St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-15

to be seen n his dress as we'll as in his
actions The dress of the average Sec
retary Of state has been a long Prince
Albert coat, dark pantaloons and
high silk hat. Secretary Olneys favor
ite suit is Of a business cut. He wears
sack coat, and I have seen him
going down Pennsylvania avenue when
the thermometer was not far from zero
without an overcoat He wears an
overcoat only in the coldest and storm
lest weather. He has, like as not, his
hands in his pockets as he walks, and
his hat is of a soft felt. He puts on
the Prince Albert coat or the double
breasted frock, only on diplomatic days
when he receives his callers. On other
days he is dressed like. the most iordi-
nary business man, and he could take
a. bicycle ride without changing his
clothes.
FOND OF TENNIS.
The secretary believes in working
while he works, and in playing while
he plays He also evidently believes
that all work and no play makes Jack
a dull boy. Hence his walks; hence
also his tennis games during the sum-
mer. At half past 4 o'clock every eft
ernoon from April to October Secretary
Olney has game of tennis. He leaves
the department, goes to his home and
puts on tennis suit of white flannel.
He then takes his racquet and walks to
a tennis ground on Massachusetts, ave-
nue., situated on a little vacant lot right
next to where Mrs. Grant lives, and
there plays tennis until dark. Several
other statesmen play with him, and
they hop about between the nets with
as much agility as lot of school boys.
After the secretary has finished his
tennis in the summer, and his walk
in the winter, he goes home, has his
bath, and dresses for dinner. He puts
on a swallow-tail coat at such times,
and appears at the table in full evening
dress. He has to do this in most cases,
at least, for during the winter he is in
vited out to dinner nearly every night,
and his position as secretary Of Ctate
keeps him busy in giving and returning
such invitations.
WICKED SUNDAY DINNERS.
And here, by the way, is one feature
Of our social festivities which many of
the good church people at Washington
do not like. It is the Sunday evening
dinner, which is common among many
of the diplomats, and, which, regret
to say is not unknown to Secretary
Olney. He frequently gives dinners Of
Sunday evening, and at such times
has many of his friends at his table
Washington with all it's sin has a
strong religious element. One of the
leading pastors preached against these
dinners not long ago, and it will not be
strange if an anti-Sunday dinner So
ciety should be formed.
HOW OLNEY WORKS.
Secretary Olney is, I am told, the
first man at the state department in
the morning. He is one Of the hardest
workers of the present cabinet. He
rises at o'clock and reads the paper
before breakfast. He has his break
fast at 1880, and by $50 he Is ready to
start to the office. He reaches the de-
partment at 8:45, and very often Olney
himself and his private secretary. Mr.
Blandford, are the only men there at
that time. The average secretary Of
state does not appear before TO- and he
usually takes at least two hours for
lunch. James G. Blaine seldom spent
more than a couple of hours a dav at
tne department He had a telephone
connection with his house. and bis
butler could never tell Won uba+ha~
Blaine was at the house or the stata
department until he had gone in to
Mr. Blaine and asked him wbara ~
was. If Blaine didn't want IN sea Wv, .iu
ne was always at the state denartment
Mr.; Oiney begins his work at S.4s
re. does not sit at the large desk in
lhe mioole or the office. He has a little
loiIer-top uesk away off in one corner
OF the room. 1t is situated just in front
OF the window, and Olney is SO shut off
that you can approach him only from
one side. There is one chair near This
desk, and the others who wish to see
him must either take seat at the other
side OF the room, or, what is more prob
able, wait In the ante-room until he Is
ready to receive them
THE SECRETARY'S MAIL,
The first thing the secretary does
upon reaching the department is to go
through his mail The Joffarc x,,b; 81,