The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1934-11-09

and wears ago lIEaA
had my first Helen ES"ary
birthday party. 1t was so very
long ago that I've even out
lived my playmate MethuSelah."
At the word "MethuSelah"
the slim white haired gentle
man on Mrs. Eleanor Patter-
sons left looked startled. Then
Mrs. Patterson said:
"Mr. Fletcher, you couldn't
possibly know anything about
Methuselah, but won't you tell
us about some of the things
you do know"
The chairman of the late
Republican party smiled broad
ly and said:
ut isn't that / know so much
about MethuSelah. It's just that
/ envy him. His troubles are
over. All you hearty happy
New Dealers sitting in this
charming dining room with
the crimson draperieS and the
old portraits, and with beauti.
full women beside you are cele-
brating, no doubt, the astOnish-
ing success on Tuesday of the
Republican party. Tonight may
be a feast for you. For me it's
q wake"
The Secretary of the Interior
and Public Works Administrator
were sitting on the hostess right.
Mr.. 1ckes looked so tremend'
orisly pleased with the state OF
the nation Mrs. Patterson was
encouraged to suggest a little
speech from him.
Mr.. Ickes promptly declared
people seemed to regard him
as Santa Claus, even without
the whiskers. AS matter OF
fact, he was a hard boiled tel
low. If he weren't, he probably
never would have realized a GER
tain ambition which came to
him as a cub reporter on the
the Chicago Tribune.
One day there drove up to the
Tribune office beautiful prin'
cess in barouche with plumed
horses and outriders. 1t was
the Mrs. Methuselah Of the
evening as a girl. Young
Mr.. Ickes thought when he saw
her how wonderful it would be
If some day he could meet the
thrilling creature.
"Sixty years afterwards, my
wish came true. / met the prin.
cess. And here / am tonight
wishing her a happy birthday"
It really was a magnificent
party. Practically everybody
there was a "prima donna" A
cheerful, obliging prima donna,
ready to respond to the mood of
the evening. Ray Moley rose
with the yellow rose centerpiece
and said gay and impromptu
things. Mr.. Moley has gained
weight and looks remarkably
contented.
Donald Richberg also talked
cheerily. And Harry Hop
kins told a good story about
Hans Kinder. Chip" Robert
was called on, as he usually is,
and remembered an amusing
Southern yarn.
Then a big Printers Pie was
presented to the hostess. who,
as everyone knows, runs, in
addition to about 684 other en-
terpriSeS, an important news
paper. The "Pie" was con.
cocted by Mrs. Henry Suydam
and Miss Betty Hynes and
family by me. The clever jokes
and jingles manufactured for
the Pie by Anne Suydam's
recipes were read by Sir Will
mott Lewis.
AS have said before, there
weren't more than three people
out of a guest list of 80 who
were not celebrities. But the
premier maestro was John
Charles Thomas, who came
from the Metropolitan Opera
Company especially for the oc-
caSion. Mr.. Thomas sang
groups of songs in Italian,
French and German, a dramatic
ballad in Sicilian and an ex-
quisite new song, "The Heavy
Hours" in honor of his hostess.
And let his big thrilling voice
fill the ball room with Home
on the Range" and "Ole Man
River"
The marble stairs of Mrs.
Patterson'S house were banked
with birthday bouquets, and
the mirrors in the ballroom re-
Elected tall vases of roses glow
ing in the light of a hundred
ca n d eS. Some marvelouSly
good-looking feminine garments
were worn-trailing gowns of
silver and gold lame, velvet and