St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-24
MRS. HARRIsoN's DAILY LIFE
How the Presidents Wife Spends
Her Time In the White House.

The routine Of the day begins early at
the executive mansion, says A. j. Hal
ford, in an interesting article on Mrs.
Harrison's Life in the White House."
in the March Ladies' Home Jour-
nal. Breakfast is served promptly
at $50 o'clock, in the family dining
room on the north side Of the house,
adjoining the conservatory. This is fol-
lowed by prayers, either the president
or DR.. Scott conducting devotions.
The family then separate for the day,
the president proceeding directly to
his room. Mrs. Harrison and the
ladies retire to the "liying room" Of the
house, which is not a room at all. 1t is
the north end of the main hail, on the
second floor, separated from the Office
or public portion of the floor by
a rather severe not to say fOrbidding
black walnut partit on, half the height
of the walls. Mrs. Harrison finds here
her mail, which is attended to with
prOmptness and regularity. So far as
the work of answering letters can be
delegated, it is given over to Mrs.
Sanger, the tenographer. But large
portion of her mail Mrs. Harrison an
sWers herself. Many of the letters can
be answered by means of a form that
has been composed for the purpose.
The consideration Of her mail over,
Mrs. Harrison receives the superintend-
ent of public buildings and grounds, at
present Col. Oswald NJ. Ernst, of the
engineer corps, who is charged with the
duty of disbursing the appropria-
ton made for the maintenance
Of Of the s,s executive tive mansion: With it'll
needs of the house and her de-
sires, which must be made to conform
to the amount Of the funds on hand.
Many and long are these conferences,
and Oftentimes they result in shifting
about and repairing of the furniture and
fixtures that would aStoniSh some per-
sons who imagine that the life of the
lady of the White house is without care
and continual state of bliss.
After having dismissed Col. Ernst, she
devotes herself to the domestic branch
of the establishment in conference with
the housekeeper. The menu for the
and in consultation with the steward
Mrs. Harrison maintains an Intelligent
supervision over the kitchen, but
the stories current i'll some circles, rep
reSenting her as deyOting much of her
time to actual participation in the work
of the department, are eXaggeratlonS.
Although good cook she does not find
it necessary or desirable to uSurp the
functions of that Individual in the
White house. And as to the market
ing. Having arranged in a general way
for the provisions of the day, it is left to
the proper person to see that it is pro-
cured. Lunch is served at l 80, but fire.
quently the president is detained by
callers, officeseekers or cabinet meet
ings, and he does not sit down sometimes
until an hour later. 1t is rarely the
case that some one is not invited to
join in this meal, in a wholly informal
manner-a cabinet officer with whom
the president may thus continue con-
ference, or some friend who is asked to
extend his stay over the hour for lunch.
In the afternoon, for an hour or there
abOuts, Mrs. Harrison receives friends
who come by appointment, and who
usually have some relative or visitor to
present. Later in the afternoon Mrs.
Harrison usually takes a drive, often
with the president, and when not ac-
companying him she takes Mrs. Mckee
and the babies, or some friend who may
be in the house. The variations from
this programme will include lessons in
china painting. in which art Mrs. Harri-
son displays rare talent and skill.
Dinner is served at $50 o'clock, and
as was the case at lunch almost always
tIC fanny 10 JOiutu Wy cOlHC lllcuus
President and Mrs. Harrison are plain
livers, preferring the dishes of an old
Kentucky ''aunty" to the more elabo-
rate menu arranged by French chef.
In the evenings out of the season."
the White house is a very quiet place.
President Harrison rarely has an oppor-
tunity of spending any time with his
family except at meals, and after din
ner he is usually to be found at
his desk again. If Mrs. Harrison
is free from any social duty,
she utilities the evening hours
by reading. Being fond of a good the
ratical or operative performance, she
occasionally graces one of the theaters
with her presence, accompanied by two
or three friends. The president has lit
tie taste for this class of amusement,
especially opera, so is seldom seen at
9hese places, He is fond of meeting Of
friends in quiet way, and when Mrs.
Harrison is entertaining callers in the
evening, he comes down from his room
whenever business permits him to do so
and mingles with them in a delight
fully informal way.