Evening star., 1932-04-10
BY PAULINE A. FREDERICK.

| Llem IOT qualify dllu uuL dblli0Sy SOAlS-
! times modifies their coloring bit so as
| best to suit her purposes and then
| deftly weaves them into her masterpiece
her home.
! She has been at this task of weaving
! for some years now, and the public
| duties to which she has fallen heir as
| the wife Of the Secretary Of Commerce
are not unduly interfering with 1t. In
! fact they have given her broader f1eld
| from which to draw work materials
| than she has known heretofore, for new
| experiences have been brought her way.
And so. the attractive tan brick build
| ing on Kalorama road, with its case
ment windows and gabled roof, Is
home in the true sense of the word to
the Robert Patterson Lamonts.
**
Just the other day, this cabinet
hostess sat in her library conversing
with a guest 1t was CoZy library
one in which you might pull some timely
book from the shelf, settle into the
| massive depths of a rose-color club
| chair drawn up before the fireplace
or prop great, puffy pillows on the sofa
behind your back and "be off, IN the
, twinkling of an eye to the realm of
poesy or prose.
There was art in the library, too
for the paneled walls were literally
covered with neatly framed etchings.
MY husbands hobby" Mrs. Lamont
| explained
But it was to the lady herself that
attention was drawn. Her cordiality
| and kindness make friends feel that
this is one home where the latch
string is out" and the casual visitor is
not denied this same reception.
Mrs. Lamont is not very tall. Her
Wavy, bohbed hair is snoW-white, her
ewes are blue-a blue that was refected
in the modish chiffon tea gown she
wore.
Refreshing lines of humor sparkled
through her conversation as she alluded
to interesting incidents, and expressed
some of her ideas on various subjects.
An alertness revealed her knowledge OF
the things about which she spoke.
Gertrude Trotter, the present Mrs.
Robert Patterson Lamont, was porn
lust on the other side of the Father
of Waters" at Davenport, Iowa. MoSt
of her education was received at an
Episcopal school. St. GATHERINGS Han.
AS a young girl she revealed artistic
! talents which have been fostered some
what throughout her entire life since
that time.
She was especially fond of drawing
and painting when in school. and max
| ing portrait studies was her faVorlte
hobby. Now, she still occasionally
sketches. but time is at such premium
that her occupation with things artlstlc
must necessarily be occasional.
| This Miss Trotter met Robert Patter-
son Lamont for the first time at the
home of mutual friends in Chicago on
| the day following the present Com
merce Secretary's graduation from the
University of Michigan. Their interest,"
in each other, however, did not become
serious" until sometime later when
they met again, after Gertrude TTotter S
return from an absence for some time
from the Windy City"
There are three children in the family
of the Secretary Of Commerce. Robert
Patterson Lamont. jr., owns a cattle
ranch in Colorado at the present time.
The former Miss Dorothy Lamont is
the wife of Chauncey Belknap, New
York attorney. The former Miss
Gertrude Lamont, the youngest member
of the family, became the bride last
May of Charles Saltzman of New York.
And, of course, there are grand
| children" Mrs. Lamont said with be-
coming pride.
At that moment little 4-year-old
Louise Belknap and her brother Robert
we're upstairs in the nursery having
come to visit with their grandparents
| for short time.
| Robert Patterson, Sd, and John Hop
kins Lamont are learning to be little
"ranchers" in Colorado.
When Mr.. Lamont was given the
position Of Secretary of Commerce by
President Hoover he was holding the
position of president of the American
Steel Foundries of New York and Chi
cago, with headquarters in the latter
city. Since coming to Washington to
live Mrs. Lamont has formed very
definite impression of the city.
"I love Washington" she declared
with feeling. L think it is the finest
city in the world-and the incest place
TO live. 1t certainly spoilS one for liv-
ing anywhere else"
To supervise directly the affairs of
her own household is one of Mrs.
Lamont's cardinal principles of domes-
ticity. Even though busy cabinet
lady she does her own marketing
| Three times a week Mrs. Lamont
journeys to the stalls of tempting food
stuffs displayed at the market at Fifth
and K streets, where she has regular
merchants from whom she buys the
food for her table
People often inquire how she can take
time to go to market. But she feels
that four hours a week is not too much
time to give to this phase Of her home
management.
Entertaining rather extensively is one
| of the pleasant duties which become the
1 n q in l1f, rYtf &c
| official life, according to Mrs. Lamont
And she is not lax in this responsibility.
But her greatest pleasure lies in pre-
siding over small dinner parties, for she
feels that they offer better opportunity
for conversation and are naturally less
formal than the larger parties
OF course, the LamontS have large
affairs, too, such as the customary New
Year day reception. which is usually
observed by all the cabinet But the
small social functions which they tender
are much in the majority.
In addition to her entertaining, and
occasional art work Mrs. Lamont has a
number of other interests One thing
she enjoys particularly is interior deco
rating.
The library is one result of her
efforts. And as you look about it you
Immediately concede her ability in this
field. The adjoining drawing room was
added TO the home under Mrs. Lamont S
direction. And you step through cum
ming archway to a spacious salon,
attractively set with rich, warm color
furnishings. which looks out over a
sloping terrace to Rock Greek Park.
Your first impression Of her ability is
by this time more than confirmed.
| 4
Mrs. Lament also rides. The bridle-
ways of Rock Creek Park lure her fire.
quently, and she regards with rare good
nature any little "mishaps" which may
go with the sport. For example, she
had had little experience only that