Evening star., 1934-04-01


her Mediterranean cruise in time to
be present at the Cherry Blossom
Festival.
Since her first visit to Japan Mrs.
Taft has had a real and sympathetic
liking for the arts and many of the
customs of that empire, and it was
one of her dreams that Washington
might have a cherry blossom festival,
with music and all the atmosphere
that gay crowds would lend to the
celebration.
Mrs. Roosevelt is to head the list
of patronesses this year. and Miss
Eleanor Roosevelt, daughter of the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Henry
L. Roosevelt, is TO be the Queen of
the festival There are to be sunrise
ceremonies and artistic illuminations
at night.
There is more prosperity through
out the country this year than for
several years past and Easter is being
more widely celebrated as a festal
season.
The White House grass terraces
have for several days been bright
with little snowdrops and crocuses
and the tulips will soon be in their
glory.
1t was about 60 years ago that
Philadelphia woman returned from
a trip to Bermuda. carrying in her
hands two lily plants, which she had
carefully cared for during the long
distance. They we're in bloom at the
time. and so gorgeous we're they that
she took them to her local florist and
showed them to him as find.
These two lily bulbs may have been
the progenitors of the mass of ex-
quisite flowers now sold by the thou
sands at this season. Lilies have
adorned the church affairs for CEN
turies and are symbols of innoncence
and purity.
In the early centuries to insure
and enhance those qualities which
they betokened the old priests were
wont to remove the golden stamens
before placing them on the altar.
The rose of Jericho. a curious and
weird plant which grows on the
borders of the Dead Sea and in the
deserts of that region. is known as
the resurrection plant, and at Eas-
ter time is sold by the thousands
in Jerusalem at the time of the pill
grimages.
France has its special Easter
flower which is so largely planted
in gardens here-the strange. little
blue anemone-sometime called the
''pasque flower" after the pasche or
feast of Passover. of the Jews, and
English gardens always cultivate the
tufted chickweed, or stitch wort.
which over there is known as White
Sunday. because it blooms on that
day. White Sunday is known here as
Low Sunday.
Mr.. Ahmet Muhtar. the popular
Turkish Ambassador, who is about to
return to his own country. where he
will take a prominent place in the
legislative branch of Turkey, will ar
rive Just IN time to see the removal
of the beautifully and intricately
carved wooden window lattices which
have always been used to hide ladies
OF the harem from the public gaze.
In the present twentieth century
advancement of Turkey these lattices
are recognized as unhygienic and un-
modern. And, as harems are taboo.
there will be no necessity for them.
With an eye to the tourists, how
ever, the lattices will remain in some
of the old quarters as historical relics,
and also evidence compared with
preSept-daV advancement
Rumor comes that the romantic
gondolas of Venice are to give way
to motor boats. Could anything be
more t1resome. Venice will seem
strange without those long, narrow
boats shooting in and out from mys-
terious dark corners with their fas-
cinating- looking gondoliers.
In England progress is also ram
pant. and Dick Turpin's stables, said
to be 600 years old. are to be demol-
| ished to aid traffic conditions.
The stables are, or were. in the
courtyard of the Spaniards' Inn,
Hampstead Heath, and it was there
that the gentlemanly robber. finally
executed at York, kept his mare,
Black Bess.
And now Anne Boleyn's home,
Wlckham Court, where Henry VIII
came secretly to WOO the hoydenish
maiden. is to be turned into a hotel.
tourists will see the initials of King
Henry and Anne carved and painted
in many places about this old house
which is mentioned in Domesday
Book.
A very interesting new life of Meri-
Wether Lewis of the Lewis and
Clark expedition is a valuable addi-
tion to Americana, as it is perhaps the
fullest life Of Lewis that has been
published
1t relates more of the personal side
OF this gifted man and his social
charm. He makes his appearance in
the first chapter of Mr. Charles Nor
row Wilson's biography of him, as a
youthful Army captain. 6 feet /, and
straight as white oak.
The handsome. captains love for
the beautiful and fascinating Theo-
dosia, daughter of Aaron Burr, whom
he met after her marriage. dates
from when her father was Vice
President and he was the secretary of
Thomas Jefferson He danced with
her, taught her to ride and as they
galloped over the Virginia hills he
realized all that she meant to him
and the hopelessness of it all.
Not a new book-that is latest off
the press-but a most fascinating one
is Mr.. Charles Wright's and c. Err
nest Fayle's "A History of Lloyd's,," in
London. Since the inception of this
association at Lloyd's Coffee House in
the eighteenth century, the name has
meant everything from insurance and
shipping to risks on the weather for
my ladys garden party.
From sort of bureau of informa-
ton and underwriters who gathered
in the old coffee house, it has grown
to gigantic proportions.