Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03
Tales Orwell Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
President and Mrs Coolidge Are Classed as
Among the Most Discriminatory in
Choosing Theater Amusements.
BY MARGARET b. DOWNING.

BY MARGARET b. DOWNING.
President and Mrs Coolidge will be
remembered long after their official So
journ has ended as among the most dis
eliminating theatergoers in their lofty
circle. In the case of the President. he
has made few visits to the local show
houses, and then only when something
of unique value was produced. Mrs.
Coolidge is musician, and like several
other first ladies-MrS. Roosevelt, Mrs.
Taft, the first Mrs. Wilson--she has
consistently patronized all such events
of the higher order. She delights in a
good play. although since her unfailing
rule is to avoid accepting evening in
vitations unless the President could ac-
company her she usually has attended
matinees. and many will remember her
as placed unostentatiously in the or
chestra, occupying the intervals between
the acts in knitting or crocheting. The
late President and Mrs. Harding were
frequently the guests of honor in the
boxes of their friends, but neither cared
especially for the theater. The same
was true of President Mckinley. His
wife being an invalid and unable to at
tend such performances. except rarely,
he was inclined to exclude the play.
President and Mrs. Roosevelt and their
family were aSsiduous attendants, and
many Washington managers treasure
checks which the President signed when
the young people of his family hastily
decided on matinee party. President
and Mrs. Taft were indefatigable play
goers, and many recall that in Judge
Tafts era in the White House fine
photograph of Maude Adams as Peter
Pan adorned his desk, the gift of his
young son Charlie who thought her the
greatest woman in the world-after his
mother.
Countess Margaret Scherr-Thoss, one
Of the debutantes of New York, and
who will take a passing glance at
Washington gayeties in the Easter sea-
son, has been receiving much attention
from the wide circle of relatives III
Gotham and in Boston. Her maternal
grandmother, the first Mrs. Henry
White. belonged to the Rutherford fam
lily, well represented in the elite set, and
by the remarriage of her grandfather,
the late Henry White. to Mrs. Henry
Sloane she acquired number of inter-
ested and highly placed connections.
Mrs. White rarely takes part in social
events except in the family circle, but
her daughters are active and have been
entertaining the Countess Margaret and
her mother all through the Winter.
Rachel. the fourth girl in the family of
Mr.. and Mrs. John Henry Hammond,
the latter a daughter Of Mrs. Henry
White, is soon to be married to Mr..
Richard Lee McClenahan, and there
has been much post-nuptial entertain
ing, in all of which the Countess Mar
garet and her close friend. Miss Virginia
Wyllis, have been included. Both young
ladies are among the most feted of the
New York buds. They were entertained
last week at the dinner dance given by
Mr. and Mrs. NORM S. Hare at Pierres.
Countess Scherr- Thoss and her daugh-
ter will be in Washington in. April. and
will remain possibly until they sail for
their home in Breslau in May.
y X **
Donna Concha Espino, the most
popular novelist in Spain and the only
woman who has ever been invited into
the Spanish Academy, is coming to this
country in the early Spring as literary
and artistic envoy from the land of the
Hidalgos to the young nation which
has expressed such enthusiasm for all
things Hispanic. But to clever young
teacher in Middleburg College, VT. must
go the honor of making the visit of this
brilliant writer an official one. Donna
Espino has consented to give series
of lectures at the Summer school at
Middleburg, when she will discuss her
books and depict literature in Spain
at the present time and back to the
days OF Cervantes She will not find
this country entirely oblivious of her
fame, for two years ago her greatest
work, 'Mariflor," was published in eX-
cellent translation by Macmillan, and in
the cultured circles it obtained wide
vogue 1t was this novel which caused
the Spanish Academy to rupture its
most solemn tradition never to bestow
its laurel crown on a woman. The
French Academy has such a rule and
has never varied from 1t, despite the
gatherings at its doors for recognition
of feminine merit. It is probable that
the writer will pass the entire Summer
in this country and she will visit Wash
ington at some time during her sojourn
and be entertained at the Spanish en-
bassy. She has signed contract with
Columbia University and with Rad
cliffe College to lecture in the Spanish
course for the first semester of the next
scholastic year.
*
Mr.. Nicholas Brady of Philadelphia,
upon whom the Roman pontiff recently
conferred the title of count for his
ceaseless and generous contributions TO
Catholic charities, is the only citizen Of
rfiis republic Sno owns par of the
ground on which the City of the Vati-
can is to be located. Always frequent
visitor to Rome, Mr.. Brady became
enamored of the picturesque villa of
Princess Piccolomini, on the outskirts
of Montorio, and purchased IT, This
family had given two pontiffs to the
Roman Church, and the castle and
grounds fitted into Mr.. Bradys idea OF
a domicile near the Pope. Not being a
citizen Of Italy. it is likely that the
philanthropist from the Quaker City
will not be asked to sell his property,
but will offer any use of it the italian or
papal governments may require. The
City of the Vatican is to be planned
after the needs of the pontifical gov
eminent and any house or grounds
which obstruct the general idea will be
changed or demolished. The splendid
old villa of Doria Pamf1li will probably
be undisturbed. 1t is one of the superb
monuments of medieval times and was
many years ago included in the national
properties which the Italian government
declared should be preserved. In It's
park is the oldest and largest forest OF
Roman oaks in central Italy and on it,
lakes float descendants of historic swans
described by Petrarch and Tasso.
X u
Prince Henry of Prussia. brother OF
the former Kaiser. whose fatal malay
has recently been reported, is well re-
membered in Washington as one OF the
most genial and approachable in the
lengthy list of royal visitors. He came
in the Autumn Of 1903 as the repre-
sentative of his imperial brother. VIII
liam II, to receive the yacht which hac
been built in this country and to bt
the central figure at its christening
That ceremony, it will be recalled, tool
place in New York City and Miss Alice
Roosevelt broke the bottle of cham
payne over the graceful prov. But be
cause the Ambassador, Herr Theodore