The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-05-31

The world is full of fads, so full, in fact,
that small space is left for more substantial
culture, though as mass the men and women
of the period are distinguished in many
spects above the average class of society whose
doings and sayings have been handed down as
typical of the elegance and culture that
marked the age of our forefathers, when solid
worth and sterling integrity were the only sure
stepping stones to the attainment of public
favor and high Office.
MRS. PRESIDENT LINCoLN's IRREGULARITIES.
Probably no more eccentric woman ever
reigned supreme in the White House than the
wife of President Lincoln, though few, if any,
of her predecessors or successors have en-
tirely escaped the impeachment. Mrs. Lin
coins most distinguishing weakness was an
innate jealousy of disposition that ofttimes
proved sore trial to her large hearted, impul
sive husband, who in the child-like simplicity
of his nature was constantly guilty of rousing
this little demon in the breast of his "better
half" Mr.. Lincoln was proverbially disre-
gardful of all the lesser rules of etiquette that
held such an important place in the estima-
ton of his wife, and for nearly two years fol-
lowing their advent into the White House Mrs.
determined action of her liege lord to ignore
her right of precedence upon every occasion
of public reception or official entertainment.
1t was the custom of our Chief Executive in
those days, as in the present, to take adyan-
tage OF the period following the close of a
large evening reception to promenade through
the suite Of apartments thronged with eager
sight seers and prominent officials.
H., +lo+
either side to admit of their approach, and
followed by members of the Cabinet present,
the President would make the entire circuit
before the final hour for the closing of the
doors. it was President Lincoln's custom to
waive all precedent upon such occasions, and,
Offering his arm to the first lady to whom he
happened to turn in the fancy of the moment,
without regard to her official standing he
would lead the way through the rooms, leav
ing Mrs. Lincoln to follow with whomsoever
kind fate awarded her among the officials
present. This state of affairs, however, did
not happen to agree with this lady's precon-
ceived notions of etiquette, and the irate mis-
tress of the White House never lost an oppor-
tunity of impressng upon her husband her
disapproval of his breach of the usual rule in
her case for she was often heard to remark:
eff the President by right of precedence ranks
first among officials should not his wife by
the laws Of church and State stand second to
none? Thus to her alone above all others is
. due the honor of taking her position by his
side upon all and every occasion of public ap-
pearing." Many and sore were the lectures
given to the delinquent by the outraged
spouse, but it was fully two years before the
wife prevailed and succeeded in her determi-
matter with the importance of her own views
instead of lightly ignoring the question or
passing it by with light laugh or genial re-
. sponse, so characteristic of the easy-going,
tender-hearted nature of the man.
MRS. HARRIsoN's TWO FADs.
In her artistic temperament Mrs. Harrison's
eccentricities all combine in passion for the
beautiful, whether in nature or art, and heI
enthusiastic devotion to painting has often
proved q severe strain upon her over-taxed
strength. Yet in spite of the thousand and
one demands attendant upon her elevated
position her regular attendance upon the
studio classes was seldom omitted even during
the height of last seasons gaieties. Another
eccentricity, if such it can be termed, that
will always distinguish Mrs Harrison's reign
as mistress of the White House, is her earnest
effort to gather together all the scattered
treasures in the shape of articles of furniture
and odd pieces of bric-a-brac that have from
time to time been disposed of to make room
for new things at the Executive Mansion.
Though up to present date comparatively
small returns have rewarded her efforts, yet
the little seed once sown it will not be long
before the perfected bloom in the form of one
of the most historically valuable collections
win reward her patriotic zeal Already many
ardent sympathizers are energetically, though
quietly at work collecting chance pieces that
have through successive changes wandered
far from their original USE most probably laid