The National tribune., 1890-04-03
Written especially for THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
by Miss Grundy, jr.

dozen women whose fingers can sign good
checks for millions aud who use the same fingers
for mixing biscuit dough and beating up
eggs into a delicious froth for delicious cake
The arms which. vailed in point lace, you see
at n White House reception have, IA like
as not, that Same morning been busted with
flour. aud those lips which give forth the
wittiest bon niOts of Washington society sample
the ingredients of dishes which are TO he
favored to taste. The average American
statrsmans vito has been trained in the
kitchen as we'll as in tho paror. She is posted
OF everything about her own house and she
knows TO a napkin the stores of her closets,
aud she has her own ideas to the fashion of
her table linen.
HOW MRS HARRISON MANAGES HER LINEN
CLOSET.
OF all the ladies in Washington don't be-
lieve there is a buster one than the present
mistress Of the White House. She keeps the
closest supervision over tho deep shelves IN tho
buffers pantry where the White House dam
asks are stored IL there is one thing above
another that housewife wants quite up to
fashion IL is her table linen. 1t is the last
thing q woman gives up when society or other
duties claim her time, and ] happen To know
that SO busy lady MS Mrs. Harrison keeps
constant supervision over such matters. She
often takes a peep into the big closets SHE had
built oil her maids room ON the second floor
snowy pile in the buffers pantry ofiener
receives her attention. II Is the privilege
of each Presidents wife to purchase full
stock of table linen, for -four years hard
usage makes repenshng necessary at the
beginning OF earh Administration. Ii Is
said that Mrs. Hayes could run piece OF
danask through her thumb aud foreiiugef and
judge to T It's grade and Mrs. Harrison also
seems 10 have the gilt. Two months ago she
purchased set OF table linen aud IL Is certainly
the most exquisite thing Of the kind. Buying
a tablecoth with most women is getting three
or four yards Of damask OF a quality suIting her
husbands income hut with the Mistress of the
White House it is quite more difficult thing.
In the first place. she Will be judged by her
successor. aud it has always been quite pride
with Presidents wives to make purchases that
will meet the approval OF those who follow
them. Then, in the second place, the most dis
tinguished men in the land stretch their legs
under the Presidents mahogany board. and
their wives. even IL there were dozen courses
and the most clever men ni the dAv at the table,
would fiid time 10 make that slantng gaze
which takes in whole table. decides whether
| the cloth Is hem.stitehed or done by machine ,
whether the napkins are ironed straight. or
whether they are even; without turning tho
plates, whether they are OF American of
| foreign make. Those are the reasons Presi
dents wife must spend two or three days in
~
such "a quantity from eight 10 nine yards, aud
even then at tho Diplomatic dinners. which are
| the largest. they have 10 be "piccod" out at
| the corners.
MRS. nARRIsos's NEW ThBLEcLoTHs.
| But to return 20 Mrs Harrson's purchase.
! IL WAS of the whitest, finest linen, and IN each
corner was a proud American eagle. under
which Was the United States monogram Gu
broide'e ed by hand in the linen. The letters
were about four inches in hight. Tho four
| dozen napkins had the same design, but the
monogram was placed in the middle Of the
| upper side, which Is of course the proper thing
This HANDSOME set was used first at the dinner
20 the Cabinet. Atthe time of it's purchase NJ rs
| Harrison was also greatly interested In some
towels that she bought for the White Honse
| They too had the same imposing monogram
and nm ordinary individual would be quite
| afraid TO touch his face 10 them. they were ~
dainty. Not slazy and slippery, like damask, OF
brutal. like crash towelinR, but soft AS "A cotton
bali aud AS close meshed They were two yards
long. very wide. aud had tho great charm
being imported by only one man. and that a
the modest price Of SIS per dozen.
MRS. MOTIONS REFORM IN TABLE LINEN.
Last year people were going TO extremes II
getting richly Ornameuted table linen. IheI
wanted hem-stItching and embroidered design
IN all eOlOTs, and some luncheon tables looked
scarf Of orange or scarlet or pink satin through
the center, Openw0rk designs Ia the Bam
cOl0rs vari,cOl0red china, gaudy flowers, ant
salads and fowls dressed up as gayly 40 those a
prize lunch counter But there has been
stop put 10 that. The edict has como from NJ
less women than Mrs Vice President Morton
and she made revolution in the quotes
way possible. At The first dinner she CAV
everything was white that could be-. He
china rs white, with crnkiy design in goi
the width of ones little fnper.uall, and til
monogram l.. =. M at the top OF each plate
IL Is as fine and dainty rs can be. aud was mad
} on her order by IInviland e. 60, Then. an
believes in using crystal layishly and silve
sparingIy, 50 that glance OF the eye down lac
7 table Is like looking down II stream touched b
moonlight. There Is u simmer and CLEAR
that is more pleasing than the garish effect
produced by too many flowers aud much gol
J and silver.
. THE LINEN USED by THE CABINET.
: Mrs. Wanamakcr is as quiet in her tastes, he
faVorite china being pure white and rs delcat
rs the famous lace set Of the Queen of END
land. Mrs. Noble has little fancy for cd
. pieces. aud uses Bohemian ware TO some x ten
Mrs. Senator Stanford, who probably has richie
table appointments than any other hostess i
Washington, likes To use point duchesse lac
wherever possible and her finger bowl DOYLE
If you please, are priceless cobwcbs Will
| hSioHs bHS CSHtIht hCdII ID IL WHUlc length
of the same iilmy wool IL is said that Mr.
Senator Hearst has the hands0mest luncheo
cloth and dOyles in the city. The set wa
woven in ireland, OH her order, aud embroit
cred all in white by the def fingers OF societ
of nuns in the south of France, where 80 muc
Of that marvellous work is done.
WASHINGTON BELLIES AS COOKS.
Next TO the linen, but not before it In tt
housewives mind. are the things put on III
table; and IL is surprising TO find tho numbt
Of ladies who. in these days Of many servant
know how TO prepare a square meal" The
daughters are away behind them, but ii
mothers still preserve their household know
edge, and each has the results of her exper
ence recorded in her well .thumbed manuscriI
recipe book.
MRS. HARRIsON's FIG PUDDING.
Mrs. Harrison has three or four of the.
choice volumes and all their blank pages al
written over in her fine, delicate hand, vii
the recipes gathered in her 30 or more years
married life. They, of course, are not needt
at the White House, but are stored away at Il
Summer cottage at Deer Park. From this ca
lection l am able to give you fig puddin
which, from the reading must be delicious.
rasds.