The Washington times., 1928-04-03
Washingtonians to Visit Orient;
Chinese Influence Already Strong Here

Capital Boasts Famous
Collections of Chinoi-
| serie in Homes Of Globe
Trotters
While the social world
seems to be making plans
for ! European holiday in
the spring or summer, a
little group Of prominent
] w ashingtonians are turning
/ their faces toward the East.
/ Mrs. Harry Leonard and
4 hsr daughter, Miss Nell
| Thoron, . debutante Of the
Ibeason just past have already
started on q trip to the
Orient, expecting to De
absent . year, and Mrs.
Clarence Wilson and Miss
Eleanor Wilson are soon to
be off on . pilgrimage to
China.
Karin to Go
Mrs. Leonard, her friends
say, would rather have lin
{ rered on at her home in Wash
ington. perhaps spending part
sof the summer at the big farm
In Maryland where she enter
tanned 50 DELIGHTFULLY."- when in
residence" But Miss Thoron
was strarin' to 60" on long
trip, had tremendous urge TO
visit the Orient, and her moth
er decided to take her. Major
Leonard has recently sailed for
Europe and expects IN the next
few weeks to comb Ireland and
England for some new hunters.
On the Farm
Presumably Mrs. Leonard's son
ana daughter-in-law, Mr.. and Mrs.
benjamin. Warder Theron, with
their baby daughter, win put in
much OF the summer at the Leon
ard farm, for young Ben Thoron
IS crazy about the country. In
deed. he has had pretty completes
charge OF the farm for several
years and is largely responsible
Tor the successful experiments in
stock raising which have been
going on there and for the fact
that the big place is q financial
asset rather than q liability.
Everybody who goes to China
seems to bring back some inspira.
ton in decoration land beautiful
old Oriental fabrics, furniture and
ceramics with which to carry it
tout. When the late Baron Malt
szan was German Ambassador, the
embassy boasted a rare and very
beautiful collection Of Chinoiserie,
fruit of Baron Maltzan,s long SER
vice in Peking; and Baron de Car
tier, sometime Belgian Ambassa-
dor to the United States, also had
much handsome and decorative
Chinese stuff, gathered when he
was Belgian minister to China.
Chinese Influence
The Chinese influence is very
strong in the home Of Senator and
Mrs. William E. Borah, although,
IL memory serves, neither the SEN
ator nor Mrs. Borah have ever
visited the Orient. Mrs. Bcrah.
however. has studied the Chinese
scheme Of decoration very care
fully and the potteries and hang
tngs. ETC., which decorate her
apartment, are chosen with some
taste.
Major Gen. and Mrs. George
Barnett and Brig. Gen. and Mrs.
William Crozier-the Croziers now
off on another globe trotting ex-
pedition-are other Neutrality-suspicious.
who have famous Chinese collec-
tions. The Barnetts gathered the
beautiful things now in their
Washington home while stationed
in Picking. Major and Mrs. Louis
Mccartney Little, who had pc
Rod Of duty in Picking shortly
after their marriage. also have a
distinctly Chinese atmosphere to
their home and so have Capt. and
Mrs. Fred H. Protect. who have
an apartment at Cathedral Man
sions. Both have displayed their
treasures with discrimination and
with charming results. It will be
remembered that Mrs. Little, for
Rnerly Mrs. Elsie Cobb Wilson. Is
famous as an interior decorator
and she has done perhaps the
most completely successful Job Of
her career with her own charming
home In Georgetown. She even has
. group Of well trained Chinese
servants to carry out the Oriental
note.