Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-12-12
FUN
BEL7A'S CABINET.
BY ELSIE HATHAWAY.

as soon as she finished trying on her dress.
The Attorney General took out her knitting
and said 3. WE'LL might as well be work
ing No telling how long We'll have to wait y
"For my part" said the Secretary of War,
az think it is rather beneath the dignity of a
President to spend all her time getting new
clothes
"Not but what she needed them badly
enough" interjected the Attorney General,
somewhat viciously.
sWell," said the Secretary of the Interior,
"the Postmaster General hasn't come yet any
way. We always have to wait for her."
At this point the Postmaster General hur-
ried in.
"Ia am afraid Pm late" she said breathlessly,
g but I just stopped at the bazaar few
minutes. They've got in all their fall things,
and there are some of the loveliest combina-
tons you ever saw"
Eager attention on the part of the cabinet,
interrupted by the servants announcement:
"Her Excellency, the President of the
United States"
'tGood morning. ladies'"
:" Good morning, Mrs. freSlueut. \aH Ill
chorus ooh! what lovely dress"
Eyes" said the President, 81 thought I
would just wear it down and let you see it.
It's pretty, isn't it? Just look at the hang of
the train"
"Its perfectly magnificent" said the Sec
rotary of War. "Those fine pleatings of
crepe de chine give it such a lovely finish. But
isn't it just little short in front ?"
"Why, of course" said the President, with
some asperity. 81 have them all made that
that way, SO as not to have to change when
ride the tricicle."
81 hope it's all silk" said the Attorney
General, sticking her knitting needle through
her back hair, while she rubbed a piece of the
dress between her thumb and finger. "Did
you save me piece for my crazy quilt"
"Oh, yes," answered the President affably.
"And now, let's go to business, ladies'
haven't much time this morning. have to
sit for my picture at 1 o'clock"
.sThe most important business I know OF, :"
said the Secretary of State sis to decide on
minister to the court of st. James. You
know Lowell has asked to be recalled"
"Oh, yes, forgot all about that" said the
President. GO Whom shall we send ?"
eff it had been earlier" said the assistant
Secretary of the Navy, refectively, 81 would
have gone myself, but the season is over by
this time, and then I get SO horribly seasick. "
cit will be hard to get any one to CO." OBJ
served the Secretary of War. 81 am told the
climate is SO damp that your hair never stays
in curl at all"
els that so ?' asked the President, appre-
hensively. "Well, we must send some one,
and you know won't receive any suggestions
from Congress until we can get House and
Senate with majority of ladies'"
az tell you what" said the Secretary of the
Interior, rapping unsteady on the table with
her thimble ''my sister was saying the other
day that she had to have her winter suit made
by a London tailor. Suppose we appoint her,
and she could send us over anything we
wanted
eIt's curious" muttered the Secretary of
War, in an audible aside, st that the Secretary
of the Interior always has sister to suggest
for everything"
The Secretary Of the Interior looked al :
sently out of the window at the view and took
no notice of this remark, and no one else
taking it up, her sister was agreed upon, all
coincidng, when the President justly OBJ
served, ''You know we can recall her if we
change our minds.'
"And then," the President went on,
GO there's Germany to provide for"
l., g 30
Germany, Mrs. President ?" asked the Secre-
tary of War.
"Oh. don't you know 20 said the Secretary
of State there's Herr Most and pork and
Lasker and Bismarck, and all those things to
talk about"
81 know there was color called Bismarck
some years ago." said the Secretary Of the
Treasury, meditatively, as she sorted her crew.
els, " but it was hideously unbecoming."
"But there's q new red brown this fall, :"
said the Postmaster General eagerly, that's
just perfectly lovely FOR a dark complexion,
though think myself nothing wears as we'll
as the old seal brown"
"Speaking of seal brown" said the assis
tant Secretary of the Navy, show about the
comm; ssioner who was to be sent to Alaska to
provide us all with sealskin dolmans? Its
getting pretty cool; the frost touched my
tuberoses last night; it's time she was sent, I
think"
''It's long, cold Journey" said the Presi-
dent, "and no society after you get there but
Chillycats, as they call those Indians and no
wonder. Maybe we would better send man ;,
perhaps the Secretary of the Interior has
brother who would like to CO." suggested the
Secretary of War, sarcastcally.
eff I had" responded that lady, severely,
che would know what to get whea he got
there, and not bring back parcel of plush
things, expecting people to think they are
SEAL"
This was such direct hit at the Secretary
of Wars last winter garment that the Presi-
dent wisely effected diversion by calling to
order the Postmaster General, who was heard
murmuring to her neighbor about something
"edged with deep rufie of antique lace"
BY the way" inquired some one, where
is the Secretary of ths Navy?"
'sShe said in the note she sent me- that she
had cried her eyes red because her bonnet
didn't match her suit after all, and perked up
behind besides
"Too bad" said the President, emphati-
cally. 'I wonder if she's made arrange.
ments to order up all the officers and midship,
men from Annapolis for the reception next
week"
81 don't know" said the assistant "but
I'll call and remind her on my way home
She is SO engrossed in that new portiere she's
working, that she forgets everything"
81 hope it will turn out better than the
last" retorted the caustic Secretary of War.