Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-11
TALES of Well Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
French Ambassador Makes Public Comp Gmentary
Views of u S. Progress-Sketches of Celeb
rities-Outline of Achievements.

master General and President Taft s
Secretary of the Navy, has spent the
Summer with her mother at Maple
Rock Farm, near Hamilton, Mass.
Mrs. Meyer had been in Rome with
her daughter since the sudden death
of Signor Brambilla, which occurred
in the past Winter. 1t Is probable that
Signora Brambilla will make Rome
her home. at least until certain lit
erary work in which she was collab-
Grating with her husband Is COM
pleted. This was a history of the old
palace on the Corso in which the
Italian foreign Office is located and
in the upper part of which the
premier makes his home. The late
Signor Brambilla, who had attained
the rank of counsellor in the foreign
service of his country and was on
the eve of promotion to the rank of
minister, was taken over by Signor
Mussolini as a personal and literary
secretary, and in addition to his vast
responsibility in these lines, he was
writing the annals of the famous
old palace de Rospigliosi. Signora
Brambilla had been aiding both in the
research work and in the actual writ.
ing, and she has been designated by
DR.. Mussolini to complete these
studies. After this is satisfactorily
adjusted 1t is likely that she will make
her Winter homo in, Washington.
The Attorney General, Mr.. Sargent,
has we'll earned reputation all over
New England for his knowledge of
old clocks and the best ways to reg
ulate them and doctor them gener-
ally when they get the tantrums.
But what many do not know, the
90 ,.4Y Cf
has made a study of colonial locks
and keys and has placed such on his
doors whenever it was possible to OBJ
tain the kind which suited the en-
vironment. The early inhabitants of
Plymouth colony did not tend to
make fancy looking ironwork, but it's
massive simplicity distinguishes 1t
even now when continental methods
are considered more artistic. Escutch.
con plates and door knockers did not
come into fashion for a full century
and a half after the plain strong locks
and keys OF the PuritanS had served.
Many Boston mansions have excel
lent specimens Of the best iron and
brass workers Of the sixteenth GEN.
fury purchased on the other side of
the water when sopulence and ele-
gance led to mora frequent crossings.
Knockers on, inner doors with keys
to match are on all the Sargent doors,
and there are some ornamental WIN
dow catches and stout carved irons
to hold back shutters, all of which
show the splendid craftsmanship of
the years when the makers of noted
clocks and general household equip
ment of this country were busy at their
benches. The Attorney General has
not removed his famous clocks from
y. r tHA fa0C
decided that such ancient and deli
cate construction would not with.
stand the jostling OF railroad or OF
motor travel.
mr.. Charles MacVeagh, the Ambas.
sador to Toxic who played such
pleasing role in presenting Miss
America. the doll sent to the small
daughter of the Emperor and En-.
press of Japan, has been an interest
ed observer of how this dainty little
princess is succumbing to the ways
of western dolls and clamors for other
playthings on the same style. Mr..
and Mrs. MacVeagh have furnished
material galore for the dressing of
dolls such as the little folks in Uncle
Sans domain play with, old gowns of
Mrs. MacVeagh being yielded and
neckties and vests of the ambassador
offered for Miss Tailor-made, a kind
Of doll which fills the young japanese
girl with awe. Mr.. MacVeagh Is
lover of flowers and has. been at
tending many OF tkd AAfft eibtfS Axt
hibits. He has noted in a letter to
friend that whereas this Nation has
taken over the national flower. the
chrysanthemum. and developed it into
colossal size and undreamed-of hues,
the Japanese have cultivated the
peony and obtained larger and more
colorful and fragrant blooms. The
peony, a flower SO much priced in
gardens of this land, is gradually
getting a wide vogue in the Flowery
Kingdom. Peony culture is wide
spread and there are votaries who
acclaim it the best and most satisfac-
tory of Spring blooms. The single
variety is popular in Japan and so
deft are the gardeners there that the
starry bloom of the peony endures
almost to the time that the single
golden-centered dahlia comes, and
these last until the early varieties of
chrysanthemum are due.
Sir George Otto Trevelyan's eighty