Social Notes from Glen Ora

The unrushed ways and the tweedy elegance of Virginia's Hunt Country have hardly changed in a century or more. The First Families of Virginia have gradually given ground to wealthier Yankees, to be sure, but the invaders have been eager to preserve the pastoral traditions and manored customs of another era. The stately homes are well kept, and some of the nation's finest horses are pastured behind dazzling whitewashed fences. Except for its new French chef, the Red Fox Tavern in the hamlet of Middleburg (pop. 663) is much as it was when Mosby's Rangers made it a regular stop during the War Between the States. And the young George Washington would respond to the thunder of hoofbeats, echoing through the Blue Ridge foothills, just as he did in his own fox-hunting days down the road, over what was known as West's Ordinary.

But the Hunt Country is undergoing a profound change that began one snowy weekend in February, when a Marine helicopter dropped out of the skies and deposited the President of the U.S. at Glen Ora, the 400-acre 19th century estate that he has rented as an off-duty retreat. For the most part, the local gentry have responded graciously to the newest invasion ("My God," said Mrs. Kingman Douglass, the former Adele Astaire, "shouldn't we be proud?''). And yet, with motorcades of the Sunday curious beginning to appear on winter's traces, with newsmen swarming around the Red Fox bar, and with Secret Service men staked out disconcertingly in the woodlands and the greening fields, there was a certain uneasiness in the neighborhood. From Middleburg last week, Mrs. Robert Phillips, a Glen Ora neighbor, reported for TIME on the situation in the Hunt Country:

The fox-hunting members of the three local hunts were a little disturbed, in a permissive sort of way, when they found that Mrs. Kennedy had chosen Glen Ora. This was a natural reaction, since all of this group had chosen their region for their fox hunting and for their own privacy. The area reeks with Phippses, Ise-lins, Du Fonts, Mellons and Warburgs and others of well-known wealth (those of not-so-well-known wealth, but trying hard to be known, have also chosen the area around Middleburg). They were afraid that hill-topping (following hounds in a car or on foot) would become a national sport, like baseball. Hilltoppers can cut off a fox, cut off scent and get annoyingly in the way. So far, there has been no such disturbance on Mrs. Kennedy's few hunting days.

"Beautifully Turned Out." It is becoming obvious that both Kennedys intend using Glen Ora a lot more than the public or press expected. Mrs. Kennedy was here for nine days running, with only one short trip to Washington, when she brought young John out to the country.

Following their first weekend, she was reported to have a cold and cancelled Washington engagements. Actually, she rode both that Saturday and then on Monday.

Mrs. Kennedy hacked on the dirt roads around Glen Ora, on paths cleared of snow on the farm, and on Monday, Feb.

27, she hunted with the Orange County Hunt, to which she subscribes ($300 a year, plus the same amount for a groom or Secret Service man). Hounds met at Roger Lambdon's Gotland farm, and Mrs.

Kennedy joined the field after hounds moved off. Riding her bay gelding, Bit of Irish, she wore rat catcher: brown boots, riding breeches, tweed jacket and black velvet hunting cap.* There were around 25 riders in the field. A grey fox was "treed," and, according to a member of the hunt, this didn't make Mrs. Kennedy too happy.

Mrs. Kennedy went out with the Orange County Hunt last Saturday, "beautifully turned out," according to a member of the hunt, in formal hunting clothes: canary breeches, dark Melton coat, derby and black hunting boots. This is the approved outfit for fox hunting. She stayed out for an hour or so. Hounds met at Meetze's Scale, near ex-Ambassador George Garrett's Chilly Bleake farm. Again she joined the field after hounds had moved off. Having a fox-hunting First Lady is definitely more stimulating to the housewife than having one who bowls or knits. When and if the President starts hunting, it will be even more provocative. He has ridden at Glen Ora. and a young Secret Service man is being taught to ride and hunt by a local girl.

Steaks at Home. President and Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Kennedy's sister and brother-in-law, the Princess and Prince Radziwill. attended 12 o'clock Mass at the Middleburg Community Center on Sunday. The President arrived by helicopter just before Mass. There was at least double the usual congregation, but only about 50 people waited to see them emerge. Most of these were local good Methodists and Baptists who were already out of their own churches. There were no Episcopalians hanging around.

Mrs. Kennedy's companions when she is down here are of the horsy jet set.

After her first Monday's hunt, she was invited to cook steaks over the living-room fire at the home of her neighbor. Paul Fout, who sells hunters and rides amateur races. Other guests included Nelson ("Monk") Noland of Warrenton, who owns the Fauquier Laundry; James (Jim) Wiley of Middleburg, who breeds and raises thoroughbreds at Benton Farm near Middleburg; and Mrs. Magalen Crane of The Plains, who hunts with Orange County.

Monk Noland says that he used to squire Jackie around. Jim Wiley is a drawly Virginian, and sells his yearlings at Saratoga for enormous prices. Eve Fout was skiing in Switzerland at the time of the steak roast, but has since returned. She is, probably, Mrs. Kennedy's closest friend down here. Eve paints and sells traditional horse pictures, shows horses, and is one of the district commissioners of the Orange County-Middleburg U.S. Pony Club, into which Caroline will no doubt be absorbed.

Peace Corps Project. The Secret Service have had little trouble with sightseers. So far. the road past Glen Ora has been a mess. It's better now, and last Sunday there was quite a caravan, led by a woman driver who got past the gatehouse, followed by about ten other cars. She was stopped, naturally, and everybody had to start backing (the country road past the entrance to Glen Ora is definitely one way). The tourist approach will probably change as the weather improves. Virginia's Historic Garden Week and the Middleburg Races in April bring a flush of tourists, even in normal times. These will, undoubtedly, wend their way to Glen Ora, but all they'll see will be the gatehouse entrance, the top of the roof of the main house, and a couple of miles of tortured stone walls on either side of the country road past the farm. Part of the Peace Corps could be used to rebuild them, as in the old WPA days.

There has been, naturally, interest shown in real estate around Middleburg since the First Family's occupation, but there are few additional places on the market. There is little temptation among millionaires to sell for a quick buck. They came for fox hunting and horse breeding, and do not intend leaving. Their feeling is that everything will be back to normal in four years.

* Rat catcher (informal clothes, brown boots) is worn on drooly days or bye-days (extra hunting days not listed on the appointment card;, and for cubbing (training the young hounds to follow the scent and hunt with the pack).

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