Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-05-29
The Presidents Habits

Washington Correspondence Chicago IIcars,ldl
The President breakfasts at II o'clock in
the morning, and dimes at s in the evening.
There arc duties of State which occupy the
Intervening hours and after these are done
the evening is given to refrcshment and
rest. When there arc nominations to be
sent to the Senate, they are sent the first
thing III the morning-thc Presidents morn
ing, that is to say; about noon. They have
been prepared over night and are ready.
The real working hours of his day arc lust
beyond midnight 1t is then the shears of
Fate click busiest, and the disposition OF
places is decided, while place hunters and
place holders are asleep and unconscious of
the doom or joy that is being shipped out
Tor them III the quiet of pleasant office
looking room in the White House. The
SNOWY portion of his labor is done in the
afternoon, when people go to sec him and
deputations solcmnly march in to make him
tired Of living. 1t is Il common sight to see
long procession of dry and withcred men
and women convokcd from all quarters of
the courty to solcmnly discuss some vastly
winding with impress
slvc though represscd Importance though
the grounds before the Executive Mansion,
on their way TO inflict an address upon his
patient ears. From about ] O'Clock until
about lie is open to all boredom, and he
bears it manllllly. with mild benignity and
good temper that never for IN nstants fails
The President of the United States is in Il
position TO speak out upon all occasions and
to all kinds of people, and Mr.. Arthur ap-
prcciatcs this very distinctly. But he has
the art of saying without offence, and even
kindly. things that in themselves may carry
the pains of death.
\ little after t o'clock in the afternoon
The President takes either i 1riveo or Il walk.
And most palpably does he enjoy them. In
these green and budding days of spring,
when the air is soft as it never is in our
harlicr and less humid West, all Wash
ington that can afford the pleasure
walks or drives from until $50.
On every bright day the Presidents car
raigc rolls along the drives with 4 thousand
Others. Generally there is some one in il with
him-sume members of the Cabinet or Off
GERS of the Army or Maryland no two per-
SONS on the drive look more entirely happy.
Gen. Arthur is kecnly obscrvant OF all that
is to be seen. He has the eye of Il man of
taste, and feminine beauty attracts it quite
rs readily as your own responds to the same
influence. But he has what most men lack:
the art to wit, Of locking ut a lady with adj
miratiOn and yet without offence. He is in
this, as in all things else, dccorols to a de-
gree.
After the drive or walk, as il may chance
to have been. there comes the dinner hour,
and this is his own.
lie seldom dimes alone. He has his cro-
nics, and he has them at dinner. 1t is Il ell
rous circumstance, and one that constitutes
Il fair commentary upon the Presidents :
character and methods, that privately he is
on the most cordial terms with some of the
men who have most bitterly antagonisctl
him. He does not carry into private life
the discords public affairs. The fact that
Il man is not in sympathy with him upon
affairs of State is not allowed to deprive
him of that mans society in case he wants
it. So that the dinners arc enjoyable in
every sense. The President lives we'll and
entcrtains in private with the same felicity
us in public. He likes wine and he loves
to be lcisurcly with it at table. Dinner is
rest as well us refrcshment, and he never
permits it to he hurried
At II in the evening he is ut his desk
again, and from that until or 4 in the
morningas have saidhe works with IL will
II is during these hours, when night insurcs
against Interruption that he secs the people
he most especially desires to see. 1t is not
uncommon TO hear a man say ut midnight
that he has al appointment at the White
House but Of course, at such an hour, no.
body would think of going without having
been asked The habit is odd, but it is
shrcwd considering the day is public and
the night is peaceful.