Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-01-31

SUCK Is qulctly WOIkeu ou at prlNdtt
sale, yielding, it is said, a good profit
Mrs. Grant, though not the handsomest
woman in America, is perhaps one of the
best managers. The fact of his having
such wife is only another illustration OF
Grants rare good luck. If he knows how
to fight battle and drive horse, she
understands all about housekeeping, mar
keting, shopping, and how to keep the
buttons on the children's clothes. These
are excellent accomplishments in any wo.
man, or rather they were so regarded
when Mrs. Grant was girl. That was
before it was considered the acme of a
young lady's glory to be able to "dance
the German" and fritter away the hours
of an evening with small talk to vealy,
brainless BOBBY. From what have said
of the habits and tastes of the President
and of the character of Mrs. Grant, you
will not be surprised to learn that Grant
saves more of his salary than any of his
predecessors. The household of the EX-
ecutive Mansion is run upon sensi lie,
economical principles, and yet there is
no lack of hospitality. 1t is very seldom
that it is without a guest or two OF some
kind. In addition to the customary
State dinners" which consist of mem
bers of the Cabinet, of the diplomatic
corps, Justices of the Supreme Court, and
mobs of Congressman; the family or pri-
vate dining room is frequently the scene
of quiet little dinners composed of the
Presidents personal friends. | have heard
bon ytuants say that the Presidents din
ners are nothing to brag of, either in point
of substance or service. In his early days
Grant lacked the training which would
enable him to compete in this line with
men like Sam Hooper or the late Charles
Sumner. He is not much of a judge OF
wines, and his stock is mostly selected al
random.
ACTUAL RUNNING EXPENSES AT THE WHITE
HOUSE.
A large proportion of the expenses OF
running the White House is borne by the
Government The entire appropriation
for this purpose for the present fiscal
year is $129,000. This includes the Pres
idents salary, the salaries of his clerks,
messengers, policemen, ushers, watchmen,
furnace keeper, steward, and for fuel,
light, taking care of the mansion, repairs,
plumbing and gas-titting, stationery and
contingent expenses. With the excep-
ton of the steward, the President en-
ploys and pays out of his salary, all his
household servants, cooks, chambermaids,
coachmen, footmen, etc, but the list is
not long and the cost no more, II as
much as for the servants of any private
gentleman. | heard President johnson
say on one occasion that it cost him about
80, 900 a year to live while in the Execu-
tive Mansion, and he remained there all
the year round, from January to January
President Grant is usually absent SIX
months of every year on an average, and
it is presumed that his expenses when
travelling or at Long Branch are less than
when at the White House. The general
impression is that it costs Grant about
$4,000 year. He has hosts of friends
not only at home, but abroad, who never
fail to remember him, and it is no secret
that some of the expensive luxuries OF
life are supplied by them with very little
cost to the Presidential purse. Mems
opinions differ about what Mr.. Sumner
termed "gift-bearing Creeks Andrew
Johnson, for instance, would not accept
even a span of horses while he was Pres
ident. His tailor related an incident to
me the other day about him which shows
how very particular he was in such mat
tiers. When he became President, after
the assassination of Lincoln, his tailor
thought he would make and present him
suit of clothes in honor of the event, OF
rather as a celebration of it. Having his
measure, and knowing exactly what the
President liked, nothing was said about II
until the suit was finished and sent to Mr.
johnson with receipted bill and the
compliments of the tailor. Next day the
tailor was summoned into the Executive
presence, when Mr.. johnson gave him te
understand that he could not accept any
present, gave him check for the amount
of the bill, and admonished him, if he
valued the Executive as a customer, nevel
to repeat the operation. But, as have
said, the views of men, in and out OF
office, differ upon these matters.