The Washington times., 1928-10-17
{ NEWS AND GOSSIP OF SOCIETY IN THE CAPITAL
CnpitaI to Lose Eligible Bachelor,
Who Has Dug in in old Georgetown
Foreign Service Officials
Transplanted Before
Taking Root

Another highly eligible
bachelor is to be taken from
the Washington arena before
/, the season is far advanced.
This is Alexander G. Kirk,
whose transfer to the Ameri-
can Embassy at Rome as
first secretary has just been
announced by the State De-
partment.
Once Dumbarton Club
Mr.. Kirk has been playing q
return engagement in the State
Department for the last few
years, his first tour of duty
there having been In 1915.
A wear or two ago he pur-
chased Dumbarton, the we'll
known tennis club in George
town. and made Of it one of the
most charming places in that
section of attractive homes. Final
Alterations and improvements
were not completed until q few
months ago. He remained in
washington most of the summer,
having with him much of the
time his mother, Mrs. w. D.
Kirk, of Chicago.
Bachelor of Fortune
Mr.. Kirk. while a bachelor of
distinction and fortune, has not
been talked about" much in
washington in this role. He IS
rarely seen at night clubs, public
bathrooms and other places where
CAV society often congregates.
But he entertains occasionally
that is. since he has been IN
his spacious GeorgetoWn home
at delightful dinners and small
dances.
Before falling into the, hands
Of the Dumbarton Club. this old
house, built in the last days OF
the Eighteenth Century, was the
property Of the late Will m
Robertson and came into the Cox
family, well known in the annals
rage of one of the Robinson
daughters In its present incar-
nation, the old mansion bears
scant resemblance to its former
existances, being definitely i'm.
pressed with the personality Of
the owner
It houses remarkably interesting
collections of Chinese and Jap
anese art, fruit of Mr.. Kinks
periods of duty in the Orient,
slightly favored with a Western
influence in the form of Mexican
church furniture and decorations
acquired during a dipl ON at ic
eoiourn in that country. Good
proportions, good taste and what
might be described as gold
motif running through the decora-
lions make Of this o n i.me
Colonial house an effective and
unified background for these prod
ucts Of older civilizations.
In Georgetown
Picturesque Georgetown seems
to be a favorite locality with
those OF our foreign service. who
"dig in in Washington. But, I'M
happily. before they can take root
they are usually swept off 70
some foreign post. Mr.. and Mrs.
Robert Woods Bliss made of the
Oaks one of the most perfect
examples of the Colonial mansion
10 be found in this country and
filled it with rare and beautiful
period furniture. But before ever
they moved in, Mr.. Bliss was
sent to Sweden az minister, TO
be transferred more recently to
Argentina as ambassador. And
the only occasion on which the
house was used was when the
Crown Prince and Crown Princess
% Sweden came s-visftins TO
Washington. Then the Blisses,
who we've travelling in their train,
entertained at the Oaks for the
visiting royalties.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lauot Belin. vino
purchased Evermay, another his
toric and beautiful Georgetown
house and spent something like
$4,000 in restoring it. were in
residence" for a year or two
and then Mr.. Belin was sent off
TO the American embassy in Con-
stantinople. OF late the house
has been occupied by Mr.. and
Mrs. Williamson Howell-also OF
the foreign service.
Warren Delano Robbins, who
has been serving at our embassy
in Rome and who has recently
been appointed to z ministerial
post, is another foreign service
man who owns charming house
u Georgetown - 1884 Twenty
eighth 81. Hs and Mrs. Robbins
purchased the old house several
years ago, remodeIed II nearer TO
their hearts desire, lived there
@ year or two-and then departed
Tor service in Europe Happily,
this house has had a succession
OF interesting and discriminating
tenants. Mr.. and Mrs. Eliot Wads.
worth had il for much of the
period that he was Assistant Sec
rotary of the Treasury and last
winter it was the home of Mrs.
Mediu Mccormick. -