The Washington times., 1935-10-14
NOW
Old Virginia
Gathers
AT STRATFORD
BY HELEN ESSARY


in Westmoreland county, Va,
of Robert E. Lee. Mr.. Freeman,
you remember, won this years
Pulitzer biography prize for his
life Of Lee.
In his dedication address Mr..
Freeman quite frankly disap-
proved of the RooSeveltiaE type
of Democrat: sighed in words
of several syllables for the
forgotten jefferson and the
crumpled Constitution, and so
proved himself a man Of cour-
age and conviction.
However, Mrs. James RooSe-
velt, mother Of the President,
was at the big Stratford meet
ing, looking extraordinarily
handsome and happy behind
her bouquet of yellow chrysan'
themumS. She listened to the
speech smilingly and seemed to
think it a beautiful day gener'
ally. And pleased with the intro
ductory remarks of Assistant
Secretary of State E. Walton
Moore.
It really was a beautiful day
the perfection of a Virginia
day.
Perhaps nowhere else in the
United States could there have
been such a gathering. On the
great lawn of Stratford about
10000 of Virginia's best people
from all parts Of the United
States-and related by blood or
temperament - had come to
show honor to a great soldier
and a great statesman: to have
q look at the distinguished old
mansion, miraculously restored
by the Lee Memorial Founda'
ton, and to see their kin folks.
Most everybody there was
"kissin' kin" of somebody else.
or a dozen somebody elSeS, at
the meeting. Mrs. Claude A.
Swanson. wife of the Secretary
of Navy, iscovere Mrs.
Charles Dana Gibson, of New
York, one of the famous Lang
horne beauties. And said:
"FOr gracious sakes, Irene.
You don't mean to tell me it's
you. Why you're looking pref
tier than ever"
And kissed her Soundly.
Boiling Lee, grandson OF Rob
ert E. Lee, practically stopped
the program with a:
"Why, cousin Jill my! l
haven't seen you for As years!
HOWE you and cousin George
Carter been getting alOng?"
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson was
surrounded practically all after
noon by soft-voiced people who
lust wanted to have the privi-
lege of shaking her hand and
the chance to tell her how they
always loved and admired Nh
Wilson.
Mrs. Robert Worth Bingham,
wife of the Ambassador to Great
Britain-She herself represents
American women in England
with dignity and charm-was
receiving relations and friends
in q little cabin in the Stratford
woods. Every director of the
Lee Memorial Foundation has
q reproduction of the Stratford
slave cabins for her special use
when visiting the mansion. Mrs.
Bingham's cabin has corn shuck
matS-they seldom have them
at Buckingham Palace. But they
were popular in slave quarters
before the Civil War.
Mrs. Bingham was in a ruby
colored knit suit. Her sable
coat was worth a whole planta-
tion-or a kings ransom but
she was unaffected and gra-
cious. She talked about how
wonderful it was to see her old
friends and about how she and
her sister, Miss Muldoon, had
enjoyed the light from the big
open fire place as it flickered
on. the ceilings of their cabin
bedroom last night. And about
how much she admired King
George and Queen Mary.
Gen. B. F. Cheatham, sup
erintendent of Stratford, was a
particularly happy man. He
didn't look at all harasSed al
though the day must have been
something of a trial to handle.
They say at Stratford that the
General was undoubtedly sent
by Heaven for the difficult job
he holds so easily.
It was a neighborly party gen.
erally-sort of a glorified camp
meeting. The people of West
1noreland county came to help
with the lunch. They brought
potato salad. Virginia ham,
homemade cakes and pies
peach preserves and rolls, and
smilingly served them to the
hungry multitude.
Mrs. Henry Wallace and Mrs.
Swanson were interested par
ticularly in the thrilling old
garden and the shop of STRAIT
ford products. They also took
a walk with some friends along
the lane that leads to the
Potomac. They got themselves
on the wrong side of a fence
surrounding the grazing meadow
and got over on the right side
with an ease that was both
admirable and delightful.
When the happy afternoon
-. o,,o,, apd tho visiting cars