Lincoln County advocate. (Canton, Dakota Territory, [S.D.]) 1876-1877, 1877-04-18
Jg-
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

How Visitors Arc Introduced-The Office
Seekers.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Times.
Invent up to the White House to see
how the Executive machine is run
under its new management. TIE old
doorkeepers and 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
now all smile and politeness, whereas
under the old regime they were rather
surly and d;sobliging. In the ante
room, 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 3
big inkstand and stack of blank cards
before him. The carpet and walls of
this room are of sickly green, and
seem to have taken their color from
the exhaling hopes of the legion. of
ofice-seekers who have occupied it
while waiting to get access to the
fountain of honor and preferment."
Every morning this apartment fills
up with miscellaneous crowd, so
large that it overfows into the adioin-
ing halls. The scene is worthy the
pencil of great character painter.
Nine-tenths of the people are evidently
ofice-seekers. These are easily recog-
nized by their anxious look, restless,
nervous manner, and the pallor of
their countenanccs. They reminded
me somewhat of the gamblers at Bad
en-Baden, who sit around the green
tables and silently watch the turning of
the cards, but they embrace q much
wider range of social position. These
eager applicants for all places are of
all ranks, from the ex-senator in black
broad cloth seeking to conceal the hui
initiation which he evidently feels un-
der the naughty air with which he
used to stalk about the capitol, down
to awkward countrymen after village
postofices, dowdy widows in rusty
black, and weak faced young men
longing for department clerkships-
yes, even lower, for in the throng are
fellows SO shabby and forlorn that they
would probably be glad to get pair
of the Presidents old boots.
The tall man with the sandy beard is
little better than snare for the un-
wary. Few of the cards which he so
politely asks the hopeful callers to
write ever reach the eyes of His E1-
cellency. The truth is, this patient
and considerate master of the ante.
chamber is breakwater to keep the
crowd away from his chief, while they
think be is put there to help them to
the wished-for interviews. Across the
hall, guarding door, stands dapper
little fellow of unmixed Ethiopian de-
scent. In his keeping are entrusted
such cards as come from persons who
appear to have any business that the
President might reasonably be called
upon to give ear to. He takes them
in and delivers them to Mr.. Rogers,
the private secretary. :,
Occupying q desk at Mr.. Rogers
elbow is usually to be seen Webb Hayes,
the Presidents Oldest son, q smooth.
faced young man, with q large nose,
who wears glasses and looks like q
divinity student He is intelligent and
polite, like all the family. Between
him and the President there appears
to exist mutual confidence and af-
lection too rarely found between faith.
er and son. A third desk in the room
is used by q Woodworking clerk, who
attends to the correspondence under
the private secretary's direction. On
one side of the room; which by the
way, is handsomely furnished and has
q lovely outlook on the, lawn and the
Potomac, is smaller apartment, where
other clerks are on duty. On the 9th.
or side three or four steps lead from
an open door down to the Presidents
reception room, q large square room,
with heavy green rep curtains, hung
over lace, at the two windows, q bright
carpet, two desks, numerous hook cases
and an abundance of velvet cushioned
chairs. AT a large desk in the middle
of the room the President receives his
visitors. All members of Congress or
Cabinet Ministers come directly in
from the hall after giving their names
to messenger at the door, and do not,
therefore, need to run the gauntlet of
the private secretary, Every morning
between 10 and IL the Senators 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 re.
Stunning b own seat. Sometimes when
the conversation is designed to be es-
pecially private he rises and takes his
visitor aside into a window alcove, and
som etimes, but very rarely, he goes out
with him into his retiring room adjoin-
ing. III
DoN'T use words Of whose meaning
you are ignorant, or you may meet
some such ludicrous fate as this
Scotchman's: A recently appointed
Scotch bailie took his seat for the first
time on the magisterial bench. Look.
ing sternly around, he thus addressed
the assemblage: Hitherto there
have been many complaints as to how
impartially affairs have been carried
out here; but / intend that the business
Of this court shall in future be con-
Quoted neither partially nor ..impar-
italy"
The egg and poultry product of the
land is worth more than its cotton or
wheat.