The Washington times., 1895-05-05

receipt of requests to write articles in be-
half of charities or enterprises of that ua-
ture, all more or less worthy doubtless, but
which if acceded to in each case would keep
the spare time OF the residents wife pretty
well filled To the exclusion of everything
else. Occasionally there comes request
from magazine asking Mrs. Cleveland to
write upon a special subject, but to each aud
every offer, even those of the most flat
tering description, a refusal is returned.
Mrs. Cleveland writes to her friends, and
that is the only way in which her signature
is ever to be found attached to any of her
handw rting.
These letters are generally brief aud to
the point, as in the nature of things it
would be impossible for many lengthy let
tes to be written by the mistress of the
White House, especially when, as in the
! present case, there are constant demands
made upon her time aud thoughts by two
young children in addition to the official
duties necessarily devolving upon the wife
Of the President.
The largest offer ever made to Mrs.
! Cleveland for an article TO be written by
/ her was after she had been married about
year. One morning at the breakfast table
she opened letter from out of which fell
check for 5000. This was from one of
the leading magazines in the Uaited States,
requesting that she accept the same in pay
ment for an article desired from her pen.
! The subject as well as the length was left
entirely 10 her own discretion.
Ii was tempting offer, especially as it
] h9Dnpnn6 IN he fhR first "a aUa
been received by Mrs. Cleveland and she
/ was naturally anxious on account OF the
prominence OF the magazine to comply with
] the request. The President, however,
would hear 10 no such thing, so after
waiting until the next day and Finding him
! stilIobdurate on thesubiect Mrs Cleveland
reluctantly gave the $500 check a last look
and returned il with a brief little note
/ thanking the editors for their courtesy in
the matter, but stating that she would not
/ be able to comply with their request.
In the matter OF valuable letters received
J from people OF prominence all over the
I United States, Mrs. Cleveland has about as
! valuable collection as is 10 be found IN
! this country. Some day, probably after
! the close OF the present administration.
Mrs. Cleveland VIII carry into execution her
/ long cherished plans iD this respect and have
/ all these letters compiled into a series OF
volumes, Since no one cover could possibly
! hold the half of them
Many OF the letters date back even prior
TO her coming TO the White House as a bride,
/ when il first came 10 be whispered about
! that she was engaged to the President.
! Then there are the letters received with the
wedding presents that OF themselves make
! a valued collection OF autographs.
The amount OF letters that daily pour
! into the White House is something far
more stupendous than any one without ex-
perience in the matter ever guesses. To
attempt to reply TO every one received
would keep a dozen clerks busy, but as
no such clerical force is at the disposal
! of the Presidents wife the greater part
/ OF the letters and notes is never ans wered.
! They simply go to fill the waste basket,
! and the writer's, with their multitude
nous requests and reasons for writing,
are never again even thought of.
Some idea of the extent to which per-
sonal correspondence can accumulate in
this respect is told by Mrs. Cleveland in
regard TO her experience during the years
| of the first Cleveland administ rat ion
Those OF the letters received that We're of
purely personal character from her friends
were always kept, until finally six i'm
mense Saratoga trunks We're filled 10 over
flowing with those more or less interesting
missives.
The day of reckoning finally came when
the preparations for the removal OF the
President and his wife to New York were
stdINeu- linen MIS-. CieNelafQ IOunQ tnab
there awaited her a task that could lot
be delegated TO any clerk or maid, how
ever efficient 1t took the better part
of week and occupied her until late on the
evening OF the eventful Sd of March, which
was the last day spent in the White
House until the beginning of the present
administration.
Finally, late in the evening the task
was completed, and instead of the six
trunks filled with those personal letters,
the accumulation of epistolary effort on
the part of her friends had been sorted
down to a single trunkful. This trunk
was sent on TO New York with the family
belongings of the most valued descrip-
ton.
When it comes to finally compiling the
volumes of autographic letters alluded to
Mrs. Cleveland will once again have to go
all over this trunkful and Sort the collection
down possibly to half the present amount
unless she desires TO have one entire library
filled with it,