Evening star., 1936-03-22
BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.

ID AtOD6ANA SAeTN OASA<s
FRANCES PARKINSON KEYES
l. tells a sad tale of a donkey that
from sheer modification and
l. bitter disappointment at being
stepped upon by the big gray elephant
Just naturally laid down and died
and thereby hangs tale, being all
that was left.
Mrs. Morris Sheppard, wife of the
Senator from Texas, with a generous
gesture and the hope of Frightening
the fires of democracy in the heart Of
the Virginia-born lady from New
Hampshire, blithely presented her with
a jointed donkey of the latest pattern,
with fire in his eye and gymnastics in
his heels. 1t was in 1928 when Miss
Democracy was proudly and hopefully
marching under the banner of the
Happy Warrior" that the little gray
donkey was gleefully placed on Mrs.
Keyes' desk in her beautiful old Ii
brary, as a reminder that had she re-
manned at the University of Virginia,
where she first saw the light of day,
she might have become Jeffersonian
Democrat of the first water.
The donkey's vis-a-vis on the desk
was a husky, gray elephant which had
been presented by Mrs. Calvin Cool
idge, with cute little poem extolling
its virtues and admonishing Mrs.
Keyes that her hope of salvation was
in the party into which she had been
born and to which she adhered. But
alas! that fatal day in November, 1928,
when the vanguard of the elephants
marched 81 1892, 100 strong and Mr.
Hoover took the spotlight, it was too
much for Mrs. Sheppard's donkey, so
he gradually sank down on his knees,
disintegrated and died with one wiggle
of his tail Still not to be worsted by
Mrs. Coolidge's elephant. the lady from
Texas presented her friend with
metal donkey coated with gold. This
was Just before Uncle Sam went of
the gold standard. So the Coolidge
elephant now eyes the golden beast
with suspicion.
Mrs. Keyes is a kind of synthetic
Southerner, having been born in Vir-
ginia of New England parents. Her
father, the late John Henry Wheeler,
was head of the Greek Department Of
the University of Virginia when she
was born there in beautiful old house
that had formerly belonged to James
Monroe. If her father had lived
she would have doubtless been reared
there. but after his death she and
her mother returned to New England
and later spent much time in Boston
and in Europe, where she was largely
educated.
The big roomy, comfortable house
IN Alexandria, in which Senator and
Mrs. Keyes live in the Winter, was
originally owned by the Alexander
family. for whom the old town across
the Potomac River was named. In
the years since the Alexanders lived
there the house has had its face lifted
and front added which contains the
drawing and living rooms of the fam
lily. This part is also very ancient, and
the large rooms on the first floor con-
tain some beautiful and rare examples
of Peruvian cabinets and consoles with
bold carving, largely in Spanish de-
signs Of the sixteenth century. It Is
in one of these cabinets that part of
Mrs. KeyeS' rare collection of fans
repoSes.
Senator From New Hampshire
Has Seventeenth Century Trunk.
The cabinets are not large enough
for all the fans, so some are kept in
Senator Keyes' seventeenth century
leather trunk. which was once the
property'of Peruvian gentleman. 1t
is one of three presented to Mrs.
Keyes when touring South America,
and is rare example of fooled and
embossed leather. to which the CEN
turies have given the appearance Of
wrought iron. so dark and solid does
it appear. Do not think for a mo-
ment that the Senator will carry his
clothes in. this trunk when he goes
campaigning for reelection this Sum-
mer, for it is only about 20 by IA
inches and foot and half high.
Hobby Of Fan Collecting.
During the past few years there
has been a renaissance of fan collect
ing and the interesting hobby has a
fascination that is not accorded many
other art objects because the fan is
personal. a part of the owner, with a
sentimental and romantic association.
Mrs. Keyes' fan collection was
started. however, over a hundred
years ago with beautiful fan with
carved mother Of pearl sticks and a
silk mount delicately painted, which
belonged to her great-grandmother
Side by side with this one in the
sixteenth century Peruvian cabinet
where many of the fans are arranged
is one which her grandmother car
fied. This has amber, carved sticks
with a mount Of silk In a similar
shade decorated with water color
figures.
Most people would be satisfied with