The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-14
POUTING FOR PLACE.
A Row Among the Ladies at "a White House
Reception.

WASHINGTON, February People
who called at the White House last Sat
urdays afternoon were deeply impressed
with the majestic, almost imperious man
ner of Mrs. Justice Miller, who stood
third in the line from Mrs. McElroy
during the reception. There was a high
rosy flush upon Mrs. Miller's face, and
her black eyes fairly snapped. Strangers
unfamiliar with Mrs. Miller's manners
were much impressed by her stately
brusqueness as they were presented. 1t
was noticed that whenever friend OF
Mrs. Miller appeared she talked in
very vigorous and emphatic manner, and
there were looks of amusement or en-
barrassment upon these friends faces,
according TO their disposition, as they
filed by. The reasons for this has since
been explained by Mrs. Miller herself at
several uptown receptions.
Itis the custom for ladies invited to
assist at receptions at the White House
to take their places in line as they are
assigned. There have been raany dis
putes heretofore over the exact place
certain ladies were to occupy in the Blue
Room, but nothing to equal the incident
of last Saturday. Mrs. McElroy was the
first lady to take her position. She in.
vited Mrs. Carlisle to stand next her.
Mrs. Frelinghuysen was to have stood
third, but she5was not we'll enough to
come to the White House to take posi-
ton below the wife of the Speaker. The
third place was then assigned to Mrs.
Miller. She is the wife of the senior
Justice Of. the Supreme Court. The Su-
preme Court people have always held
that they should rank the Cabinet, and
when Mrs. Miller, who had just left q
ladies' lunch party, where she had been
the centre of a group of prominent Ia
dies, arrived and discovered this arrange
ment she was very much annoyed by it.
In one way she resembles her husband.
She has habit of speaking her mind
when excited, regardless of her surround
ings or the occasion. She began her pro-
test by saying that she had been at the
White House since Mrs. Lincoln's time.
In all that period she had never been
outranked by the wife of the Speaker,
and she thought it wss pretty late in the
day for anything Of that sort.
These remarks we're addressed to Mrs.
McElroy, who, being very modest,
timid woman, was overwhelmed with
embarrassment. The other ladies looked
frightened, with the exception of Mrs.
Carlisle. She remained very quiet, look
ing straight ahead of her, utterly ignor.
Ing what was said. This appeared to add
fuel to Mrs. Miller's rage. Catching the
wife of the Secretary of War by the hand
she. said: "Come, Mary Lincoln, you
come here and stand between me and
Mrs. Carlisle, for will never stand next
to her." Mrs. Lincoln is one of the
most timid and modest of women. She
could do nothing but submit to the i'm
perious display of temper, and 30 this
accounts for her being next to Mrs. Car
Isle on that eventful afternoon. Mrs.
Miller did not let the matter drop when
she had taken the next place, but kept
turning to the ladies beyond her, asking
what they thought "of this proceeding"
What these ladies thought they did not
venture to say.
This unusual incident accounted tor
the high color in the faces of the ladies
receiving, and also for the excessive cor
diality with which they pounced upon
the first visitors that came in. 1t may
also have accounted for the agitated
manner of Marshal Mel Michael, who was
so thoroughly amused with the whole
thing that he could hardly get his mind
down to the routine work of making
presentations.
There is nothing in social way that
has made SO much stir in long time, as
the President giving Mrs. Carlisle first
place on New Years Day. Of course he
had no idea of the effect that would be
produced and the storm that was to fol.
low. Mrs. Frelinghuysen has made such
q point about it that at the dinner last
nig ght the Speakers wife sat below the
ladies of the Cabinet. As it was d din
.ner given in honor of the Cabinet there
was some reason perhaps in this, although
it has been customary in the past for the
President to put the wife of the Secretary
of State upon his right and the wife OF
the Speaker upon his lett.