The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-26
THE "EIRST LADYES.n
MRS. Lincoln's Receptions--Tho Model OF
tho Executive Mansi1.l Tho Latiiss or tho
EoHt

|
I
Mrs. Lincoln's Receptions-Tho Model Of
tho Executive Mansion Tho Iatiiss or tho
/ Cabinet.
A correspondent Of the Philadelphia
Times thus pleasantly gossips about
the social life at the Republican Court
IN Washington. Hc says:
Ono of the most impressive and
gorgeous receptions which the writer
ever attended was given by tho Prcsi-
!, dent and Mrs. Lincoln toward the last
Of his important term. The White
House looked old, worn and dingy,
for this preceded the golden splcndor
of the Grant regime, but tho brilliancy
and magniticcncc was made up by the
scarlet uniforms of the Marine Band
with tho gilt buttons and shoulder
straps of the brave defenders of tho
Union, who clustered about the Capt.
tai in those historic days. The same
struggling tide of humanity inundated
the doors Of the Executive Mansion,
but at every turn soldier was sta
toned to keep the crowd within the
limit Of Mrs. LincoIn's law. Bayonets
glittering over the daintily dressed
heads and bare shoulders Of the beauti-
fully dressed ladies who declared that
"mOb law" was now inaugurated and
"thcy should never visit the White
House again, umtU a. change." But if
the guests felt insultcd at tho presence
OF the bayonets what was their aston
ishmcnt upon gong into the "prcs-
ence' to find genuine crown OIL Mrs.
Lincoln's head. 1t was made OF gilt,
but looked precisely like those which
are found OH the heads Of those dis
tinguishcd women about whom we
read in Agnes Strickland's 'Livcs of
the Queens Of England" The stones
or gems were wanting, but the tinscl
and gilt was all there. There was
only time allowed to note that dear
old Abraham looked down at the little
"bobbing" woman ut his side, as he
might at a frolicsomc kitten, then a
cold steel bayonet pressed the writer's
shoulder, while the military grufT
voice added: "Pass on! pass on!"
Aftcrward it was asccrtaincd that the
'crown" was harmless hair-dress
invented by Philadelphia milliner,
and that Mr.. Lincoln ridiculcd it so
severely that its debut and withdrawal
}all took place the same night.
1t was Mrs. Lincoln who arranged
that division of society should be
made after the guests have entered the
White House. She had II door set
apart for the Judges of the Supreme
Court, Senators, army and navy and
foreign Ministers. Members Of Con-
grcss were herdcd with the common
people, and actually forced through
the same door. When Mrs. Julia
Grant succeeded to the sccptrc she
realized that any distinction of this
kind would nuke any administration
unpopular; so she decided that all per-
sons who entered the front door of
the Mansion were entitled to the same
social privilege, and all doors should
be alike to the guests. But to get
over the difficulty and please ROYALTY
rs well rs democracy, Mrs. Grant dis
covered side door, q sort of sneak
entrance, where those who wished to
avoid the crowd could pass in, take
up their positions in the roar OF the
"thronc," and glare upon the stvue-
Cling crowd of humanity rs it passed
by in single file.
| ARISTOCRATIC REGULATIONS.
With astonishmcnt the writer learn
cd by personal experience that MIrs.
Hayes has revived Mrs. Lincoln's law
as to the aristocracy Of the doors,
Last Saturday for the first time at a
public reception the writer entered the
White House. Seeing all immense
crowd struggling to 90 through one
door, and kept back by the police,
while at another in close proximity
only now aad then few were per-
mittcd to pass, upon inquiry it was
learned that door was set apart for
the pri, ilegcd few. AS the hour was
about to expire and it was found that
if we waited our "turn" with the
crowd there would he no view of Re-
publican royalty that day, Mt least, it
was learned that fat man in another
part Of the Mansion had the power to
let even common person slip through
the aristocratic door, and by means
of that bribery which the "minions of
the press" know so well how to be-
stow, access was gained to the "prcs-
ence" and picture was hung OH the
walls OF memory, to last us rs long as
the soul floats down the great river of
eternity. It recalled the rare beauty
and unstudicd grace Of Harriet Lane
as she stood by the side of President
Buchanan, followed by Mrs. Lincoln
and her tinsel crown, succeeded by
the & C,ughters Of Andy johnson, who
SAID, owe are plain people from the
mountains Of Tennessee; too much.
we fear, is expected of u.s." Then
Julia Dent Grant, who possesses the
wonderful power of conciliating all
the distracting clements which help to
unite social and political society.
TIE MODEL OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
1t is an historic fact that the White
House is modelled after the palace of
the Duke of Leinster. This accounts
for the lofty walls so decorated and
bcautified In frcscoes that they rcsem.
blc In intention, if not in genius, the
noble creations wrought by Raphalc
and Michael Angelo. AS the eye de-
scends from the ceiling it rests upon
the inlaid floor, but this is covered
with carpoting 80 thick that the tramp
ofa regiment would bo noiscless as