Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-03-02
A7lsSanGlrla WazEstf.
MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 2.

The Next Mistress of the White House.
President-elect Cleveland has completed
..,s few preparations which be deems ne
,,ssary for the social side of his forthcoming
residence in Washington. His sister, Miss
Il. E. Cleveland, will be the mistress OF the
White House. She did not join the house
fold in the Governors Mansion at Albany,
hut has been with him great deal since he
retired to the Towner residence on his TT sig
,.ution of the governorshlp. Ii was win
reluctance that she consented to go 10 Wash.
,ugton 10 take charge of the presidential
domicile. She has been an earnest anu III
,iustrious woman, and never contemplated
), life of luxury, much less one OF consp'tu'
Gus position before the country. one Is 10
UNIQUE in her way as her brother Is IN MS
though they are apparently not at all aLKo
in general character. Nor does sne PMS
cally resemble him. She is OF medium sl;s-
lure and build, with shapely and highly
intellectual face. She is good-looklng, bu'
not pretty. She dresses neatly, but PLAIN
iv. and wears few ornaments. she has
tor long time been lecturer by pro.
t.ssion, her specially being educational
subjects. and her audiences usually Tie
nupils of girls schools. She has, for exam
Die lust lectured at the Elmira Seminary,
on 'Joan of Arc" She speaks several Ian
puages, is exceptionally we'll informed III
history and the arts, and has that degree OF
confidence in herself and the knowledge she
uossesses to be able to firmly take the lead
IN conversation, and to hold it against the
bright men and women who have come III
contact with her. Yet, in some respects,
she is notably shy, and always so modest
and amiable as to win friends easily and
quickly. "Why, she's q perfect dictionary"
said ex Governor Cornell, when he returned
from visit to Miss Cleveland, yesterday
''shes one of the brightest women ever
met"
"And do you know remarked the ex-
governors vivacious wife, she seemed In
clined to avoid promiscuous society IN
Washington. told her on no account to
do so. informed her what nice people she
would meet how charming the social at
mosphere is there, if one onl y choosed ones
own circle among the refined families and
Ialso assured her that she need not be
doubtful about her ability to entertain,
though omitted the truth-that there are
few women there so we'll fitted to reign in
the White House as She"
There seems to be no doubt that Miss
Cleveland's administration will not lack
distinctive qualities, for she is strong
minded woman, accustomed to instruct
members of her sex, and with hrmly-ground-
ed notions generally.
As to the President-eect there is an equal GER
tainty that he has made up his mind to rival or
excel Arthur in the politeness of his social ad-
ministration. If you call on him here, and have
lived in Washington, he unreservedly shows
great interest in all that you can tell him about
the capital. He has never seen tho White House,
and he says very positively that ii you Ut your
friends have any curiosity to inspect it you had
better do so Immediately, for he does not intend
to have it managed as museum to be entered
by sny body who will fec servant with q dollar
lie has no objection to the public exhibition OF
the state parlors whenever they are not In use,
but to have his bedroom and the living depart
ments of his family thrown wide open to who
over cares to SEQ them, he thinks must BIO un-
pleasant for the occupants He has already or
dered that the practice be discontinued as soon
az he shall be installed
In his life, in Albany, Mr.. Cleveland Is plain
enough He eats sparingly. His cook is an ordl-
nary servant, with nu French or other accomplish
ments The small and delicate Senator Eyarts,
whom q correspondent happened to sec in
close contrast with Cleveland during his CALL
swallows as much in one day as the bulkier man
does in three. Whatever his habits may have
been in Buffalo. he certainly has hot been known
in Albany as convivial bachelor. He keeps box of
cigars in his desk and they constitute the only
refreshments commonly offered to visitors. His
predecessors, Dix, Tilden and Cornell always had
wine galore, but he abolished the closet for bev-