Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-04


though she loved to sit on the stairs smoking
her pipe while BETTE helped papa receive. Mrs.
John Quincy Adams was hostess at the execu-
tive mansion when Gen. Lafayette spent some
days there on the occasion Of his visit TO this
country in 1925. Mrs. Adams bali. given
when her husband was Secretary OF State. on
the night OF January 8. 1924, was an historical
affair. aud the recollection OF II has not yet
passed away. Il is chronicled that on that
famous evening she wore gown OF steel
llama" and ornaments Of cut steel.
IN ANDREW JAcKscS's TIME.
Andrew Jackson initiated a new order Of
things socially when he became President He
was q widower, having lost his wife soon after
be was elected. She was griered at his election,
having no desire TO lie in what she called that
palace in Washington" So il came about that
her niece. lovely Emily Donelson. whose
husband, Andrew J. Donelson. WAS his adopted
son and private secretary. came to live and
preside at the Executive Mansion Lest there
might be jealousy he said 10 his daughter-in-
law, Mrs. Andrew jackson. jr.: "Nou. NV dear.
are mistress of the Hermitage and Emily is
hostess of the White House." When people
here gossiped about Mrs. Eaton, the wife OF
the Secretary Of War. with whose name scandal
vas busy, he enjoyed defending her and liked
the war that was waged him on account Of
his giving her his support and recognition.
Young Mrs. Donelson had exquisite taste in
dress, and it is recorded that at Jackson first
inaugural ball she wore a gown of amber satin
brocaded with roses and violets and trimmed
with lace and beads. A friendly eve witness,
| describing scene at the Executive Mansion in
those DAYS, wrote; The large parlor il scan
tily furnished. Mrs. Donelsoa. Mrs. Andrew
Jackson. jr.. and Mrs. Edward Livingston are
! sewing around a blazing fire in the CRATE. Five
or six children are playing about. regardless of
documents and work baskets. At the further
end of the room sits the President in his arm
chair, wearing n long coat and smoking a long
| reed pipe-combining the dignity of patri-
arch, a monarch and an Indian chief Just be-
| hind him Edward Livingston is reading dis
patches. The ladies glance admirIngly now
and then at the President. who listens, waving
| his pipe toward the children when they become
| too boisterous"
| Mr.. Monroe was the last of the six aristocrat
| Presidents His wife took to the White House
the first family of children which occupied that
/ dwelling, though nearly all Of them were grown
/ up. Her health was fraii, and she did not APP
| pear much IN society.
| DOLLY MADISON As FIRST LADY OF THE LAND.
Jefferson had no liking for social ceremonial,
but becoming convinced that it was necessary
! for him to bestow some attention on such mat
ters he asked Mrs. Madison, the wife of his
Secretary OF State, TO act mistress of the EN-
! ecutive Mansion, assisted BY his daughter. lie
was a widower. Thus the Observation-Disclosures
ten Dolly Madison took the place Of first lady
in the land" which position she continued to
occupy for sixteen wears, her husband succeed
ing jefferson. Under her regime the formal
etiquette which had made the drawing rooms
of Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Adams dull and
tedious was laid aside. and no stiffness was per-
mitted. For all this a cheerful Virginia hos
pitality was substituted. On one occasion the
abundance and size OF Mrs. Madison's dishes
were made subjects of ridicule by foreign
minister but he WAS indiferapt 10 srnh rrift-
cism. She used rouge to some extent and was
very fond Of snuff. At the first inauguration OF
her husband she wore a dress of buff velvet. a
Paris turban with bird-of-paradise plume and
pearls on her neck and arms. Withal she was
the most popular woman in the United States.
and she never forgot the name OF a person who
had been introduced to her. The Senate
granted her a seat on the floor of that body-an
honor which has never been accorded to any
other person of her sex.
Abigail. the wife OF President John Adams
lived in Washington only four months, prefer
ring to reside at Quincy, Mass, where she
could take care of her husbands estate. She
com! lained that there was no comfort to be
had in the White House, because il was ION
such grand and superb scale, requiring at
least thirty servants to attend to it, While
occupying it she could not get wood enough to
keep the mansion warm, and the most con-
venlent use she found for the east room, then
unfinished, was TO hang mp her clothes TO dry
in it. She was by all odds the most heroic
figure of the revolution. and her letters TO JEFF
| ferson were SO admirable that they have be-
come historic.
MRS. wAsHISGroS's COURT.
Mrs. George Washington, after her husbands
Inauguration, set up the first republican
court" at No. Franklin square, New York.
Its etiquette was copied after that OF foreign
courts. The rules we're very strict and per-
sons were excluded unless they wore the re-
qulred dress. Access was not easy, and digni-
fed stateliness reigned. In the second year OF
that administration the seat Of government was
| removed TO Philadelphia, where Washington
| took house on Market street between 5th and
9Th. Mrs. Washington held her drawing
! rooms on Friday evening Of each week. the
company assembling early and retiring
before 1880 pm. The lady of the mansion al
ways sat. The President had his hair powdered
and did not shake hands with any one. Al
though all these things have undergone a great
change. the regulations which the noble Martha
adopted are to a great extent in force today.
Though she was probably not woman of re-
markable intellect, her social influence and
wealth were a great help TO the father of his
country, and it is not surprising that David
Burns, when Washington was bargaining with
him for patch of land south of the White
House, should have remarked derisively:
where would you be had it not been for the
widow Custis?''