Morning journal and courier., 1882-06-09
The Presidents Habits.

President Arthur pays attention to every little detail of household decoration. He continually wants this or that article of fur niture shifted about to change the appear
 ance of things. He is particular even to the exact angle at which the corner pieces of furniture rest. and on Mondays, when the rules he has made for the White House e1- clude visitors, it is his custom to inspect the house throughout and see that everything IS in order. reception is apt to leave some things topsy-turvy. Inquisitive people often like to study the upholstery, perhaps, and
 they forget to replace the shaus- The shelf ornaments may take their fancy, and they sometimes fail to restore things to the condi- tion in which they were left at the dictation of the Presidents sesthetic taste.
 In this democratic age few people are aware of the grandeur to be seen in the home of the Chief Ruler of the nation. The State dining room is the room in which the President en-
 tertains at table the distinguished guests. No
 matter whom it may be he Is entertaining, | the President is always served first. He sits a. the centre of one side of the long table, | his wife, if he be married, directly opposite | him. It sometimes happens that the Secre- tary of State will be seated in the chair usual ! Iy assigned to the Presidents wife. After l the President has been served, White House etiquette requires that the lady sitting next
 the President on his right, and then the lady on his left, be served before any others. Then the Presidents wife is waited upon, | and afterward the gentlemen immediately on | her right and left in the order named. Then | the other guests follow. Whenever the table | is set for dinner the large brass plateau which extends for sixteen feet along the ta- ! ble, which was imported from Branch during | the administration of President Monroe, Is | filled with fruits, flowers and Frence candies | In the centre, directly in front of the Presi-
 dent, is placed full-rigged floral ship, which | was sent to President Garfield at the time of l the last inauguration by Boston florist. | The flowers are renewed from the White | House conservatory. When the chandeliers
 and candelabra are lighted, and other effects produced to heighten the scene, the spectator ! is apt to think of the regal festivities of some
 other land than free America.
 Across the wide hall or corridor which ex- | tends from the east room to the large plant 1 conservatory st the west end of the house. I
 was shown into the private dining room of
 the President. There I saw the handsome
 buffet and the sideboard which Mrs. Hayes
 had made during her stay in the White House | The buffet was ornamented with pretty plat ' ters and dishes finished from designs of 1 Theodore Davis, the New York artist. The
 scene depicted upon each dish suggests 8
 story of some kind. In the drawers of the l sideboard is kept the White House silver
 ware. The gold spoons which President Van Buren purchased are still here. They are | said to haze defeated hfm when he ran a
 second time for the Presidency. Some of the | silverware I saw Crump said WAS seventy
 years old, and the side tables in the room
 have done duty for sixty five years The | President often entertains his company in | this private room Then the upper gas jets | are lighted. and the eight csndelsbra, four of | silver and four of brass, are distributed on | the table and about the room, the rehectors ! all being so colored to impsrt deep rosy
 tint to the scene. Sixteen pounds of candles
 are used to carry out this system of lighting ! by candelabra-
 1 It may be of interest to some people to | know the hours meals are served at the White | House During Hayes administration break | fast was served at S:30 o'clock, lunch at L | and dinner at 6. When Gen Garfield became | the host, the hours were an Ohio idea | changed Breakfast was ready at 7:S0 din | ner at 3, and tea at :. President Arthur is
 not regular as to any meal except dinner.
 which is served at o'clock in the evening Ta
 metropolitan ideal. He is not an early riser,
 and it IS not unusual for his breakfast to be | as late as 10:30 o'clock. cup of coffee Is
 always relished by hin at this meal. He | rarely resigns himself to slumber till or in the morning, and five or six hours are all he | requires for rest How he maintains good | health under the heavy strain of so many | hours activity is a question that troubles l friends. He is fond of the dehcacies of the
 season, and his table is not the least expen-
 sive of the various drafts upon his purse.