Evening star., 1951-11-25
Boncompogni Visit Recalls
Details of Past Festivities

Robert A. Taft. also was in the
company though prsbably had not
lyet decided to be a candidate for
the post then held by his father.
The list of others there reads
like a part of the Social Register,
the official diplomatic list and
Congressional Directory. Many OF
those who attended the party still
are prominent in society circles
Iof the Capital.
Not long after the brilliant
debut. Gen. Draper was taken Ill
and died. All social festivities
were Cancelled, the house closed
and Mrs. Draper and her daugh-
ter went abroad. They spent
much time in Italy where young
Miss Draper had known and
been a playmate of young Prince
Andrea Boncompagni. So it was
not until a year later that the
Draper house was the scene of
festivity.
Some years later. on October Is,
1916, the wedding of Miss Draper
and Prince Andrea Boncompagni
took place in the ballroom. Here
again the Diapers established
precedent in Washington for His
Emminence James Cardinal Glib
bons came from Baltimore to Off
ciate and give the papal blessing.
But the precedent Of such a cere-
mony in a private home had been
established many years before for
the Boncompagni family from
which have come many priests,
bishops and a Pope.
CordinoI Officiotes
Cardinal Gibbons officiated and
Msgr. William Russell, pastor of
st. Patrick's Church. said the low
mass following. and present
through the ceremony and mass
was Bishop O'Connell of Rich
mond, Va. The account of the
in The Evening Star de-
scribed the setting:
From the entrance to the ball
room on the floor above the guests,
less than 100 in number, passed
through a lane of flowers, palms,
ferns, great white chrysanthe-
and American Beauty roses,
contriving to reproduce in proper
orofusion the colors of the bride
groom's country. henceforth to be
also the home Of the bride.
"Farleyense ferns studded with
purple orchids banked the man.
tells in the halls and drawing room
suite and in the ballroom, tempo
rarily converted into a chapel,
feathery branches of Australian
ferns threw into cameo-like relief
the white marble altar and the.
white priedieux reserved for the
bridal party. Ferns and American
beauty roses banked the face of
the altar and the platform on
which the cardinals throne stood
and there were standards of the
roses on the altar. Lace-like ferns
sprayed the white satin priedieux
on which the bridal party knelt
during the low mass which fol-
lowed the bridal ceremony. Amer
lcan beauties spraying a group Of
green satin priedieux assigned tot
the distinguished members of the
corps. In the anti
room. where an orchestra played
q few years ago for Miss Draper's
debut, an organ was ensconced
this morning in a bower of ferns
and the organist gave a program
If music :"
The bride that day wore her
veil over her face until the close
If the ceremony and her string
If pearls. given her at her debut,
and a diamond bouquet de corsage,
which was her mothers wedding
gift were her only ornaments.
The brides attendants included
her cousins. Miss Minna Blair,
later Mrs. Richard c. Hollyday,
jr.: Miss Tryphena Reed and Miss
Clover.
Signor Giuseppe Brambilla, then
counselor of the Italian Embassy.
was best man and it was his
Donna Julia Brambilla,
who gave one of the first lunch
cons for Nine. Boncompagni after
she came back a fortnight ago.
THE breakfast" to further
quote The Evening Star" was
served at small tables which were
decorated with lilies of the valley
and American Beauty roses. At
he table with the bride and bride
groom were Mrs. Draper, Cardinal
Gibbons, the French Ambassador
and Nine. Jusserand (the Am
oassador then was dean of the
,orps), the Italian Ambassador
and Nine. di Cellere, the Russian
Ambassador and Nine. Bakh-
neteff and members of the we'd
ding party"
Nine. Boncompagni is sponsor