The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt

[This column has emendations. View original version]

      

WASHINGTON, Friday—Yesterday I lunched with Mrs. Cordell Hull, wife of the Secretary of State, and a small congenial group. A party at which general conversation can take place always seems to me to be much more real society than a party at which you are obliged to talk only to your neighbors on either side.

In the afternoon I had two appointments. One was with a most interesting couple who have worked theoretically and practically for many years on a plan of life which they think will bring about a really informed and responsible democracy as well as a greater united effort for the well-being of the majority of the people. It was interesting to listen to them, though I confess to no great optimism about any changes to be brought about rapidly.

My next visitors were three young people and then guests who were staying for the night began to arrive. The evening reception was given last night for the Army and Navy and was the last of the season. This reception is always colorful and usually the largest of the year because more of those invited live in or near Washington. Twelve hundred people passed in line. Usually no one stops for more than a murmured good evening, but occasionally someone really tries to say something. Often I want to say something, but the person is by before I even realize who it is.

Last night one lady told me that she had enjoyed seeing our horses at the Fort Myer Horse show and had particularly liked my "Dot." I am told that "Dot," instead of showing the indifference to her surroundings that her age would lead one to suspect, on the second evening of the show pranced about like a young thing and brought me an undeserved reputation for riding anything so spirited. The truth of the matter is that she is a wise "woman" and when I am on her back she behaves very well indeed.

Yesterday morning it rained and I was induced to go up to the riding hall to try two of the horses they thought I might like, because everyone is afraid that "Dot" might give out and then I will have no horse I can ride. One polo pony had very nice gaits and I liked her very much, but I felt I should end the morning by riding "Dot" in order not to hurt her feelings. However, when I mounted, I found she was going to show me how she felt about being kept waiting while I tried other horses, so I had a dose of her most spirited behavior.

All the state functions are now over. I had a large formal luncheon today and, of course, musicales and teas go on at intervals when I am here. From present indications the spring and early summer will be unusually busy so far as evening entertainments go, even more active than the winter season, because of the various important people who are coming over for the World's Fair in New York City and the one in San Francisco, California.

E.R.

(COPYRIGHT, 1939, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)


Names and Terms Mentioned or Referenced

Geographic
  • Washington (D.C., United States) [ index ]


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, February 4, 1939

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
[ ERPP bio | LC | VIAF | WorldCat | DPLA | Wikidata | SNAC ]

Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007

  • Brick, Christopher (Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]
  • Regenhardt, Christy (Associate Editor)
    [ ISNI ]
  • Black, Allida M. (Editor)
    [ VIAF | ISNI ]
  • Binker, Mary Jo (Associate Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]
  • Alhambra, Christopher C. (Electronic Text Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]

Digital edition published 2008, 2017 by
The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project

Available under licence from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

Published with permission from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

MEP edition publlished on June 30, 2008.

TEI-P5 edition published on April 28, 2017.

XML master last modified on June 9, 2017.

HTML version generated and published on May 3, 2022.

Transcription created from a photocopy of a UFS wire copy of a My Day column instance archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
TMs, AERP, FDRL