Evening star., 1936-05-10
About Well-KnOWn Folk
In Books, Art, Politics
Washington the Mecca for Many Distin.
gushed Visitors-Mrs Joseph Letter
Pours Tea for Charity.

nounced by the German Ambassador
"coque tail"
Mrs. Letter Aids Garden Lovers
Visit the Convent Of the Visitation.
Mrs. Joseph Leiter--the lovely Juli-
cite williams, one OF the bellies Of the
late gay nineties-has never lost her
affection and loyalty to her alma ma
ter, the old historic Convent of the Wis.,
itation, in Georgetown. so on the 10th
come next Saturday, she is going to
pour tea at the garden party there, for
a nonsectarian charity.
One might think that after the
many pilgrimages to the gardens in
and about Washington, since it became
fashionable to open private gardens
to the public for charity, there would
be nothing new to be seen. However,
Mrs. Letter will tell you there is still
thrill for those who wander thither-
ward on Saturday, to the Convent on
Thirty-fifth street, because it is the
first time since its foundation, 1877
years ago, that the historic old gar
dens, full of the romance of past years
and memories of distinguished pupils
who danced and played in and out
through the old lockwood paths. have
been opened to the outside world.
There is no more delightful walk in
Washington than to stroll in the late
afternoon over the old brick pave
ments and under the giant trees which
hnrdor tho Tho
green fields and lawns remind one of
the peace and loveliness of an English
landscape. The shades of the past
seem TO haunt the old place, and in
fancy one can see the girlish figure of
Kate Irving, niece of the immortal
Washington Irving, and the beautiful,
queenly Harriet Lane-later to pre-
side at the White House for her un-
Gle, President Buchanan; Emily Nc
Lain, daughter of Secretary McLain.
and later wife of the great Confederate
general, Joseph E. Johnston, and Flea
nor Mercein-Mrs. Kelly, the writer of
those delightful stories of the Basque
country in France, and of the Span
ish people beyond the Pyranees.
Some Interesting Facts
About the Lace Industry.
Mrs. Roosevelt's gown for the Lace
Ball tomorrow night is made of an
American Weave-running true to
form, the Lady of the Mansion be-
lieves in always patronizing home in
dustries. In speaking of lace one ma
turally thinks in the same breath of
Belgium and France. and. of course.
America cannot rival those countries
in the handmade laces which for CEN
turies have been famous. but there is
some handmade lace here. and in
pennsylvania the lace industry is now
taking its place by the side of the
manufactures in other countries. More
OF the lace manufactured there and
IN several other States, is, however, for
curtain use, table cloths and edgings
Compared with the S202 $50 worth of
lace imported from China into this
country last year as we'll as s488 $50
OF beaded lace and trimmings from
the same country. the expectation of
American lace is very small.
Ihere are some wonderfully exoui-
site laces in the National Museum
which were loaned by the late Mrs.
"A. E. Bates, wife of the late Gen.
Bates and mother of Mrs. Frederick
ID. Brooke. one of the sponsors for the
lace ball. The collection in the Museum
is rare. A pillow lace fichu, reputed to
nave belonged to Queen Charlotte, was
loaned some years ago by Mrs. Thomas
Nelson Page, and a Point dArgentan
lace founce, the gift of the late Mrs
Barney. is one of the prize pieces.