The Butler weekly times., 1890-09-17
MRs HARRIsoNs LETTERS.
Written BY That Jewel OF Secrey." Miss
Alice B. sanger.

MRS HARRisoNs LETTERS.
Written By That Jewel OF secrey." Miss
Alice b. sanger.
For some time after General Har-
rison'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 3. 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 inti-
mate friends, opens them with her silver
paper-knife, throws away the envelope
and passes the letter to Mrs. Harrison.
II 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 a glance, and
| tells the gst to Mrs. Harrison. For in
| stance, a woman in Wisconsin, or Ala
| bama, or Texas writes for dollar to
| buy rheumatism 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 mo" at the head of the letter, and in
few days Mrs. - of - is delighted
with a letter on White House paper
bearing the words:
| MRS. Harrison begs to state that she
is very sorry for your afiiction, but
there are so many calls on her charity,
ETC."
Miss Sanger's signature is probably
known to-day better than any other
woman's in the United States Usually
three quarters Of an hour is taken up In
going through the mail Miss Sanger
then gathers up all the letters, goes
back to the house and takes the odd
half hours between the Presidents OF
Secretary Halford's calls upon her Il
write the AnswerR
It 10 said that Miss Sanger know,
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 Wal
the only one, besides Mr.. Halford, wh<
knew the Presidents message.
She is . jewel Of secrecy, this youn@
woman, and both the President and Mrs
Harrison trust her with every conf
dence. She IL q down East girl, and
was born in Connecticut twenty.fou
years ago. Her parents moved to In
l O1Du1pOUB Wuou Sn0 was cQllO, ana I
WAS there she had her schooling. A
fifteen she graduated from the higl
school and expected to 60 to college tn
following year. Her father, who wa
trafhc 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 cour
reports one day when Mr.. Miller, OF tn
law firm Of Harrison, Miller s. Elan
rushed in and asked for stenographer
She went to his office and was ther
two years, when General Harrison wa
nominated to the Presidency. She kne,
him but slightly, as the other steno
graphers in the Office did his work; bu
the day after the nomination Mr.. Mile
sent her to the Harrison homestead An
she remained there until January, whe
the President gave her two month.
leave. She travelled abroad during tha
time; and, in addition to being one G
the best stenographers at the capital
she is also a cultivated and noble lool
; ing girl.-Washington Cor. Philadelphi
|, | procc