Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-24
MRS. HAYES IN WASHINGTON.
How Her Womanly Tact Won Successes
I'm the White House.

How Her Woman1y Tact Won Successes
I'm the White House.
THE FAMOUS CONTEST ovEa wNx--How SIZE
ovRRcAH1 TIE DITYIcuLriHs OF DIPLOMATIC
DNyKR-THH PERSONAL REGARD OF TIE WHITE
HOUSE ENPLoYEs FOR HER.
When Mr.. Hayes came into the White House
under extraordinary conditions Mrs. Hayes,
who, the telegraph says this afternoon, II dy-
ing, undertook the task Of smoothing the way
for her husband. In this she succeeded She
had much prejudice and Islander to counterfeit,
and the world may never appreciate the gentle
heroism with which she met the difficulties in
her way. She was q woman Of education and
refinement She understood the art Of enter
tanning better than most women even in high
social position do. She knew how to
make the greater and the lesser alike
feel perfectly at home and enjoy themselves
when at her house. Few women would have
attempted what she did successfully, to enter
tain entirely without the use of wines at table
The persons connected with the official
household Of the President during the four
years Of the Hayes administration were all
devoted to Mrs. Hayes, and the news of her
dangerous illness has caused them much con-
Germ. Several of the present official force were
at the White House at that time. Their recol-
lection Of her il colored with warm personal
regard.
HEB woxANLY TACT.
During her time the White House force was
one large family, Of which Mrs. Hayes was the
center. 1t was one Of her tasks to overcome
the prejudice that was in the minds of some of
the public men against the administration. So
successful was she in this that after converse
ton with her. Senators, democrats and repub-
licans, were often heard to give expression to
most extravagant compliments Of her grace as
a hostess. Senator Gordon, one of the
in the Senate, became one Of her most
enthusiastic friends after meeting her at the
White House. He spoke Of her as o rare wo-
man. The one thing that caused most talk
about Mrs. Hayes was the stand she took on the
temperance question. From that has come
the talk of her ruling her husband and casting
petticoat influence over the national admin
istration. She was most earnest in her
temperance views and was determined that
wines and liquors should not be served at her
table. 1t has often been said i'll q slurring way
that the absence of wine from the White House
trary was the case.
THE WINE CONTEST.
1t was well known to Mrs. Hayes that she
must in some way make up for the absence Of
wine at diplomatic dinners, or must so arrange
these occasions as not to make its absence in
appropriate. In her efforts to dispense with
the use of wine che had the support of her
husband, but the very active opposition Of the
Secretary of State. MIR. Evarts held that it was
improper to require members of the diplomatic
corps at a state dinner to conform to the preiu-
dices Of the Presidents wife in the matter of
what they should drink and he made an earnest
fight for old customs-and old wine. 1t was q
struggle between the premier and the Presi-
dents wife, and the latter, of course, won.
HOW SHE ovERcAME THE DIFFICULTY.
But the scheme Mrs. Hayes devised to meet
the difficulty was at once original and very
clever. When the time arrived for the diplo-
matte dinner, instead Of the small assemblage
of decorated diplomats in the state dining
room, she struck upon the idea of a large
reception. She knew that it would be very
difficult indeed to conduct the usual diplomatic
dinner successfully without wine, when all the
diplomats would expect it. But with an
immense assemblage the case would be differ
ent. Any one might see the improperly of dis
pensing wine to an assemblage almost as large
as that at public reception. She had engraved
cards Of invitation to the heads of depart
ments and their higher officials, to Senators
and members, to army officers of and above the
rank OF major, and navy officers Of and above
the rank of captain. These cards read, after
giving the title of the officer addressed, e.,
You are invited to meet the members Of the
diplomatic corps, &C." These invitations were
80 numerous that the White House was filed
up stairs and down with officials and
dignitaries of state. Tables were spread
in the ordinary and in the state
dining room, and in the Offices and Hobbies
upstairs, where one might sit or stand as he or
she preferred. A magnificent dinner was
served-an abundance of everything that goes
to make the finest banquet complete, ex-
cept the wine. The improperly of serving
wine to such an assemblage was considered by
Mrs. Hayes as excuse enough for not having
it; but she made up for its absence by the quail
ity OF the dinner. No expense was spared.
This was the style Of her diplomatic dinners
during the whole four years. As to matter OF
economy, why, she could have given several
state banquets with wine for what one of these
entertainments cost. They cost each never
less than $4,000, which was the exact cost of
the first one.
THE WHITE HOUSE FORCE.
Mrs. Hayes did not attempt to curtail the
personal liberty Of those about her. Several of
the official force at the White House took wine
and liquor when they cared for it, and there
was no hypocritIcal attempt to conceal the fact
them all, and would some times talk with them
on the subject of drinking habits, but she did
not attempt enforced reformation on the ex-
ecutiye clerks.
THE THANKSGIVING DINNERS.
Every Thanksgiving while she was in the
White House Mrs. Hayes gave family dinner,
at which she and the President and their chill
dren sat at the table, with the private secre-
tary, the assistant secretary and the executive
clerks. At these dinners everything was as
charming and home-like as possible.
The devotion of everybody in the house to
Mrs. Hayes was manifest, and her gentieness
and refinement are often spoken Of with praise
Mrs. Lucy Webb Hayes was born in Chilli
Gothic, Ohio, about 1888 She was the daughter
of physician of that town. She was married
and became Mrs. Hayes December 30, 1852 OF
their eight children four sons and one daughter
are living. Mrs. Hayes was noted for her de-
votion to the wounded soldiers during the war.