Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-25

west corner or the mansion. The little
room Al the corner has been used for
years bs former nllstresses OF the man
son as their own private sitting room.
Ii has one sindow facing the south.
The next two windows on line with II
are IN the chamber IN which Mrs. Hsr-
TlsOn died. Tins bedroom was occn-
pled by Mrs. Lincoln, later by Nellie
Grant, and j. known IN White house
domestic atlnais by her name; after
wsrd by Mrs. Hayes ana Mrs. Garfield.
The presidents room adjolns on tue
east, left OF the library. In the same
chamber where Mrs. Harrison spent so
many weeks of suffering. the wounded
Garfield was carried and renamed
during months OF pam aad sickness
until he Was carried from II 10 the sea
shore. The room will always be asso-
Grated with MS lite at the White house.
One OF the many schemes tried 10
make his closing days comfortable dur
ing the hot summer was to force cool
AIR through the furnace register, which
was put IN for the purpose, and IS
lasting souveplr which remains IN the
room. President Cleveland IN turn
used the same room. and when Mrs.
Cleveland came she made no change.
Planning Comfort.
Mrs. Harrison, however, preferred
the southwest chamber. because of It's
sunny outlook, and devoted A. she was
TO all the old time traditions of the
hoRse. That fact alone would have
strengthened her in her selection. For
mary reasons, and principally because
the two preceding presidents had not
cared for the room. II had not come
WITHIN the era OF Improvements, which
iu the last decade have completely
changed other parts of the mouse sew
eral times over. Ii was decidedly the
shabbiest in the house when Mrs. Har-
Ilson took possession.
After she mad had her wish gratlfied
in the restoration OF the blue parlor
and the partial refurnlshng of the
other rooms on the first floor, Il change
which rs she well knew would give
great pleasure TO everyone who came
to the manson, she turned her atten-
ton TO frightening up the private
apartments upstairs. All this Work
was, however, planned on much
simpler scale. She took all the more
pains with her selections; not, how
ever, to make the work as attractive,
but as enduring as possible. For her
own room she selected the design and
the wall paper was made from 1t IN
July of 1891. The room was finished,
and when she returned IN the autumn
she was greatly pleased with the re.
suits.
a Dainty Place.
The room is q blue room, very dainty,
ann light in all It's treatment, the wall
paper is of blue and silver, the papered
ceiling is freckled with the same tlnts,
and lines of blue and pink border the
frieZe, which is looped rose garlands.
All the work is finished in blue and all
the accessories conform to the same
silver and blue tones. Over the old
fashioned white marble mantle piece
several pieces of Mrs. Harrison's own
work are hung. They are paintings
on canvass and porcelain, some of the
white house flowers being thus perpet-
uated by the gentle mistress OF the
house.
The furniture IN the room is not un-
like that in the other chambers-solld
mahogany, rather ponderous and old
fashioned. Mrs. Harrison IN the early
period of her occu pancy had the stately
canopy bed removed ana substituted
for 1t two low brass bedsteads. She had
also q few wicker rockers and easy
chairs substituted for the older pieces
of furniture. carpet IN which dull
silver and blue colors predOminated,
covered the floor.
The Dread Visitor.
The present administration, while it
has had many pleasures, 1t has had
many hours tinged with sadness.
shortly after the Harrlson's came to
the white house, Mrs. Harrison's sister,
Mrs. Scott Lord, began to show signs
of failing health. In December of
1889 she died in this city. The sad cir
cumstances OF the death OF the Secre-
tary and Mrs. Blaine's children, Mrs
Coppinger and Mr.. Walker Blaine
within fortnight of each other. the
tIagic deaths OF Mrs. and Miss Tracy
ut the same period, and the following
winter, the sudden death of Secretary
Window in each instance occurred in
the height of the social season.
The oftic al family of the White
House have also known their grlefs.
Private Secretary Halford lost his wife
IN April, 1891, and Executive Clerk
Pruden, one of the oldest emp Dyes,
ost his in the following summer. Only
few days ago, Mr.. Cox, who has been
telegraph operator for several years,
WAS borne to his long home. victim OF
the same disease that claims Mrs. Har-
rison.