Evening star., 1934-02-04

two Of Napoleon's generals. who aft
erward shared the captivity Of st,
Helena. In the course of the con-
versation Napoleon raised the subject
Of . proposal put forward In 1889,
and insisted on the necessity for an
order to recompense military bravery
and civic merit. Objections were
raised because many thought 1t might
appear as proceeding from the wish
or intention to establish 4 new aris-
tocracy at q time of great sensitive
ness on the part of the people Of
France. 1t was also suggested that
the financing Of its pensions and es-
Establishments would be too heavy q
charge on the Republican treasury
and it could not be agreed that 1t
should be purely military.
Napoleon, however, insisted, and
there was a discussion Of a title for
the new order. But the term order"
frerie. as too ecclesiastical, and fra
ternite as too jacobinical. So finally
the Roman word Legion" was set
tied upon Is 1t would sound well In
a consulate. tribunal, prefecture-and
later in the empire. The project was
adopted by the tribunate and then
by the corps legislatif.
After 1915 the order was granted
somewhat Unfortunately and Ma
poleon III. about 1852 reorganized the
order. and since that time it has been
awarded both for deeds OF valor, for
signal accomplishments in civil life
and in paths Of peace The order
can be conferred on towns and on
reg mental flags as we'll as on indi-
viduals
There Is some difference of opinion
as to the first woman to be decorated
with the legion. 1t Is supposed to
have been Marie Schellink, who en-
tered the army disguised as q man
and at the age of IS took part at
Jemmapes. Or Angelique Marie
Duchemin. the daughter of soldier
and the wife Of one. who followed
her husband and father TO Corsica,
and when her husband fell in battle
donned his uniform and entered the
army-presumably as a man.
An interesting and distinguished
visitor in the Capital last week was
Mayor T. Semmes Walmsley Of New
Orleans. Ostensibly, Mr.. Walmsley
was here to talk things over with the
secretary Of the United States Con-
ference of Mayors. Mr.. Paul Betters
OF Chicago, also to get full-time au-
thority for operation for Loyola Uni
versity's radio station. Mr.. Walmsley
is the grandson of the late Mr. and
Mrs. Robert Walmsley of New Orleans
and grandson of the late Judge
Thomas Semmes. one of the most dis
tinguished jurists Of Louisiana. His
grandmother Mrs. Walmsley. was long
we'll known in New York She was
president of the Quarante Club
known as the American immortal 40
whose membership included many
brilliant women of the city of Mardi
Gras' and whose meetings were held
in the drawing rooms of the members.
The club was as difficult to enter as
the old st. Cecilia Society of Charles
ton, s. G.
Julia Peterkin's new book. Roll,
Jordan, Roll" is another one of those
glamorous stories of the Gullah Ne
groes of South Carolina, which the
sold OF her old plantation. Lang
Syne. seems to produce along with
the cotton and other crops, for they
furnish copy for her delightfully."-
unique stories. Many of these stories
are taboo in the exclusive drawing
rooms of Charleston's old society, and
ia do t,o.N =.
has by birth and breeding every right
to enter-and whose hospitality she
formerly enjoyed. But Scarlet Sister
Mary" Green Thursday" and Black
April were just too much-so the
line was drawn.
One had best not pick up Roll,
Jordan, Roll" unless one has time to
hnish 1t. for as the pages are turned,
nrst amaZement. then wonder and the
intriguing sublety of the beauty Of
some of the passages, binds q spell.
There is one very fascinating-if
that's the word-character. Uncle,
who buried three wives before he ac-
companied his white master to the
war in the Cos. Uncle thinks that
plumbing and electricity cause sick
ness in the land. and he feels that
President Roosevelt Is the second
coming Of Christ, who Is sent to smite
the Republicans, who to his mind
acted as badly as men did when God
let Lucifer run the world" But he
is Of the opinion that Mr.. Roosevelt
had better break his knee-jints regu-
lar in prayer that God may watch
Lucifer, and not let him sneak back
to work with the Republicans again.
The book is most sympathetic in its
illustrations by Doris Ulmann.
Plans to establish a $4,000 book
fund in memory Of the late President
Coolidge has been announced by the
New England Historic Genealogical
Society. The fund Is being raised by
private subscription, sponsored by
eight prominent members of the So
ciety. and is to be known as the Gal
win Coolidge Book Fund" which will
be used in acquiring additions to the
society's library at 8 Ashburton place.
Boston. An interesting point is that
these books. like others in the society's
library, will be lent "in every State
in the Union through the society's
lending system" Mr.. Coolidge was
an honorary member Of the society
for a dozen years.
1t is not known whether the por-
trait of Vice President Garner. paint
ed by Mr.. Boris Gordon of California.
has yet been hung in the Capitol. How
fine It would be If Mr.. Garner could
be painted Just as he is pictured at
the dinner he gave to President
Roosevelt the other night. He looked
the embodiment Of "ye host" The
Garner dinner Is the only official din
ner the President will attend It is
said to have been perfect in appoint
ment. and the hosts all that could be
desired In taking away the stilted
manner that too often attends state
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