Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-04-27
GLE gta,.,rtoa 53inoieator.
A Picture Of Life at the White House.
Washington Cor. PHILADELPHIA Times:


Washington Cor. Philade7phia Times:
Invent up to the White. House to see how
the Executive machine is run under its new
~ ,nagement The old doorkeepers ard
ushers employed by Grant are still there.
They are former soldiers for the most part,
to whom Grant was SO much attached that
he thanked Hayes the other day for not
turning them out. The old proverb Like
master like man. is exemplifed in their
cases, for they are nov all smiles and pc
likeness, whereas under the old regime they
were rather surly and disobliging. In
the anteroom, at the top of the stairs,
Where Brother-in-law Dent presided over
the card basket in Grants first term, sits
tall, sandy-bearded western man, with q
big inkstand and stock of blank cards be-
fore him.-The carpet and walls o. this
room are Of siekly green, and seem to have
taken their color from the exhaIing hopes
Of the legion of Office seekers who have &C.
cupied it while waiting to get access to the
fountain of honor and prefermen5.''
Every morning this apartment fills I'D
with miscellaneous crowd, 50 large that
it oyerfows into toe ali i,iing halls. The
scene is worthy the p-ncil of great char
acter painter. NiDe-tenths of the people
are evidently office seekers. These are
easily recognized by their anxious look,
restless, nervous manner, and the pallor
Of their countenances. They reminded me
somewhat Of the gamblers OF Baden-Baden,
who sit around the green-tables ana silent
ly watch the turning of the cards, but they
embrace a wider range of social position.
The tall man with the sandy beard is lit
tie better than a snare for the unWary
Few Of the cards which he so politely asks
the hopeful callers to write ever reach the
eyes of his Excellency. The truth is, this
patient ard considerable master of the ante
chamber is breakwater to keep the crowd
away from the chief. while they think he
is put there to help them to the Wished-for
observation-disclosures the hall, guarding q
door, stands a dapper little fellow 4. IN
mixed Ethiopian descent. In. his keeping
are entrusted such cards as come from per-
sons who appear to have any business that
the President might reasonably be called
upon to give ear to. He takes them il and
delivers them to MI. Rogers. ~, nriyate
secretary.
Mr.. Rogers is the second breakwater.
He told me that his orders were to keep all
office-seekers away from the President, and
that If any slipped past him it was by STRAIT
egg. general Hayes and were school
boys together,' said he, chatting with me
during d short lull in the pressure of cal
lers, land were law partners in Cincinnati.
He wanted me to come On and help him in
carrying out his ideas of civil service re-
form, and I felt that ought to make q
sacrifice to do SO. had no idea that my
duties would be sc. .t at ed5ufss Of -Four Years
ae can educate the country so that we shall
no longer be nation Of .oflice-seekers. He
is determined to make no removals, except
for good cause, and to appoint the best
men he can find, whether the politicians
like them or mott
Occupying desk at Mr.. Rogers elbow
is usually to be seen Webb Hayes, the Pre-
sident's oldest son, a smooth-faced young
man, with large nose, who wears glasses
and looks like a divinity student. He is
intelligent and polite, like all the family.
Between him and the President there ap-
pears to exist a mutual confidence and af-
lection too rarely found between father
and son. A third desk in the room is used
by a Woodworking clerk, who attends to
the correspondence under the private sec
retary's direction. On one side of this
room, which, by the way, is handsomely
furnished and has a lovely outlook Oh the
lawn and the PotomaS, is a smaller apart
ment, where other clerks are on duty. On
the other side three or four steps lead from
an open door down to the Presidents re-
ception room, a large, square room, with
heavy green rep curtains, hung over lace,
at the two windows, q bright carpet, two
desks, numerous book cases and an abund-
ance of velvet cushioned chairs. At q
large desk in the middle of the room the
President receives his visitors. All who
are members of Congress OF Cabinet minis
tiers, come directly in from the hall after
giving their names to a messenger at the
door, and do not. therefore. have to run
the gauntlet of the private secretary.
Every morning between 10 and u the Sena-
tors and Representatives come in steady
stream. Mr.. Hayes has a chair placed
facing his, to which he motions each caller
by turn, rising to shake hands with him as
he advances and then resuming his own
seat. Sometimes when the conversation
is designed to be especially private he gels
up and takes his visitor, aside into win
dow alcove, and sometimes, but very rare
ly, he goes out with him into his retiring
room, adjoining. s..,... -....-
What will Surprise an Indian.
The indian has actual and common ex-
pe1ience Of many articles of civilized man
fo MI o. ;oL