Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-01

FOLKS HABrTs-now Hs SECURED PONCE of At
rENpAyrs-GESERAL rArIoRs USPkETESTioUs
wkys-tIFE At TIE wuIrE House
.Probably you do not KNOW said a former en-
pioye at the White House 20 a STAR reporter few
days ago, shat the National Hotel furnished the
executive mansion with the most OF It's attendants
and help nearly half century ago. Perhaps three
fourths OF the door-keepers, messengers, stewards
walters, &c, came from there- In the summer OF
1874. " ne continued, "Mr. samuel Coleman, OF the
Aston House, New York, succeeded Mr.. Gadsoy Al
the National Mr.. Coleman brought his furnitur
and help from New York In schooner b. sea, and ne
opened about November I. The house from the nTst
took firm hold upon the travelling public, ana
soon IL was nlled with the best class Oh lhe
s0loufners, Including Gen Armstrong ana many
oincers OF me Army and Navy ana msihpeIs 81 81
employees, ana among them were nufnper OF gen
.ieilahAy LOOKING young men from New York VINO
and parties In the large drawing room on the
second noor at least weekly, sometimes three
OF Tour unes per week, and among those
James Gordon BenaeIt Taese entertain
nlents were somewhat different from those
OF the present day. They would close with a sup
yer al midnight, and II xas The rule that when
the guests entered the supper-room all the walters
Dut one would retir-. he would remain IN the
room simply 20 D. on hand should any thing else
be wanted. There were az the hotel az ali times
curing tne session plenty OF society people, and
Snese were usually some three hundred guests
Tue general plan Of the hotel was al present
since"
PRESIDENT PoIks ADMINISTRATION.
"Mr.P Polk, having been elected President arrived
win Mrs. Polk and Mr.. Knox Walker, wife and
Children Ia February and located AT the National
continued the speaker They took suite of rooms
on the second door, and one OF tue New YORK serv-
ants was detailed 70 attend him. well remember
Tue DAY OF ILLS inauguration MY! didn't the rain
come down. Nevertheless they had procession,
aud be went 10 The Capitol and W as inaugurated.
We had no thought then that tue President would
call on any OF US attendants OF The hotel Mr. Polk,
aufibs his stay, had been obseryant. Soon alter
MS inauguration he asked MI. Coleman 10 send him
good man Tor steward and II Was dom. In the
course OF few months others We're 81 Mt for and IN
little time most OF the White House attendants
were from the hotel Some VI these remained Ior
Years at the White House and others were Jralls-
lerred 10 department places. The President pad
the attendants from his own pocket and it was not
uutil the administration OF Mr.. Fillmore that they
were pad directly IRON The public FUNDS"
TIE PRESIDENTS HABITS
"Mr. Polk, he continued, ''was an early riser,
and when the weather was not inclement would
take walk for han an hour through the grounds
and often return 10 the house before the members
Oh The family We're ready Tor breakfast. When our
troops were IN Mexico the war was the subject
which seemed 10 DC continually on he Presidents
MIND, and have heard him frequently say as he
would alt down 10 breakfast, Iiow can relish
breakfast and not know how the army Is tarfng.
dIecting MIN Gen. scotp TO proceed 10 Mexico
ana take personal command OF the troops. Gen.
Scott then lived In the Madison House near the
nJrheaSt corner OF Lafayette square. The note
gave 10 the generals messenger and waited the
reply, In which Gen. Scott said he taking a
nasty Plate OF soup. and oppressed The opinion
Ia the tropics It would be hazardous
lor MIN 10 go. believe that this
note was the orisin Of the term ''hasty plate
OF SOUP" Gen. Scout, however, came To the White
House soon after, and II was not long before he
lett Tor Mexico. The household consisted OF the
President, Mrs. Polk and Mr.. and Mrs kuox
Walker and the cnldren They were ALI very
democratic In their manners and tastes, and when
SUNDAY CINE they spent II quietly, usually at
tending the Presbyterian church on Az street
MI. Poik took much interest In The campaign IN
which Lewis Cass and Gen. Taylor were the candi-
dates and was great personal admirer OF .'old
Rough and Ready" though opposed 70 him poliJi-
cally.
