The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-05

He Refutes Some Vile Partisan SANDER
About Himself and the President.


About Himself and the President.
Letter in the New York World.
had not intended to speak of my visit here
Ut ali, and especially my call at the w hlte
House 90 Monday, but as the call was shortly
prior to the regular 1:30 reception, and enemies
of the President have stated that the public re-
ception was delayed for nearly an hour by my
visit and that Mr.. Cleveland was in the red
Room having fun, with me when he ought 10
have been in the East Room attending TO his
business. 1 have decided to state briefly the
Facts in the form of = card .
Mr. Charles Dickens, with his wife ana
daughter, Maj. Pond and called at the White
House at o'clock to afford the President an
opportunity of meeting us. and although we re-
manned for twenty minutes, perhaps. alter the
1:30 limit, do not think that the President
should be locked for the lost time
MIR. Cleveland is heayy-set nome mace
man. in the prime OF life, dressed IN long
frock Goa, and short breath. He was not
startled when he learned who we were. but con-
:rolled himself and talked pleasantly about our
common country.
nor murmur because the republic gives him
fine home in Washington and then comes there
and lives on the first floor itself He says he
feels the lack of an opportunity for exercise
more than ANYTHING else, as he is used to havehis
lodgings at one place, his meals at another and
his Office at another. This gave him plenty OF
walking to do before he came 10 w ashihgton,
while now willing hands bring him business
enough to keep him going all the time without
his having to leave the house
President q
about general subjects till the time set for you
to leave him. SO that when you get outside the
large gate you suddenly remember that you
did not refer to the matter you went there to
see him about II has been reported that my
business with him was of an important charac-
ter, involving the future policy of the admins
tration, but such is not the case. went there
in a uurelv social way to talk over old times and
ask him IL / could be of any service to him.
He certainly very courteous man. and
laughed at things / said there in light tone OF
padinage bophomme and persihage, which my
wife has long since ceased TO smile at
Mr. Cleveland showed Us the Blne Room, the
Red Room. the cookroom and furnace. We
roamed round over the White House. looked at
the buttery and found everything all right.
Mrs. Cleveland lie good housekeeper. She is
keeping houseplsnrs this winter, and her scarlet
nerani1ms and verbeuas are looking first rate.
Mr. Cleveland hates to go down and aeitate the
furnace at OF 2 o'clock in the morning during
the cold weather. but he claims that he would
rather do il than Iose a ver5ena that IL just
ready to bloom.
Mrs Cleveland is certainly running the
White House in a very creditable manner, and
the kitchen floor is clean enough 10 eat from
without table cloth. Company don't seem
TO confuse her as thought it would. and she
and the President set q good deal by one anoth-
err He pines for good chance to live where
he could run q mile or two a day 10 catch boat,
and thus reduce his surplus, for he says he al
ways feels kind of sheepish to walk around
through the White House grounds with no OBJ
ject. He likes to shake hands with people in
the East Room and does not seem to be afraid
that some rude assassin may come In on him
and mar his peace and JOY.
There was nothing said during confer
ence that would hesitate to repeat here. or that
will make any vital changes in the general pol
icy OF the government l said that il looked
like backward spring in Dakota, and that this
would pass for pretty hard winter on stock
but L do not remember anything else that
seemed to bear on the public welfare in any way
whatever
Our party visited the Treasury Department
for an hour in the morning, and frightened up
Secretary Fairehild's Office for part Of that
time. We were told by the secretary that soon
n quantity of silver would be removed from the
Philadelphia mint to Washington. in order to
remove the strain on Philadelphia. A rough
calculation as to transportation showed that 1t
would require l35 freight cars to convey 1T to
the treasury.
This gave me added confidence in the govern
ment, and when went down stairs and saw the
pales of currency. and haymows of bonds, and
vast cellars full of coin. said TO myself that
would never again turn up my nose at q green
back.
who can tell what denomination bill was be-
fore il was burned and apparently destroyed by
fire She would be almost invalua ole during
the resurrection should think.
We also visited the Capitol. Our time was
limited, and could not visit both houses OF
Congress. We were as undecided as Mr..
Clemens. the humorous publisher of religious
works. who was once asked where he thought
he would go to when he died. He said he was
undecided. as ne had friends in both places
We finally visited the Senate and beard Mr..
Frye make his tariff speech. Mr.. Frye has an
earnest and vigorous manner and made good
speech. During q speech opposing Senators
break in each other and pound each others
desks in violent manner, after which they
shake hands and appear perfectly friendly.
Their bitterness towards each other reads we'll
in the home papers and does not in any way IN
terfere with their Washington friendship.
While here Mr.. Dickens and Maj. Pond and
were under the charge of Senator Preston B.
Plumb, of Kansas. who is as broad and sunny in
his nature as the boundless prairies of his
mighty State. He was very polite to us, and he
deserves a four-line notice at this point
hope to visit Washingt again during the
winter aud write piece for the paper about it.
1 cannot remain now, because must get my
plug hat groomed and lacked M. but the guests
of Wizards Hotel will see there before the
robins nest again.
I forgot to state that in the evening wit
Theater. Mrs. Cleveland attended and sat on
my right Ii was nothing more than right that
she should. She laughed heartily all through
the play, and when old Josh was aroused in the
night by tho cry OF fire and jerked his old trunk
through the parlor while clad in long, white.
lace handkerchief which must have cost at least
80 cents.
She was dressed in good taste and looked first
rate. She seemed perfectly unconscious of the
fact that she was feasting her eyes on the play
while the audience Toasted its eyes ON her.
When visit Washington again may allude
TO the House and refer TO the monument, which
was pointed out to me by every one met.
Washington is like large and fourishiug
county seat. and every little while you see a
man who would like to be drawn on the grand
jury BILL NYE.
THE WHITE HOUSE OF OLD.