The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-30
THE BEAUTIFUL BLUE ROOM.
II Is Prettier Than Ever Now-Other
White House improvements.

1t Is Prettier Than Ever Now-Other
White House Improvements.
Mrs. Benjamin Harrison's good housekeeping
begins to show results in the greatly improved
condition of the White House. She began her
improvements some months ago with the buy
ing Of table linen and bedroom furnishings, and
now from garret to cellar the impress of her
hand is to be seen. Her corps of able assistants
understand perfectly that the present first lady
of the land is we'll versed in all that makes
home or housekeeping a fine art. For the pres
ent the reign of steward housekeeping is over in
the Presidential Mansion. The twenty-five
thousand dollars appropriated by Congress for
improvements and furnishings in the Executive
Mansion could not have been used to better adj
vantage than Mrs. Harrison has done. Beauti-
full as the Blue Room was made during Presi-
dent Arthur's administration, 1t is still more so
under Mrs. Harrison's refitting and furnishing.
This finely proportioned room, the handsomest
apartment in the mansion, is now gem. 1t is
lined with silken hangings of delicate shade
of Gobelin blue, made expressly for it In Ameri-
can looms, with dado and frleZe of the colonial
style of stucco in blue and gilt. The mouldings
are in cream white, picked out in gilt The
Wilton carpet and the silk damask curtains
linen with cream satin are all in perfect taste
and harmony They are the work of American
manufacturers. The ceiling is heavenly vision
of cloud effect as seen in the morning and even
been regilded and upholstered in dark-blue
satin, with embossed velvet figures. Mirrors
and chandelier glitter with a new brilliancy,
while over all the white light of electricity is
diffused without the heat that accompanies gas.
The main corridor is neatly carpeted with GRIM
son and black Wilton. A handsome plush por-
there divides the corridor from the East Room.
Going below stairs one finds the kitchen has
also been transformed, the floors being tiled in
an art-square pattern, with five-foot dado of
pure white tiles all round. Under the floor it
has been concreted, so that neither q rat nor a
roach can so much get sniff of what is go
ing on in the Executive kitchen, where such
good pickings were once to be had The
stewards room and the adjoining 'lockup'' all
show that there are goodly supply Of rations
stored up for winter use, with q few dozen or
so of innocent-looking bottles lying on their
sides on the shelves, not branded "W. G. T.
u" Everything betol1ens that there is good
housekeeping reign in the White House-some
one with taste and judgment and the ability to
make her subordinates willing assistants. The
White House is not by any means all that
it should be an executive mansion, but as far as
it goes it is now good enough and beautiful
enough to reflect the dignity Of Government
residence. Congress should see to it that its ac-
commoaations are extended by suitable addi-
ton. Whatever may be its politics, the Con-
gress that votes an addition to the Executive
Mansion will cover itself with glory and the
people will not complain of it as an extrava-
gance, either.