holcombe, L. s.
NJ. c., who recently was appointed
commander of the legation guard in
Picking, is well known in Washing
ton, where he lived for many years,
and where about IL years ago he mar
ried Miss Beatrice Clover, the younger
of the two daughters of the late Rear
Admiral and Mrs. Richardson Clover.
Col and Mrs. Holcombe are on famil-
lar ground about Picking, for four
years ago the former was appointed
lang uage officer there, and has been
in China all through the revolution
and in most of the warfare in which
the Marines became engaged. Mrs.
Holcombe has remained in the Orient
all through the troubles, occasionally
taking refuge in Japan when the con.
fiict in China ragged in too close proX-
unity. She was introduced to society
in the old home of the Clovers at
Eighteenth and o streets, now the
legation of Panama. With her sister,
Miss Eudora Glover. she was among
the bellies of her period. The older
element of Washington society recall
the lovely fancy balls which Mrs
Clover gave for her young daughter,
many presenting the legends of China,
when splendid costumes were loaned
the little people not possessing SO
many treasures from this land as did
the hostess. Miss Eudora Glover,
after the death of her parents, pur
chased a ranch in San Bernardino
County, Calf, and for years devoted
all her time and energies to the enter
prise. She has apparently tired of the
isolation of ranch life, as she recently
took a 15-year lease on an apartment
in Boulevard Montparnasse in Paris.
AS children, Miss Glover and Mrs. Hol-
Gombe spent many years in Shanghai
when Admiral Glover was connected
with the Asiatic Fleet.
Miss Alice Brooks Davis, daughter
of the Secretary Of War and Mrs.
Dwight Davis, who will make her
debut December %, will be the center
of uniquer attention from the Army
contingent,s ESPECIALLY I'D IT'S younger
and unmarried ranks. AS social
chroniclers have frequently observed,
when the Secretary of War has a
young and attractive daughter, it does
not require an official order to bring
out the martial forces at receptions
or teas at the Secretary's home. Miss
Davis has been carefully prepared for
her debut in this country under pri.
Vate teachers and in France, and
will be the first daughter of a War
Secretary to be presented to society
since Miss Edith Root, now Mrs. u.
s. Grant, 3rd, was a bud in the
memorable Winter which witnessed
the debut of Miss Alice Roosevelt,
now Mrs. Nicholas Longworth, wife
of the Speaker. Miss Helen Taft, now
Mrs. Frederick Johnson and dean of
Bryn Mawr, elected to enter that col
lege the year she should have made
her debut in company with Miss Ethel
Roosevelt, now Mrs. Richard Derby.
The four Secretaries of War who fol.
lowed William Howard Taft, now
Chief Justice-Gen. Luke E. Wright,
Jacob NJ. Dickinson, Henry L. Slim.
son and Lindley NJ. Garrison, had
only married daughters, or, in the
case of Mr.. Garrison, had no chill
dren at all, and the small daughters
of Secretary and Mrs. Newton D.
Baker were Of the school age during
the five years of their residence in
Washington. The late Secretary of
War, John w. Weeks, only daughter,
Mrs. John w. Davidge, had been mar
ried some years before her father
entered President Harding's cabinet
If the precedents hold good, the
President and Mrs. Coolidge will be
among those to felicitate Miss Davis
on December %, and the military
probably will be there to the last man
and woman of the circle.
Signora Giuseppe Brambilla, form
erly Miss Julia Meyer, daughter of
the late George Won Lengerke Meyer,
who was President Roosevelt's Post