New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-28
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
THE WHITE HOUSE AND ITS INFLUENCE.

WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
THE WHITE HOUSE AND IT'S INFLUENCE
Washington, July 1s.-socicty revolves about the
White House, and the elect who go to form It have
made their homes to the north and west Of this diap
dated old mansion OF which Mrs Grndy IS very iona
She likes 10 quote the White House people to make IN
formal visits on its Mistress and call the children by
their first names for with true republican incon-
slstency she dearly loves the pomp and ceremonies OF
courts and would have us adopt European molel
for.the social life OF our Republic so far we have
reslsted any temptations of this Kind The home OF
tho executive is today moro democratic than whom
George washington who was a stickler for etiquette
occuncd r. and the President the slave rather than
the servant of the people NO poor pohnsmah alO'r
a chastIscment ever suffered more than the rresiue"
Of more than 90 900 900 Of people after DAY Oh manu-
shaking and interviews with ohice'seeRers' u u ho'
only physical but mental fatigue, rom whcn '"o,o
sccms To be no escape No man of any prominence j.
60 easy of approach he IS, no house So easy Vi
access as his and II has become serious i"0'"O''
what sbau he done with the crowds that besiege the
rbi,e uouso7 socety IA more exigent even man eno
people and demands not only 10 DO reoei'ou -.
sIsts on private interviews, and pou's IL "i' s.
and his wife do not accept Its invltanons' @ =,
all tho Executive family have but little mnuen0o ~
society though IL Acknowledges certain Pi0'un'
being known to the occupants OF uie "nO o 90
This IS owing. perhaps, to the fact that they arc
handicapped by rules and TadiuohS ID "
attempting originality.
Tho rrosrdcnts wife occupies queens place. "'"i-
ont a queens privileges, and Is looheu d' W." -.
and admiration, until her first unpopular a'' t,.,sa
down AN avalanche of criticism on her head. INi I'M,
in the Executive Mansion is like living OIL "'0 P
highway I'm glass house, where no act or n'o'
morbid interest I'm everything that the Presluch', ms
wife and family do and say. The women VI UIo 49,,
House have as rule, brought 10 'hcf ~" 49,,
tho hest intentions to accomplish their du'ies 'hoi
oughly and consclentiously. One good "oinan' W.
was known as a notable housekeeper, was very hiu'"
disappointed to learn that there was heI'her VIZ
tunity nor need for her TO exercise her taien'' ~ '
d,recon and connded to friend that 1t was strange
experlence to sit down perfect table, al esudi
hour and have need OF money or Worh save ~'o
giving of orders But Americans are ,no "o''
adaptable people in the world, and Mrs Presiuen' soo
forces that her place had ever been strange 10 hei'
The menage of the White House is perfectly simple
there is nothing pretentous IN or about IT, ana us sa"
lack the buttons and laces which would ada 10 inc us
nifty of their places without affecting the democracy
which is the charm Of the Presidents home.
II &c an established custom to throw the Executive
Mansion omen TO the general public several umes
each winter; and at these receptions no respeo'"oie
person Is refused admittance. The Presdeh' VINO
has at homes every other SATURDAY seherai,S'
though there is no rule about the matter AZ ''o
evening reception it is the President who Is IN
ures He assisted by his wife and the ladies OF th9
Cabinat ar balfdozen of the wives of high ohclals
form line across the Blue Room. which Is inc Prct
fest of the first floor suite, leaving space Ill hon
OF them lust wide enough for the crowd TO comlo
pass and room behind them for the oficai iaiiiio'
and the initiated who form little court auu wan
from this vantage ground the people, as they greet
the President and his assistants and go on her way
The existence of this little has been much CRU
clsed: spefulIy and bitterly criticised by those "ho
nostons do not allow them TO enter III wisely anu
conservatively criticised by many Oh the grcat mo"
who 90 to form it. 1t IS snopblsh assehio's, soy
the envious and statesmen or clever women oi inc
world find that il savOrs little or uhe custom vi
courts and advocate special day for the reception
NJ these favored ones a separate room "here oir
presence will not be an irritation TO the less
A member of Congress and his WIFE, noh anu culo'i'
peopIe who had made tho circle OF uhe woriu anu
would grace any drawing room, were refused ADMIT
lance to this charmed circle by the oury ooor
keener whose broad shoulders barred the way, anu
vbo evidently did not recognize them as OF ohe cect
and though they remained at the cap"a4 ior 'o''s
after this rebuff they never darKened ue uoois VI
the White House again. though an lnVlta'iVh W d
state dinner would have seemed to make u necessary
relieved them from accepting hospitality "here UlcS
felt they had received rudeness.
uvstcrlcs and fainting Of frequent occurrence
AZ these receptions both from excitement ana over
rrowding but the unfortunates have 10 fecoNcr aS
host they can for there are not only no women al
trndants to look after them, but not even lounge
n lie down on or a teaspoonful of aromatic spirits
10 ammonia or Whit OF salts TO be had
once the slow procession was brought to an abrupt
standstilL There was that solemn hush which sohc-
fines falls on a crowd and every neck was sIre'"eu
over the shoulder of It's neehbor to discover the reason
for the delay The President was shaking the mana
~ = tbick.llpped son of Ham, while his wife was
smiling pleasant greeting on the EBONY cohsorU Vi
that worthy. Near the end Of the line poor young
Girl whose figure tall and slight young sapllng'
was wrapped in a plaid shawl, and whose face showed
tho pnched and transparent look lett by inc raNdso'
of consumption, had stopped and was SHAKING WIN
n long white hand the irldescent trimming Which
vitered about the plump shoulders OF iar young
girl high in official circles, ana saying inc "n"o III
thin though gleefl1 voice
vor On nrctty yer so pretty Deed. Miss, hope
ver,n ,scuse me- l couldn't help stoppln' deed
couldn't, yer looked 50 lovely In this bright shnS
stun mos thought yer was an angel an JOSS
wanted to put my hand yer an see if yer was real
Before she had finished speaking an atehdalt nan
stepped up to make her move on. but was stopper WIN
motion by the young girl who looked mos ike an
ANGEL Grasplng the poor hand that was suoHns
her abe thrust the great bunch Of pink roses she was
carving into IT, and turned scarlet face to the next
conner. -,
One ambitious old woman once tried to embrace
and kiss very bashfl President, and old men WIN
wrnbed faces and cracked voices frequently pa MN on
his back, and say they have voted me s'r"iSn' n0
publican or Democratic ticket, as the case may oc' i
scores of wears all OF which Is more Interesting ana
funny than agreeable to the Executive
The people delight I'm these occasions. and social
critics declare that deep In their republican hearts
Is implanted that of royalty which is direct IN
hentance from their foreign ancestors, and though
our Presidents home Is simple and democratic II Is
the nearest thing we have to the court circles Oh the
Others side.