Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-03-09

TO all comers. Even at the very
: Threshold he is reminded that tho
latch string does not hang out as il
days Of yore. The house of the Pres
ident is closed against the common
throng. To be sure the great digni
tary may bo seen, but not as in days
gone by, in plain, familiar, easy
manner. The visitor must understand
at the outset that he is calling upon
no ordinary parsonage. A flunky, in
full dress, receives him at tho door.
All the paraphernalia OF swallow
tailed coat, with vest and choker,
black trousers, and white gloves, with
whiclr-this obscqufous door opener
astonishes the visitor, IS designed to
prepare the mind for something more
grand and aristocratic within. The
plain citizen is at once embarrassed
and confused. If the ushers of the
President arc thus grandly attired,
how many a visitor approach the
august presence in plain homespun
Nevertheless, the grandly dressed
door-keeper is civil and polite, even
to ordinary mortals in common clothes,
and with bow of imposing style,
admits the visitor.
A GORGEOUS APARTMENT.
But the portal passed, a more BOWL.
derlng effect awaits the visitor. The
grand vestibulc of the Executive Man.
sion, glitteriDg like the spacious sa
looms of Jim Fisk's Boston steam.
boats, with gold leaf and bright colors,
presents a more advanced idea Of the
grandeur that has displaced the Amer.
ican simplicity that once graced this
abode. The glass screen separating
the vestibule from the main corridor
of the mansion is work of art of
which even tho Tuilerics might be
proud. The iron franc is richly
bronzed, while the glass presents the
choicest designs in all the colors of
the rainbow. The lofty ceiling of the
apartment surpassed in brilliant col
oring and miscellaneous groupings,
Brumidi's gaudy master piece, which
adorns tho dome OF the Capitol The
walls, also, are resplendent with rich
colors, relieved by medalions of de-
parted worth in chidrFScure In this
gorgeous apartment the astonished
visitor is permitted TO make known
to the Gentleman Of the Swallow Tail
Coat, who has admitted him, the OBJ
iectso his call. Perhaps the simple
rustic has resisted the bewildcring
effect Of all this magnificence sufli-
ciently to stammer out his
DESIRE TO SEE THE PRESIDENT.
The visitor is thereupon transferred
to another Gentleman in waiting,
similarly dressed, as II for a wedding
reception, and following through a
Gordon of like ornamental appendagcs
of human grandeur, is conducted
through door at the east, and up n
very plain staircase to the roy-the
apartments of tho Chief Magistrate
But first he is shown into an ante
room Immediately at the head Of tho
stairs, where hiseye again feasts upon
brilliant display of paint and gliding
on the ceiling and walls, The unto.
torcd savages, whose ideas of color
are confined 10 the war paint ho Law.
ishly bestows upon his person, might
call this frescoing beautiful; or the
baokwoodsman, who has never seen
work of art, might be led to gaze
upon it as wonderful, but whoever has
paid any attention to tho first prinoi.
pies Of coloring or designs will see in
it all merely the ovordress Of wan
ton But aside from the cheap at.
tempt at imitation Of the beautiful,
the rooms present some real cvidcn.
ces of luxury and splendor A costly
carpet Of Administer or other foreign
production deadens the football, while
the windows are covered with the
richest lace curtains, over which hang,
for winter use, the heaviest satin
damasks, the whole, with the msssiTo
mirror between the windows, sur.
mounted by an elaborate cornice in
gilt. The furniture of the apartment
is Of black walnut richly upholstered
in satin damask.
Il Hr|I THE DENT
In this sumptous apartment sits o
little, fussy, circumsiantial, selfim-
portant individual, rejoicing in the
uniform of a Brigadicr General Of the
United States army, and filling the
position Of Grand Chamberlain TO the
Chief Magistrate Of the land. This
consequential piece of insignificance is
Dent-the Dent; the brother in-law
Of the President. Moreover he IS
General Dent. 1t is we'll in approach
ing him-as approach him you must
TO bear this fact in mind 1t is no
ordinary matter 20 be Brigndicr
General in tho United States army,
and what may seem more strange, 1t
is no ordinary matter TO be brother.
in.law to a President Dent is fully
impressed with these ideas, and makes
it his chief duty TO impress all comers
with the same important views
When that impression has been salts
iactorily conveyed, Dent is ready for
| business.
BRIGADIERs IN ABUNDANCE.
Our time will not permit rs tovisit
the several other similar apartments
at this end Of the Executive Mansion
in which arc TO bo fosai Brieadier
4 Generals Of tho United States army.
To be sure they arc not all Dents, and
hence they are not all placed in the
way of approach to the august pres.
ence of the President. Neither are
they all broihcrs.in.lnw, fact which
may also have something To do with
the partial obscurity in which they
are kept But, nevertheless, n little
patient effort, or perhaps a few re
peatcd visits, would serve to introduce
us into these other glded and uphol
stored apartments, in which would be
found several officers of distinction In
the staff corps of the army OF these
are General Horace Porter, who aiore.
time acted as one of the military SEQ
retarians Of the General of the army,
4