The Washington critic., 1888-01-14
sIXTY-THREE YEARS AGO.
Rccollections of the white House by
John Adams Granddaughter.

RCCOlleCtiOns of the White House by
John Adams Granddaughter.
In passing through the halls Of the
Hamilton House perhaps YOU will
meet q tiny figure in black silk and
lace, with n lace cap covering but not
concealing the old-fashioned side curls
Of dark brown hair, scarcely touched
with silver A veritablc fairy god
mother, and with probably more won
derful things to tell than ever an
ordinary fairy godmother had for she
is the granddaughter of John Adams,
and the niece of John Quincy Adams,
and as such has seen during the long
years of her life many q social and
political revolution, and talked with
many great men who live for us only
in history.
Sixty-three years ago, girl Of six
teen, she lived at the White House, q
guest of her uncle, the then Presi-
dent Some time since she spent an
evening in the pleasant company of
Mrs. Cleveland, who took her through
the house to show her the changes
half century and liberal Govern
ment had made.
Speaking of how it compared with
the house as she remembered it, she
said: "0f course there have been no
great or radical changes made, but
modern innovations have rendered it
an exceedingly comfortable and rather
handsome abode, in comparison with
the dreary old barn it was when |
used to roam through it. The red,
blue and green parlors are very much
the same in general effect. As | re-
member it, the East room Tor long
room, as we called it, was unfur-
nished with the exception Of parlor
suit that had never been upholstered.
There were no conservatories, and
in consequence the floral decora.
tions We're meagre compared with
those of the present. On
the east side, within speaking
distance of the house, were the
stables, and very modest ones at that
The grounds were unimproved, and
in bad weather it was q perilous un-
dertaking to reach the entrance from
the Avenue. The drawing-rooms
receptions they call them now, were
held in the furnished parlors. They
generally commenced early in the
evening, not later than o'clock, and
were always over at 12. In fact, all
entertainments were over at that hour
There were the usual hospitalities to
the different sgroups, just as there arc
now, but the ovees were not crowded
with such : miscellaneous gathering
Perh" it is because there were not
so ma. people then. Wax candles
were usal for Illuminating, which
made that fer more expensive and
less brilliant affair than in the present
day.
"Our dresses2 Well, there was not
much of them. Four or five yards
was generous dress pattern, but the
material was always rich. They were
made with what is now called baby
waist, u straight short skirt, with
what little fullness it had drawn tC
the back, and reaching just to the
ankles, where it was met by high
laced slippers. Kid gloves, generally
white, were drawn up as near to the
shoulder as possible, and tied with
| ribbons, while the neck and shoulders
were bare. Bangs were not worn, the
hair being curled to droop languidly
over the ears and done up in n knot
in the back. Sixteen was considered
quite mature age for girl in those
days, and have often assisted in re,
ceiving in just such costume as
have described.
Picture to yourself the slender,
girlish figure in the skinny, old
fashioned gown, side-curls, framing
rosy cheeks and merry dark eyes,
and then the richly-costumed mistress
of the White House, as she appeared
on New Years day, and it will speak
more loudly of the changes time has
wrought than anything else at the
Executive Mansion.
This charming old lady, with whom
time has dealt so gently, looks on the
FIRST lady in the land" with affection
and admiration. She has two por,
traits of her adorning the walls of her
apartments; those published by the
Studio. They are slightly idealized
but very like her." is her criticism Oh
| them.