Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
The Unusual
Is Her Aim
By ISABELLE SHELTON
star staff Writer

Rotary, is q tall. slim, golden
haired girl who likes tc give
off-beat parties with her
husband, Tyler Abel.
The parties are on the
informal side, compared to
the productions the 30-year-
old Mrs. Abel will be re-
quired to stage for the White
House. But they do suggest
she has a flare for the un-
usual.
I'VE like to do something
interesting and amusing, and
not Just bring everyone in
and stick a drink In their
hands" says Mr.. Abel. who
is himself an official Of the
Post office Department.
Presently Associate General
Counsel, he was Special As
sistant to Postmaster General
Day when the latter ran the
department.
Mrs. Abel. whose speech
still reflects the soft accents
of her Kentucky upbringing.
is the daughter Of that
States former Governor and
former Senator, Earle c.
Clements.
Former Whip
Mr.. Clements. now Wash
ington legislative represent
alive for the American Mer-
chant Marine Institute. was
Senate Whip from 1852 to
1856 when he was defeated
for reelection, during part
Of the period that Lyndon
was Majority Leader. After
Mr.. johnson had his heart
attack In July. 1855, Senator
Clements served as Acting
Majority Leader for several
months.
Thus, Mrs. Abel. who has
been serving as social secre-
tary to Mrs. Lyndon johnson
during Mr.. JohnSon's period
as Vice President, has been
a friend Of the JohnSons for
many years.
It was the then Majority
Leader and Mrs. johnson
who gave the big reception
at the Carlton Hotel for Bess
and Tyler Abel shortly after
the couples marriage in jan
uary, 1855. The youngest Of
the Abells' two tow-headed
youngsters is named Lyndon,
and thereby hangs a tale.
When the Abells' first child.
Dan, was born in November
1858, Senator Johnson called
Bess at the hospital to con-
graduate her, and said
Honey. If you'd named that
boy Lyndon I'd have given
him a head Of cattle"
The Abells pondered this,
and decided Lyndon Abel
would be q fine-sounding
name, II they had another
boy. They did, in June, 1860.
Herd Growing
Young Lyndon Abel will
get his herd Of cattle when he
is 81. A heifer calf was i'm
mediately selected for him at
the LBJ ranch in Texas, and
marked with his own brand.
It's progeny year by year will
be set aside for the young
boy, for delivery on his 21st
birthday.
The new White House So
cial secretary is somewhat Of
an outdoor type-an inter-
est she confeSses has devel-
oped largely since she mar
ried Tyler. The couple like to
sail, swim and scuba dive.
The latter they learned on a
recent trip to Mexico, but
sailing is an old love. They
have their own 17-foot Mob
jack sailboat, which they
moor at the Washington ma
rina.
Mr.. Abel, who says he
learned to sail at a boys
camp, has taught his wife to
be adept at the art-Suffi-
GENTLY adept so that a few
months ago the couple rented
a 38-foot sloop (Which sleeps
four at Annapolis for a 10
day cruise Of the Chesapeake
Bay area.
She's a good sailor" her
husband says approvingly.
Many of the couples week
ends are spent sailing, al
though they admit ruefully
that there has not been much
time for that or anything
else in the past few weeks.
A Genius
IT don't know how Bess
did it during this period
She's really a genius" Mr.
Abel says admiringly. "She
managed to take care Of our
house with one hand and
the children with the other,
and still work for Mrs. john
son IL hours a day"
A live-in maid from South
America has just Joined
the Abel household, which
should ease things somewhat
for his wife, Mr.. Abel re-
ports.
One Of the ironies Of Mrs
Abell's position Is that she
and her husband sold theil
house in Alexandria about
six months ago and bought
one at 4506 49th street il
Washington, "just two min.
utes" from the Johnsons
home, The Films, where Mrs
Abel did her work for Mrs
johnson.
The only reason they
moved, they had explained tt
friends at the time, was SC