The Washington times., 1927-09-05
JEAN ELIOT's NEWS OF CAPITAL SOCIETY
VoshingtOnian Tells Of Happy Days
In Europe; NOU Visiting IN Paris
Paul Gardner Writes With
Charm of Lovely Places
and Delightful People
BIZ JEAN ELIOT

DEREIAPS the happiest way FOL
= Americans to know Europe Is tc
30 back year after year. travelling in
leisurely enough fashion to make so.
cial contacts and to get the feel OF
each country. yet not remaining lons
enough to become honaeslck. Thus
the glamor persists and the sensitive
spirit is continually stimulated by
beauty pleasant living.
Extracts from d letter from Paul
Gardner may give you an idea OF
what I'm driving at. This clever
and artistic young Washingtonian
spends all his summers abroad and
has been in Europe this time since
early summer, travelling in Italy.
Spain, Switzerland and along the
Riviera. He has just joined Repre-.
sentative Piatt Andrew in Paris, and
they propose revisiting together
some OF the French battlefields
which they knew in wartime days.
Venice the GlamOrOus
After q stay in Italy, Mr.. Gard
ner wrote: Venice is always too
much for me. I go every year
thinking to remain a few days and
lInger for weeks. I found many
friends there and the very first
evening was invited to a dinner
given by Ezra Pound (who is now
composing an opera9 for Olga
Ridge, young American violinist
who was giving concert that eve.
ming in the gorgeous Pisani Palazzo
on the Grand Canal. The next
night was the feast Of the Riden,
tose, celebrating Venice's delivery
from tha plague, centuries ago.
Everyone had dinner aboard gon.
dolas or barges, all gaily lighted,
in the Giudecca. I was asked to
dine on a heavenly old Bucentoso,
anchored right in the middle of the
canal. so that all the boats swept
mast us. The boat belongs Ito one
Of the McCormicks and is an exact
copy of the barges of centuries ago.
We should have been in Quantro-
cento costumes.
There were special Dishes" such
as sole with raisins and citron,
roast duck with a marvellous dress
Ing and dessert Of cake, pine nuts,
liquors., etc.
EnamOred Of AsOla
From Rome Mr.. Gardner went
% Asola to visit friends from Bos.
ton. who are living in the villa
that Browning built for his son.
And he became so enamored Of the
place that he Is trying to buy a
wee farm house on a hflI overlook:
ing the Grappa and Buses grave.
Then came a return visit to Venice
with the young Marchese di Sor-
bello and long lazy days at the
Lido, living in bathing suits, after
which the two visited the Mar
chesa's family in their villa on Lake
Trasimeno. Then to Rome, de-
scribed as CHASTITY hot but very
gay.
After that. in turn. came Flor
ence to buy old italian furniture.
brocades and najolica. OF Florence
Mr.. Gardner writes enthusiastically
Picture the Ponte Veccio. with its
tiny shops clustering together, CEN.
fury old houses built right out over
the water on heavy corbels that
throw great shadows In the moon
crazy houses, no two alike, some
with little balconies, some stepped
back like modern New York and
ending in little terraces with vines
and Towering oleanders.''
The Fly in the Ointment
But, lest anything be too perfect
he describes a lady tourist, gazing
at it all and remarking, IT love
Florence and I've found an address
for Italian silk underwear" And
this on the very spot where Dante
had first seen his Beatrice,
The writer also tells of a week at
Juan-les-Pins for the swimming, a
visit to friends at Guethary in the
Pyranees and gay days in Paris,
where he played round with a
daughter of the Godfrey Cabots,
Mr.. and Mrs. Ray Miller, of the
embassy group, Dimitri dem Diman.
cesco, formerly Of the Rumanian
legation in Washington, and other
old friends.
The military attache of the
French embassy, Brig. Gen. George
A. L. Dumont. has gone to West
Point with the French ambassador
to participate in the celebration of
Lafayette Day tomorrow. He will
return to his apartment at the
Wardman Park Hotel the latter
part of the week.
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