Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-09-22
Harriet Lame

Harriet Lane
As is known by many, this dis
tinguishcd lady is now Mrs. Henry
E. Johnston, the wife of the emf
nent banker Of Baltimore bearing
this name. She las again been re-
Gently brought prominently before
the public by the St. Louis RcPub.
lican in the article subjoined. II
cannot fail to attract general atten-
ton:
The wives of the old-time Demo
Gratis who enjoyed the stately sooie-
ty ofVashington under Democrat
ic administrations years ago antici-
pate with pleasure the accession Of
Mrs. Hancock as the mistress Of
the White House. She is possess
ed of those greceful manners that
made Harriet Lane 50 famous, and
will, it IS believed, restore to the
first house in Tie republic all Of the
charms It once possessed.
do You know that the only pre-
sent Miss Harriet Lane received
when she presided over the White
House was a few pebbles p said
an accomplished ladya few days ago,
in recalling some incidents Of Wash
ington society under former Demo
cratic administrations, at is true
President Buchanan made the rule
that she should not receive any pres
ents, and it panied her feminine
heart when the beautiful Japanese
trinkets and the other presents were
sent from the door. One day she
visited Mount Vernon with Mr..
Augustus Schell, and he picked up
a selection Of pebbles from the path,
which he had polished TO a high
degree and placed in bracelet
This he gave to Miss Lane, and the
workmanship was so beautiful and
its origin so unique, that she could
resist the temptation to accept the
gift, One day, when she found
Mr.. Buchanan in good humor she
said Mr., President that is the
title she always uscd,whilc he call
her Miss Harriet. Mr.. President,
you did not mean that l should not
accept few pebbles.if they were
given to me 2 oh, no. said he.
Miss Harriet, you may keep your
pebbles
Then she displayed Mr.. Schell's
gift, and although the President
was surprised and apparently a lit
tie doubtful about the gift, he had
given Miss Harriet his permission,
and she kept her pebbles, and l
trust that she has got them yet.
Miss Lane made a most graceful
mistress of the White House. She
was beautiful, of the English type
of beauty, but she was something
Of a coquet. Many men were deep
ly in love with her l was at 2 re-
ception one evening in the White
House, and was standing in the hall
talking TO a very courtly gentleman
from South Carolina, He was
much in love with Miss Lane, and
she knew it. She stood a short
distance away, gracefully bending
over a parterre Of flowers. Now
see her, The said to me, feasting his
upon her, does she not seem every
inch lady 2 Miss Lanes quick
glance5 saw that we were speaking
of her, and with an arch movement
of her head she bent closer to the
flowers, picked out a little bouquet,
which she most tastefully arranged
and then moving over to us, present
ed the flowers to my companion
Not a word was spoken; but the &C
ton said, This is for your compli
pliment.' Miss Lane loved flowers;
but the conservatory grew one
plant she was iOndest of because
she thought 1t was most aristocrat-
ic. 1t was the adesia,a small plant
growing about two feet high. One
variety bore white berries, another
red berries, and at state dinners
Miss Lane placed one plant filled
with white berries at one end Of The
table, and one with red berries at
the other. President Buchanan
learned to share her love for these
flowers. Once he asked me if
knew the plants. This one |
said, pointing to the one with white
berries, is the adesia alba 'Th
other said the President quickly,a