Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-19


ments were made in advance to cover such
an emergency 1t would not do for the
country to be without chief magistrate
even for a day. When Mr.. Cleveland Wis
tied the Adirondacks, during his first adj
ministration couriers maintained a con-
slant communication between his camp and
the ne lrest outpost Of civilization. While
hunting and fishing he was kept acquainted
with all that was doing in the world.
1t has often been said that a President of
the United States can never get away from
the shop. When Mr.. Cleveland is at either
of his two country homes, messages are
continually flying to and fro between him
and the White House. Last summer Rob
ert Lincoln O'Brien, correspondence clerk
of the Executive Mansion, carried dispatch
of exceptional Importance from Mr.. Thurber
to the President at Gray Gables. 1t Is his
business to open all of the letters that
come to the White House, save, of course.
such as relate to the private affairs of the
President Thus Mr.. Cleveland is relieved
of the bother OF attending to a voluminous
mail O'Brien comes from Massachusetts
and has had some experience in newspaper
work. He is twenty-eight years old, has
the look of a student, wears a blonde mus
tache and is engaged to be married.
He is only one of a number of trusted
men who are employed as messengers by
the President. A young man named Mitch
ell is the social messenger OF the w h1te
House. He carries all the invitations.
If Mrs. Cleveland proposes to give ladies'
luncheon-a form of entertainment for
which she has a fancy-she does not use
the post. Mitchell, in person, carries the
engraved cards in dainty envelopes to the
houses Of the guests, whose presence is
solicited. Thus. for example, the Misses
Pauncefote, daughters of the British am
bassador-the youngest formally pre-
scented to society the other day-are notified
that Mrs. Cleveland requests the pleasure
of their company, etc
Mrs. Clevclnnd's Privileges.
An invitation from Mrs Cleveland comes
as from royalty, taking precedence of all
others. Thus a person invited to an enter
tanment at the White House may, with
propriety, throw over q previous engage
ment to dine or take lunch. The first lady
in the land does make calls occasionally
in fact, Mrs. Clevelands practice in that
regard is exceptionally lberal-but she is
not obliged by etiquette to pay any visits.
In that respect also her position is that of
royalty. Another duty of young Mitchelrs
is to receive the cards OF people who call
on Mrs. Cleveland. This requires some dis
Cretion, for individuals of narrow standing
acquaintance with the Presidents wife
are constantly trying to intrude at the
White House
When the President wishes to see any
Senator Representative in Congress he
never goes to seek him. but sends a note
requesting his presence at the White
House at a stated hour 1t would be con-
trary to etiquette and even very rude to fail
to obey such an invitation. For this and
variety of other purposes messages are
constantly being dispatched from the Ex-
ecutive Mansion. The work necessitates
the employment of three messengers. One
of these is known AS the mounted messen-
ger. His name is Edgar r. Beckley. He
is a colored man. and has acted in this ca
pacity through several administrations.
The bicycle messenger of the White
House is George e. Marshall. He is a
young man Of twenty-eight years and has
a rather remarkable history. He has been
all around the world rs a sailor and has
played foot ball on the Desert of Sahara.
Samuel Murray, the foot messenger Of the
Executive Mansion, is a colored man. 1t
is the business of the bicycle messenger
and the foot messenger to so miscel-
laneouS errands.
The Prudent Pru,len.
The most important individual employed
by Mr.. Cleveland as a messenger is o. L.
Pruden 1t was once said Of the author
of '"rhe Raven that he ought to have been
named Edgar A. Poet OF Mr.. Pruden it
might be said that he should have been
ramed Prudent. He is the beau ideal of
confidential man, who never gives anything
away. Commonly he is referred to in the
newspapers as the assistant private secre-
tary'' to the President His actual title is
assistant secretary" He is, in fact, pri-
vate secretary to Mr.. Thurber, and does
not come into contact with the President
to any extent. His duties have a social
side, inaSmuch the task of arranging
the guests at state dinners is always per
formed by him. This is matter of no
little difficulty and Importance, as definite
rules Of etiquette must be observed. If a
mistake involving precedence We're made
much disagreed 5leness might ensue. This