Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-17
And How She Is Gewned At Pressnt-Some
Sensible Sons.

L
ton of mere curiosity seekers. At least
she is not required to do so at this time
Naturally there are people who do not
approve Mrs. Clevelands present policy.
They say she is the wife of the presi-
dent, and it is as much her duty to ste
all callers as it is her husbands. These
are the same sort of people who 20 to the
White House with a certain sense of
proprietorship. Because it is public
property they cannot see why every
room in the house is not thrown o,,en
for their inspection. They would like
particularly TO enter Mr.. Cleveland 5
private apartments, to 20 into the ldtch-
en, the linen press and to be permitted
to pluck flowers in the conservatory.
\ few days ago | overheard Il woman
expostulating with an usher because he
would not admit her to the blue room
| and to the main corridor of the house
while Mrs. Cleveland was holding one of
her receptions. In vain did the usher
explain that his orders were imperative.
and finally he was compelled to say that
Mrs. Cleveland WIS entitled to some
rights Of privacy in her own house
| Her own house indeed" exclaimed
the woman, with toss of her head
Perhaps Mrs. Cleveland thinks she
owns the place just because her hus-
band has been elected president The
people of the United States own this
house, sir, and I'd like TO know by what
right the people are denied admittance
to the parlors. Its perfect shame.'
| Many such unreasonable women 90 to
the White House in the course of week.
| They do not 20 into the private rooms,
or the conservatory, or the dining room,
or the kitchen, but they do manage to
make more or less miserable the lives Of
the poor ushers. The people who visit
| the executive mansion have 10 he CON
| stantly watched on account of their craze
| for souvenirs or relics. Women carry
| scissors with them in order to snip a
| piece ont of a curtain if they get chance.
| Once woman WAS seen cutting bit of
| ribbon from Mrs. Clevelands gown.
| When detected, shetried to pass the mat
ter off as joke, but quickly disappeared.
Some of these people manage to get in
vitations to Mrs. Cleveland's receptions
In the blue room they distinguish them
selves by standing as close to Mrs Cleve-
land as they possibly can, staring at her
and listening to every word She utters
They get i'll the way Of new arrivals, and
by their pigglsh manners make them
selves generally disagreeable. AT first
Mrs. Cleveland tried to manage her little
receptions alone, but she soon found it
n .
Of the White House staff Now Usher
Dubois stands near her constantly, pre-
scnts the ladies who are not personally
known to the hostess. and in his quiet
way contrlves 10 prevent too much
crowding about her, 1t is wonderful
what authority man is able to exercise
over lot Of women. particularly when
he is the only man in sight and an off
cial who knows his business
Mrs. Clcvei"nd's invitation cards are
characteristic. Mrs. Cleveland will be
alad' to see So-and-so. Plain. hearty.
Saxon glad" is the word. The name.
the day of the week and the hour are
written with q pen. The usual hour il
from II to /, and the days Tuesday and
Friday, AT noon Of these days the
crowd aSseihnies; Most OF them come
N carriages those who have invita-
.l"hs kho" "hit 10 90 ana where to go.
but at thls hour usually hundreds OF
people are visiting the eas' room, and
n. soon IA some of those v-o,,,n,, 500 tLat
other callers are heinz admit,ed where
.hcy are moi thev Mt ouca Inco,na o,.cr-
po,ysred with envv and curineitv Inst
ill.,. n woman Won know and o7,i.l-1r
diyiniur tie fart- as women v,i1I a car.
tain proportion at one become imbt,ed
with the notion thar ,bav s;,n,Iv n,,,st
sec Mrs. Cleveland Tbay ,,1osd ard ao-
io!p md finally some of them % avav
only 10 return in a few moments and soy
at the door they have forgotten their in.
yitatiors,
Though Mrs. Cleveland recaivas ber
guests at midday. she has all tbe win
C!ows of the hlue room darkpued and
the only illumination in tho a,ar,ne,,+
is that made bv a small c1,sta, ,,f ;nco,,.
descent larnrs AWAY 1,n near tbe collin,
L is not very 1nuch of n Iiobt bnt what
there is fails SOFTLY and rrettilv frr,n its
elevated position. The effect. thourh
novel. is really very charniug Nrs
Cleveland is us1aIIy .,oyrned in some.
thing loose and flowing, and much com
rent is heard on hcr lnat-oulv appear-
ance coinpared with her a-irlisb1ess dur.
in- her former residence here. She has
9 fascinating wav of looking her callers
straight in the eve. Of maintaining a lin
gariug clasp If their hands and Of sav-
ing sensible thincs in a sensible wav
As stood watching her for q few mo-
ments the other day Perceived that she
started and gave directions to four out
of Ave of the little conversations ba-
tween her and her guests. There was
nothing stercotvped or stiltei abort the
talk either. This Is trn. ,sr,ce. What
is tact in u man is grace, il, a woman.
The need Of new W hite House. which
/ have often argued. was shown on Easter
Monday. The mansion was thronged
with women and children. Inasmuch rs
the White House has but one door. ladies
who waited to see Mrs. Cleveland could
not get in. and those who were in could
not get ont. Among the latter was Mrs
Bissell. wife Of the postmaster general.