San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-10-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular cOrTs'p0udsnL
wAsnNoroS. Oct 10, 1885,


during the past week. As the short
enipg'days betoken the approach OF
the congressional session, fresh de-
mands upon his time and patience APP
pear, and his work perceptibly in
oreases, The number Of callers ut
his informal receptions grows larger
every day, and few men could endure
the.strain that Mr.. Cleveland and his
private secretary are obliged to daily
undergo. But the former has ro-
bust constitution, and as for Col.
Lamont, know OF no other slightly
built, nervous man who can accom-
plish so much work, with no apparent
fatigue.
The President has greatly lightened
his work by systematizing all his du-
ties. He is cool, calm, self-contained,
and naturally industrious, and with q
happy faculty of concentrating his
whole attention on each task in turn
he makes appointments and dismis-
sails, answers correspondence, trans
acts business and receives visitors
with equal facility. He is usually up
by 7 o'clock, and breakfasts at 8. At
ter his morning meal, he goes at once
to the library, where he spends most
of his time. 1t is large elliptical
room, on the top floor of the mansion.
Adjoining it are his private suite of
apartments, and the room where the
Cabinet meetings are held Col. La
mont's room opens into the latter
apartment.
When the President enters the
library, he finds his private secretary
waiting for him, and such letters and
papers as require his special attention
are ready on his big oaken desk on
the bay window. Here he passes
several hours in disposing ofthe morn
ing business, when it is time for the
reception. The ante'rooms on the
north side of the Mansion are full OF
visitors, who, when the doors are
opened, swarm toward the library.
They hand their cards to the door
keepers (who have quaint collections
of cards, some of which arequeer and
even absurd). The callers pass into
the library or into the room of the
private secretary, for Col. Lamont
has almost as many visitors as his
chief, For couple of hours there is
an unremitting rush for admission
into the two rooms.
The President stands up through
out. He moves from man to man,
and from group to group, having a
pleasant word and o courteous reply
for all who address him. Even to
positive bores he is kindly, and it is
pleasant to watch him when he finds
one of those rara ayia.m who does not
want an Office. He has humor and a
keen sense of wit, and he laughs east
ly and unsteady. He has a power OF
repartee, which must be better known
before he leaves the White House.
1t has served him in many trying and
annoying conversations during the
seven months that he has been in
office.
The interviews with many callers
concluded, he returns to his desk,
where he works steadily, only inter
rupted by an occasional caller who
has made an engagement for some
hour in the afternoon, until after b
o'clock. Then, if the weather is
pleasant, he usually goes out for a
walk or drive, He prefers walking,
and his fayorite stroll is around by
the Washington Monument, a distance
of nearly mile. Even when driving
he frequently descends from the car
riage and walks. He has two car
riages, pretty little victoria and O
landau. He owns only two horses, q
$1,000 team, and he has been talking
about getting third horse to fill a
Mace in case one of the pair being in
disposed. He is not especially fond
of the equine race, in which respect
he differs from his predecessor, in
whose time the stable was full OF
thorough hreds, and who used to
drive four-in-hand. The President
never rides in the saddle, probably
beoause of some consideration OF
ayerdupois. In former days, when
he weighed less than 200 pounds
heorebaok riding was a tavorlte
amusement with him.
! A Western Senator, who was here
during the week. says he has heard
very little about the Republican Sena-
tors fighting the Presidents nomina'
II .l,;,,l,, tbaf 4ba President