WITH PRESIDENT TAYLOR
"Old lack" as he Was Iamliarly called con-
tinued the narrator, "was too domestic In his
habits Tor such position, and knowing him and
Mrs. Taylor as did. I can readily believe that II
is true That Mrs Taylor said when apprised OF her
husbands election, what do they want US 10 &c
To Washington for7 Why can't they allow Us e
spend our old age la peace7' He Was inaugurate
In ls43, and with Mrs Taylor, Col. Bliss and wife
anu his private secretary constituted the house
hold. do not know that any one In the Presi.
DENTAL chair ever had the respect or the people
of the District more than Gen. Taylor, tor, as
nave said before, he was SO plain and simple al
Als ways lie uu not seem 10 regard The Office a-
OF TOO much dignity 70 keep him away from the
people, and during his short term he frequently
walked down 10 the old center market where he
would Inspect the commodities Oh the stalls A
rine show of beef mutton on the butchers stalls
would Interest him. and have known him 10 re-
mark 70 Capt. Peck. then one OF the leading
butchers. as 10 the quality OF The meats and dis
| cuss cattle growing with him.
IN THE EAST ROOM
81 never shall forget a sight In the east room
when q sunday school procession called TO pay
their respects. With their banners and flags flying
they filed around the edges OF the room, leaving q
space for the President, and when he was escorted
IN he appeared TO be taken aoack. little CIR
then stepped forward and recited an address, pre-.
sentinG MIN with bouquet end then young boy
| OF, perhaps twelve expressed the respect OF The
scholars, &C., for him, and likewise presented .
DoQuet with The words we present you this with
the wishes that you and your family Will enjoy long
life and many happy days II was little thought
then that 10 a short time he would be a corpse
In reply TO these addresses the old general said be
had been taken By surprise and then expressed his
qualification that the children were growing up IN
the sunday school, for he as an old man could see
that the country would be safe IA the hands OF
such as ne saw before him. II has seemed 70 me
sion must have been Just the proper age 70 tender
| their services In the late war"
PRESIDENT rAYLoRs PATRIOTISM.
81 well remember how patriotic he was A cele-
bration OF the 4th OF July IN the PARK Of the
Capitol had been arranged, at which MIR. Whit
tleSey OF OnlO, was 10 READ Inc DeCldratO1 OF In
dependence. IL was warm weather, and some OF
the cabinet and friends were OF the opinion that
the President should not attend. He, however,
insisted and went IL was at the next celebration,
July 4, 1850, at the Monument, that he Was pros
trated by the heat and died July ~ nye days after
ward. There was scarcely dry eye among those
| In the house, for we had learned 10 love him.
DURING PRESIDENT FIILNoREls ADMINISTRATION.
'Mr Fillmore succeeded Gen. Taylor, and In the
two-and-a-half years OF the time there were many
| receptions and leveeS 1t seemed TO me that Mr.
Fillmore had more OF those than was customary
Uerore and some OF before the term was ended
were thoroughly drilled as 10 or duties on such
| that ne was looking forward TO another term The
monotony Of life at the White House was some
what relieved by the little goddess cupid. The
President had daughter, and it was no secret TO
us that she had suitor and, In fact, afianced
one. This was Mr.. Campbell, OF New York, one
| of the most gentlemanly young fellows ever
| knew He was lawyer, believe. and he had fire.
| the White House, aud not infrequently
would spend a lew days with the family
| They were a most Interesting couple, and they
were looking for the marriage In the fall folio wing
the retirement OF the President I'm 1854 She died
few months after the close OF the Admins ration
| and her intended husband subsequently died Mt.
Fillmore generally received callers about O'Clock
and managed TO see all or nearly AL, who came 70
the house.
'GEN. FRANK PIERCE"
continued the veteran, was inaugurated In 1874
and the family were under af1iction at the time a
son having died few months before. Mrs Pierce
who was somewhat delicate as well as the Presi-
dent was much Affected and often saw them