Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-03-01
WASHINGTON SOCIETY,".

The Mistress of the White House Neither
Makes Nor Receives Calls.
1t is the day visiting, says a Washing
ton correspondent, that puts the last
straw on society's tired back-the calling
business, which can only be evaded by
one woman in official circles. The mistress
of the White House neither makes nor re-
ceives calls. The mistress of the White
House, be she inclined to gayety or n OF,
has an easy time compared with the wives
of Cabinet officers and wives of Senators.
1t is true she shakes hands with many
people on stated occas ions. But the &C.
casions need not be frequent, and this
year they are not frequent. The wife of
a Cabinet officer or wife of Senator is
expected to open her house to the public
every week on stated day. The
card of the visitor does not make
these receptions less public in the
numbers of strangers with whom the
hos tess shakes hauds-strangers she has
never before put her eyes on, and may
never see again. In the long run she does
as much handshaking as the mistress of
the White House. Then there are the din
ner parties, many all through the season,
and there are evening receptions, with
elaborate suppers or refreshments for
several hundred guests at one time. All
this the wife of Cabinet officer is expect
ed to do, and then comes the last straw in
returning calls. If the Senator is we'll
known, if he has his own house here, and
if people like him and his house. there is
almost demand in the expectation that
he will entertain. 1t is the same with the
Cabinet officer. If he shuts himself up in
a boarding house, and lives on his sal ary,
there are no great expectations by the
people. But if he once shows his hand as
true host in his own house, then he is in
for all that society demands to make So
ciety happy.
Now, on the contrary, the President
may do cry little besides the handshak-
ing at official and public receptions. He
need not serve refreshments il he does
not choose, even at official receptions,
when guests are really guests by card in =
vitation, and the mis- stress of the White
House is bsolutely independent, and may
do very little unless she herself wishes
to do great deal. Nobody finds fault
with her if she receives every Saturday
through the season. Nobody finds fault
with her if she receives every other Sat-
urday, or three or four times in a winter.
No woman in official life is so seldom crti
cised as the mis- :ress of the Viii te House.
OF course her sun sets when she leaves the
portals behind her. But while there it is
the brightest of all suns. 1t is a mist AIKEN
idea that the Presidents wife
or the Pre- sident's sister has a
''hard place" while mistress of the
White House. Certain restraints and laws
of etiquette make her life in the White
House somewhat unnatural. But it is, on
the whole, an easy, pleasant life. And to
search the land over, no woman could be
found who would decline to be mistress of
the White House.
Formerly Presidents gave more public
receptions in the evening. President
Arthur began the fashion of three official
and one public reception for a season.
President Cleveland followed this rule of
fashion, and so far has made no change.
But his tri-weekly handshaking with the
people in the East Room takes in part the
place of evening receptions &c the public.
And all strangers in the city on Monday.
Wednesday and Friday may meet the
President in the big East Room at half
past one O'Clock.