The Washington times., 1934-12-27
NOW
GOUernOrRitChie
Gives Dinner
LUCKY BERT
By HELEN ESSARY


the long, curving stairway. She
said we should "come right in
this blue bed room, ma'am,
and rest your wraps" We said
indeed we would, and were we
very late.
She said she thought Mr..
and Mrs. Handy from An
napolis hadn't come yet, and
we said thank heavens for
that. We didn't want to be
late, tonight of all nights, at
Governor Ritchie's Christmas
party. But it was a long drive
from washington to Annapolis
and-Why. gracious Emma,
you're packed to leave for Bal
timore, aren't you?
Said Emma:
eyes, ma'am, we're ready.
You see I'm going with the
Governor. He couldn't take
care of his things by himself.
Besides, I've been with him
something over 20 years. His
mother taught me everything
] know"
At the foot of the stairs the
eolored butler was waiting just
as he'd been for the last seven
ChriStmaSeS.
"The Governors right in
there" he said, bowling at the
door of the Big Drawing Room.
Governor Ritchie came for
wards, smiling and handsome
and welcoming. He took us
around to greet old friends
from Baltimore and Washing
ton. Personal friendsof Bert"
Ritchie, they had been coming,
most of them, to his Christmas
dinners for years.
= In the dining-room, dinner
was waiting. The table was
gay with poinsettias in bowls
Inscribed with the seal of Mary
land. The food-well, it was
Maryland food at its best!
George Washington, first Presl-
dent of the United States, and
John Hanson, first President OF
the United States in Congress as
sembled, looked down on the
nartv from the panelled walls.
It may have been my imag-
ination or it may have been
the choice Sauterne-but I
thought George Washington's
left shoulder was turned coldly
taway from John Hanson. A
little self-consciousneSs on the
generals part, no doubt, at
having done Mr.. Hanson out
Of the Presidency of the United
States.
The dinner was very gay. The
conversation was frivolous and
unimportant as it should be at
dinner. Il don't like this idea
of deciding affairs of great
national Importance while the
roast cools and the ices melt)
After dinner when we had
admired the Christmas tree
and the foolish little toys
around it and the big important
Christmas presents on the
piano, and had talked cheerily
in varying groups, I asked to
be taken on a little sight
seeing tour of the mansion. I
adore the old place, with its
big comfortable rooms, its Vic
torianism that loses formality
in fat chairs and sofas and
bright draperies.
The evening was over too
soon. We hated to leave, all of
us. Governor Ritchie, stand
ing in the big hall with the
sable and gold flag of Mary
land behind him, said, Good
Night and a Happy New Year"
I thought, as we closed the
iron gates of the mansion be-
hind us, how fortunate Mary
land had been to have had a
man like Albert Ritchie direct
its government for Is years.
And what a fortunate man
Albert Ritchie himself, was.
He has been .Maryland's most
distinguished governor.
Whatever his career may be
in the future, he will be a man
for Maryland to be proud of,
and q parsonage in his own
right.
I heard some limericks, not at
the Governors Mansion. Grace
Turner recited them at my own
dinner table. Since the holiday
season fingers Heaven help us),
I shall print them as a sugges-
ton for feaSting and merry
making:
There was young nun in Siberia
Who Of fasting grew Wearier
and wearier,
Till at last with a yell
She burst forth from her cell
And ate up the Mother Superior.
The Reverend Henry Ward
Beecher
Called the hen an elegant crea.
ture.
i The hen just for that,
Laid an egg in his hat,
And thus did the hen reward
Beecher.
There was young lady named
Anna
GSAf nannht In a S1aaL Ia Nan.