Evening star., 1932-01-17
Pen Portraits
Sonora Dona Maria de Sacasa
BY PAULINE 4. FREDERICK.


Nicaragua, doctors sweetheart and
diplornat's wife are some of the ex-
tremes In life that have been fused into
one career by Sonora Dona Maria de
SacaSa.
Sonora de Sacasa is hostess at the
Nicaraguan legation. Rumor has 1t
that she is one of the comeliest women
TO claim Nicaragua as her birthplace.
And what rumor has whispered obSerVa-
ton confirms, for eyes and har lnat
have caught the rich brown Of Autumn
and hold it close to a snowy skin oeget
this little lady with the flashing smile
q host of admirers.
If there is added to comelineSs de-
lightful cordiality one arrives at pig
reason why the legation is always 1uIl
to overhowing with guests. sonora oe
Sacasa believes with her family IN shar-
ing the hospitality of her home With
many friends.
There is a special appeal to the din
ners at which the SaSacas entertain
their friends, for Nicaraguan delicacies
steaming hot from the SacaSa Kitchen
find their places on each menu.
1--WE often serve rice Ia Valenciana," !"
the hostess explained. 1T is made from
chicken prepared with peas, peppers,
tomatoes. onions and olives. OF course,
eggs and beans are served in every con-
ceivable style.
"Nicaraguan beans differ from those
prepared a la American" she went on
with a laugh, "all due respect, OF course,
TO your baked variety. But the Nlcara-
guam bean has won many friends mere
in America"
Sonora de Sacasa does her own
marketing When old Center Market
was in its heyday she religiously visited
stall after stall, purchasing the tempt
ing foodstuffs displayed there. NOW
that it has gone the way Of all struc-
lures In the path of governmental
building expansion she has found new
market for her shopping expeditions.
And when the food arrives at the lega-
tion it is seized upon by native cook
who transforms it into delicious meals.
x X X
Sonora de Sacasa was born in Leon,
The largest city of Nicaragua. Doctors
seem to figure prominently throughout
her life for, in addition to marrying
a doctor and acquiring a father-m-
law in the same profession, her own
father was a physician also And her
father. like DR.. Sacasa was later to do,
mingled medicine with politics and
diplomacy.
The daughter of a father who took
an active part in the vigorously
fiuctuating political life Of Nicaragua
was destined to have plenty Of excite
ment in her life When the tide of
his party popularity ebbed, her father
fed with his comrades into exile and
Sonora de Sacasa went with him.
Politics in Nicaragua is thing Of
the heart and of the mind" she eX-
claimed. at brings forth an express
sion of emotion as well as rationaliZa-
ton. This accounts to a large degree
for the strenuous measures which have
been adopted to gain Office and hold 1t.
When I was IA we were forced to flee
into exile in Salvador"
Exile at any age sounds to the av-
erage person like something created on
the colorful pages of fiction, or ven-
ture to which crowned heads are some
times forced to resort. Yet here was
a pretty little lady sitting complacently
in a great armchair, calmly discussing
such an event in her life as if it were
only an everyday occurrence like eating
or sleeping.
There was really no danger con-
nected with our sojourn in Salvador" !"
she said. I'VE lived amid peaceful sur
roundings, going about our daily rou-
tine much as We pleased. We were
often showered with attentions and
hospitality of all kinds"
Yet one can imagine that there was
a certain amount of anxiety and an
expectant waiting for the change when
Nicaragua could once more be entered
with safety.
After living for a time in Salvador,
the political exile's daughter returned
to her native land for a visit Dame
Fortune must have instigated the re-
turn. 1t was at this time that the
youthful Nicaraguan girl met Senor
DR.. Juan B. SacaSa. Love soon be-
came stronger than the bonds of exile,
for DR.. Sacasa followed the alluring
senor1ta back to Salvador, where she
became his bride.
When Sonora de Sacasa left Sal
vador a second time for the Nicara-
guam coast it was not as an exile re-
turning fer a brief visit with friends,
but as the wife of well known doctor
coming to her home. Not long after
this her husband was elevated to the
Vice Presidency of the republic, and
when he was later made Constitutional
President, she became the First
Lady" of Nicaragua.
But once again the old saying that
history repeats itself was borne out.
With the turn in fortunes of the Lib
eral party, DR.. Sacasa and his family
were forced to seek exile in Guate-
mala. Here they remained for two
years, and Sonora Sacasa has moth
ing but pleasant memories of this eX-
perience because of the kindness and
sympathy of the Guatemalan people
When Gen Moncada in a free elec-
ton, became President the Liberal
party was once more in power and
the SacasaS were asked to return
DR.. Sacasa was then offered the post
Of Minister to the United States.
Thus the Nicaraguan legation has
become for a time the home Of six
interesting Sacasas.
Following the tradition of his fore
bears, Carlos, the eldest child, is study
ing medicine at Georgetown University.
Neither has his brother Roberto, who
graduated last year from Gonzaga
High School, branched of from the
doctorial category, for he is studying
dentistry at Georgetown.
Maria, often known as Maruca, made
her bow to Washington society last
season. She has studied with the
Nuns of the Assumption at their
schools in Salvador, London and Paris.
And Gloria, Just turned IL, an ac-
complished little pianist, is at St.
Pauls Academy.
Sonora de Sacasa loves to tell a
beautiful story of her daughter Gloria.
X X x
When was very young" Sonora de
SacaSa began, Il went to the Convent
OF the Nuns of the Assumption in
Nicaragua where in addition To rep1l-