The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-06-05
WHITE HOUSE CLOCKS.
The Executive Mansion II Furnished Will
Tw.nty-Twa TimenieceS.

The Executive mansion IN II uFhtSiou Win
Twenty-Five Timepieces.
The people at the White House take
note of time. They do it with twenty
two fine eight-day clocks, not count
ing the few ephemeral and cheap al
fairs whose active life with one wind
ing is for day only. Every Thurs
day skillful clockmau from a store
on Pennsylvania avenue goes up to
the White House and into every room,
and in nearly every one he winds
clock. He and the President are the
only men who have the undisputed
entree to every apartment OF the
Executive Mansion.
Nobody knows how much the clocks
cost, and one or two of them have
historical associations which make
them priceless. The skillful clock man
who takes care of them thinks the
TWENTY-FIVE clocks could not be dupli-
Gated for less than 81, 900.
The most expensive OF the time
pieces is also the most ancient and has
the prettiest story connected with it.
1t rests on the mantel in the blue par
Tor, and is in form female figure
resting on a couch arch. The female
figure has nothing to do with keeping
the time. The clock face is in the
front OF the couch. The figure and the
couch are OF bronze and are gilded.
The story is that the first Napoleon
gave this clock to Lafayette, who in
turn presented it to George Washing
ton. History is silent as to how it
came to be in the White House, where
+ Washington never lived. Indeed,
there is no affidavit accompanying any
part OF the story, and possibly 1t is
not true. But certainly it is a good
clock. keeps good time, and serves to
warn the people who call upon Mrs.
Harrison and her beautiful daughters
and daughter-in-law when they have
staid long enough.
Whoever arranged the clocks in their
present positions appreciated the fact
that time was more precious to the
President than to the other members
of the family. The French clock in
his bedroom is a handsome black mar
BILE and gilt e-piece, and its cathe-
dral gong sounds the quarter-hours.
None of the other clocks do that
Hours and half-hours are frequent
enough for them.
Every bedroom has French clock.
That in Mrs. Harrison's room is of gilt
and has gilt candlesticks to match. In
Mrs. Russell Harrisons bedroom there
is another gilt clock with a glass case
over it.
In the Presidents office there is a
large black marble clock with bronze
figure above it. The clock in the Cabi.
net-room is more comprehensive and
includes calendar and barometer.
Private Secretary Halford has in hi:
room the clock which is dearest to the
hearts of the old employees in the White
House. 1t is of black marble and gilt
and originally had a glass case over it
but that was broken long ago. Wha
appeals to the sentiment in this time
piece is that it is the only article il
the White House. certainly the onl!
one in the room where it now is, which
stands exactly as it did when Abraham
Lincoln was President. Lincoln's offic
room was the one now occupied b.
Mr.. Halford, and the clock stood o.
the mantle then just rs it does now
but it has not always been there. MI
Arthur fancied the clock because OF it
associations and had it taken to hi
own room. Mr.. Henley, chief of tn
Executive Office during Mr. Cleveland
administration, asked to have
brought back to the room which h
then occupied, and about two year
ago it was done.
There is another very expensiv
clock in the green parlor. 1t is {
white marble and gilt. In the re
parlor there is q glass-cased gilt clocl
and in the blue-room there is also
gilt clock, besides the Napoleon time
piece.
A tall clock of comparatively moder
construction, but of the old fashion
stands in the lower hall near the el
trance to the conservatory, and in tt
upper hall there is a genuine oil
fashioned, wooden-cased clock b
enough for a girl to hide in. 1t W;
made in Boston.
In the private dining-room there is
large rblack marble clock, with
bronze figure of Diana on the top of
The state dining-room contains /
clock, delicate consideration for IL
feelings of guests. preventing any r
hinder of the flight of time, or of Il
unreasonable length of their time
the table.
The basement, stewards roor
kitchen md other rooms devoted
domestic purposes are supplied wi
what the German clock-man who tax
care of them calls Yankee clocks
There is nothing remarkable abo
them. There is not an alarm-clock
the house.-Washington Post.
aNS
Two Brave Southern Women.
Near Shiloh, Ga, in o modest &C
tage, lives Captain Jane Smith" wi