The Washington times., 1895-02-10


the President OF the United States. after the
Dublin palace, built by the Duke Of Leins-
ter, the housekeeping for Presidents was
quite simple.
The fair and stately mistresses, beginning
with Mrs. Abigail Adams. ordered dinners
and suppers with all the dignity of their
position, served by maid and men servants.
according to need, +" but, with her house in a
wilderness. the weekly washing dried IN the
East Room, there was little formaiity in house
hold management
| The gifts, graces, and successes of 'beaud-
! full Dolly Madison while in the White House
have gone down into history. Her cook,
maids ana ''0Ie Black Joe" who provided
for his 'hansum mistress all the Southern
delicaeies, were famed for service. Fabulous
sums were paid for produce and market day
was the event Of the week. when heavy
coaches joIted from Alexandria TO the Capitol,
| when 1.-THE gentry" came TO meet the foreign
ships ana add to their stores precious jars,
India fruits, and old Engiand's choicest treas
ures.
Lafayette. in 1923. pronounced the White
House, ian American home of eminent social
and intellectual elegance"
''The lovely Emily Donalson,' hostess Of
| the Jackson reign, entertained royalty, OIL
| cially and socially The four or five follow
ing Presidents dispensed generous hospi-
| tality. Mr.. Bucbanan's chef came from
| Baltimore and Miss Harriet Lane revived
| the splendor and fashion of courtly service.
| Their entertainments were elegant and ex-
/ penses enormous. President Tyler lived
simply, but his juleps in summer and egg
nogs in winter used good share OF his sal
ary. Mr.. Pierce was popular, dining every
body. "Grandfather Harrison" went to
market and needed no steward.
| MRS. LIScoLS's DOMESTIC PERPLExITIEs.
To no other President, to no other mistress
OF 1.-The Peoples House." could come the Pc
culiar perplexities and burdens of housekeep-
ing as to our beloved Abraham Lincoln. From
attic to cellar, through tho grounds, the cor
ridors. places public or private. was the con-
fusion Of war Little Tad, with his Demo-
| cratic visitors at the area steps; and day and
| night the tramp OF soldiers; officers and mes
sengers everywhere. To Mrs. Lincoln it was
new, confused, and untried To 3lr. Lincoln
months and years were wholly self forgetful,
Indifferent 10 the expenses and waste, COM
| fort or discomfort. Twenty thousand dollars
was spent during his first term. Silver, or
naments, and valuable furniture were stolen;
costly hangings cut to pieces.
less pains anu patience, renovated the house
| Their state dinners were costly and official
! duties exact.
With the Grants came merry children. hosts
| of Jolly friends and great social freedom.
| Their steward, ''Melah, was beloved of dip
| lomats. princes, and officers who dined at the
/ White House.
One hundred and thirty-ave thousand dol
| lars was used in Johnson's time; the same in
Grants first term; the second S110,0 S1O,-
! 600 was used On new green houses.
Great improvements were made during
| Mrs. Hayes reign. The jeweled screen in
the vesti6ule cost 50, $50. Congress gave Mr..
! Cleveland $4,000; Mr.. Harrison S96 600.
President Arthur was the ''prinee Of dinner
givers." His liquors were his greatest ex-
pense. The steward tells me that President
Hayes spent greater sums on beautiful enter
tainments and decorations than any other
President except Mr.. Arthur.
UNCLE SANS OBLIGATIONS.
The White House is often called ''big ho-
tel and the President its landlord Il is
housekeeping on a large seale-the expenses
divided between Uncle Sam and his servants.
The Executive Mansion" is official and pri-
vate home of the President and his family;
| anu one can hardly credit the small. uninter-
esting routine of daily work within its walls
which is frantica!ly sought after and rushed
| into print The house has cost over g. .OOO,-
| 900, and 1925, 900 each year is for the Presi-
dents salary and expenses. Silver. china,
| glassware. linen for table and bedrooms and
necessary furniture belong to Uncle Sam,
al personal service is paid for as by any
gentleman in mis- hwn house. Government
| laundrles the house linen and attends to the
house cleaning; but at the beginning OF new
administration old servants are retained or
| dismissed rs the mistress sees fit
! The steward is directly responsible for all
valuables. He gives bond Of S20, 900 and
receives a salary of 81, 500. He is appointed
| by the President, and all United States prop
erty put into his charge. The solid silver
service of the Monroes, the gold spoons and
forks of the Van Burens, pieces Of the Lincoln
| china, and parts OF the decorative service
made for Mrs. Hayes are still in use and
stand on the mahogany buffet in the private
dining-room. Quaint urns, pitchers, claret
! Jugs and relics Of value grace the buffet
! The silver is marked presidents House."
| the linen embroidered "U. S." The steward
relieves the mistress of all care, has charge OF
| the under servants, who attend TO the entire
housework.
MRS. HAYES THOUGHT IT MAGICAL.
The first time that We called upon Mrs.
Hayes, informally, some one asked: "And
how goes your new housekeeping, Mrs
| Hayes?"
| Her handsome eyes twinkled as she re-
piled merrily: ~ like it. Everything in
this house moves as if by magic. Everybody
is so good and does so much for u.s." The
state dinners are given at the Presidents
expense. He gives to the steward a sum of
money, the expenditure of which is sup
posed to be in proportion TO the official rank
and grandeur of the invited guests.
Government furnishes to Cabinet officers
| horses, carriages, and coachmen, but the
| Presidents are personal property.
The flowers of the White House are its
pride and glory. There is no room to tell of
the wonderful decorations, the roses, violets,
pansies, and orchids, each the fayorite of
Its beautiful mistress; nor OF the pretty hooks
and corners, arranged from one administra-
| ton to another by the wife and mother for
the comfort and pleasure of her little ones,
her husband, and many guests.
The old house is sacred for its century of
associations; and inside its busy walls very
like to happy American homes, where the
dignity of the high position is blessed with
love and content. Not ruled by kings nor
queens, but by a man chosen by 'the people. +"
MARGARET SPENCER.
J DIED.