DeSoto times. (Hernando, Miss.) 1879-1898, 1890-06-19
MRS. HARRISoN'S LETTERS.
written By That "Jewel of Secrecy" Miss
Alice b. Sanger.

Written By That "Jewel of Secrecy" Miss
Alice b. Sanger.
For some time after General Har.
Hson's election to the Presidency Mrs.
Harrison tried the task of being her own
secretary. AS the mail increased to
forty and sixty letters per day, she
called in the Presidents stenographer,
Miss Alice B. Sanger, to write her let
ters, and she herself signed them. Ever
since her return to the White House in
October she has been obliged to dele
gate the whole duty to Miss Sanger, and
only personal friends receive letters in
the handwriting of the White House.
When the morning mail comes to the
executive mansion the letters are quick
ly separated by clerk, who puts all di.
rected to Mrs. Harrison on Miss Sanger's
desk. She runs her eye over them
quickly, throwing aside those that bear
the unmistakable script of the crank.
The others she carries to Mrs. Harrison's
room. The two sit down at the desk.
Miss Sanger selects those that bear the
writing of any of Mrs. Harrison's init
mate friends, opens them with her silver
paper-knife, throws away the envelope
and passes the letter to Mrs. Harrison.
If it is any thing she wishes to answer
herself she places it to one side Other
wise she returns the letter to Miss San
ger, who takes stenographic notes of
the desired reply always on the letter,
so that there can be no mixing of an
swers.
Then the grand bulk of letters-the
begging variety-are taken up. The
secretary reads them at glance, and
tells the g.st to Mrs. Harrison. For in
stance, woman in Wisconsin, or Ala
bama, or Texas writes for a dollar to
buy rheumat tism plaster, and in lead
ing up to the request inadvertently
relates her whole history and the
laborious process by which she con-
tracted the disease. Miss Sanger says:
"Mrs. - of - wants 81 to buy cure
for her rheumatism.
According to the reply she puts yes
or ''no' at the head of the letter, and in
a few days Mrs -- of - is delighted
with letter on White House paper
bearing the words
MRS. Harrison begs to state that she
is very sorry for your atf1iction, but
thero are so many calls on her charity,
ETC."
Miss Sangers signature is probably
known to-day better than any other
| woman's in the United States. uSuaiiy
three quarters of an hour is taken up II
poinr through the mail. Miss Sanger
then gathers up all the letters, goes
back to the house and takes the odo
half hours between the Presidents OF
Secretary Halford's calls upon her tc
| write the answers
It is said that Miss Sanger knows
more about the Presidents affairs thar
any one except Private Secretary Hal
ford, and for matter of ten days be
fore the opening Of Congress she wa
the onlv one, besides Mr.. Halford, wh(
knew the Presidents message.
She is a Jewel of secrecy, this yount
woman, and both the President and Mrs
Harrison trust her with every conn
dence. She is dswn East girl, an'
WAS born in Connecticut twenty-fou
wears ago Her parents moved to IN
dianapolis when she was child, and l
was there she had her schooling. A
fifteen she graduated from the hig
school and expected to 60 to college tn
following year. Her father, who wa
traffic manager Of an Indiana railroad
met with reverses, lost his health, an
the Young daughter was forced to stud
typewriting and stenography. She wrot
in various Offices, and was taking couE
renorts one day when Mr.. Miller, OF tn
law firm of Harrison, Miller d Elan
rnshed in and asked for stenographel
sbe went to his Office and was ther
two wears, when General Harrison wa
nominated to the Presidency. She kne
him but slightly, as the other sten'
oranhe ers in the office did his work; bl
| the dav after the nomination Mr. Mile
sent her to the Harrison homestead an
she remained there until January wht
the President gave her two month
loave. She travelled abroad during tn;
time: and, in addition to being one
} the best stenographers at the capita
she is also a cultivated and noble 1901
ino girl.-Washington Cor. Phlladelph
| Press