Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-09
BY MARGARET B. DOWNING.

The Secretary of State and Mrs. KEEL
vacation in France and Ireland, are
among the first of such exalted rank
who have passed practically the entire
Summer in Washington Neither APP
peared to have been oppressed by the
SlIltry air, but with morning outings.
golf for the Secretary and long ride
in the country for Mrs Kellogg and the
late afternoon and evening spent where
entertainments we're al fresco, both set
the admirable example of being cool.
comfortable and unfiurried when the
discussion of the thermometer was
popular theme.
The British Ambassador announced
before leaving for England that this
will be the last year the embassy Will
be removed to Summer quarters, and it
would seem that diplomatiSts like high
officials of this Government realize that
the business routine is continuous. Less
than 20 years ago. Secretaries OF state
departed in June and returned in &C.
tober. The late John Hay invariably
followed this routine and it will be re-
membered that near his beautiful estate
on Lake Sunapee. NJ H., the Secretary
of the Interior. Ethan Allen Hitchcock,
had a Summer residence and he, too,
spent the full three months there with
his family Ambassadors were as rare
in the Capital in Summer as snow
flakes. but now even IL they establish
Summer home farther North. they re-
turn to Washington whenever there are
important measures to be discussed at
the State Department.
The home of Mary Ball Washington
in Fredericksburg is perhaps. after
Mount Vernon, of hallowed memory
lkNnd the most closely associated house
in Virginia with the great patriot and
founder. George Washington. 1t stands
in excellent repair less changed by the
hand of time than the stately mansion
at Mount Vernon and 1t was built ac-
cording to the records by the COM
nnander of the patriot army for the COM
fort of his mother and he did much of
the finer carpentry himself. Mrs.
Augustine Washington lived in the
mansion from ITS until 1883, and her
peaceful death occurred within its
walls. The Society for the Preservation
of Virginia Antiquities took over the
Mary Ball washington domicile many
years ago, repaired and restored all the
exterior and painstakingly gathered
from every available source the mousse
hold equipment scattered by the Will
of this venerable mother in Israel. Inc
Mount Vernon regents at their last
meeting in this city returned to the
Fredericksburg mansion the handsome
poster bed on which Mrs. washington
died and which had come to her IL
lustrious son after the terms of her will
had been executed. That the founda-
tions of this sturdy home are becoming
insecure is sad news which should in
terest the entire country and cause a
generous response to the appeals for
funds to strengthen it at once. The
OLD garden where blooms the Identical
rose, the lovely ivory white climber
Mary Washington, which Gen. WASH
ington hybidized at Mount Vernon. is
in excellent condition and sales OF roots
ana plants make a tidy sum for the
upkeep of the home.
Mrs. George o. Thorpe. who was
chosen president of the Washington
branch of the National Plant, Flower
and Fruit Guild at the recent election.
takes great pride in the cordial letter
of Endorsement which the presidential
nominee of the Republican party, MIR.
Herbert Hoover. has dispatched to the
New York central Office. MFR. Hoover,
who is the great apostle Of conservation
In every field regards most favorably