New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-23
ALADY OF THE OLD SCHOOI.
MRS. sEMPLE, ONCE MISTRESS OF 1m
WHITE HOUSE.

INNATE OF THE LOUISE HOME FOR AGED
WOMEN IN wAsHINGToN-sHE CHATS
INTERESTINGLY AND WILDLY OF
THE FAMOUS MEN AND HIS
ToRIc OCCURRENCES OF
HER YOUNGER DAYS
Washington Feb. % (specaD.-Among those in al
tendance at recent social functions Mrs Sartoria
Mrs Stanley Brown ard Mrs. Mckee daughters. n.
spectivey of Presidents Grant, Garfield and Han
rson have been conspicuous. To this list OF Prea.
dents daughters now in Washington the name Of
Mrs Semple daughter OF President Tyler should
be added Mrs Sempe Is and has been for rum.
her OF years an inmate Of the Louise Home that
ideal retreat for aged women which Washington
owes TO the generosity OF ". W. Corcoran, who
founded and named II In memory or MS Vile and
daughter III health and advancing age have long
prevented Mrs Semple from taking part In social
festivities, but her mind Is clear, ner memory IN.
,mpa.red her Intellect vigorous. her knowledge Of
The history Of her country deep and comprehensive.
II is not strange therefore. that this representative
NJ q neriod long gone by should be not the least
interesting OF this quartet OF women who at DIFF.
ferent times have lived in the White House.
The Tyler family is an illustrlous one and among
ga connections numbers four Presidents. James
Monroe William Henry Harrison ara benjamin
Harrison were all cousins Of President Tyler. Mn.
ca,n,o Is not s only descendant here at the capital
The present member OF Congress from the I'D Dis.
rlct of Virginia, D. Gardiner Tyler. Is hall
brother Of Mrs. Scmple, soa Of President Tyler
nv his second wife. the beautiful MISS Gardiner.
although Mr Tyler's modesty has prevented him
from mentioning this fact in the brief sketch Of his
ITO which Il printed In the Congressional Directory.
General John Tyler. Mrs. Senples own brother, who
died here recently, hls fathers private secretary
and at one time a conspicuous figure at the capital
For n number o, years General Tyler was con-
fined to his house by long and tedious Ill.
ness from, which death a welcome release
Mrs Se,nple and General Tyler the children Of
President Tyer's first wife. Lettla Christian. The
Christian family is Old ard distinguished one In
Virginia. and ii "a Mrs. Semples boast that not one
drop of blood rot OF this commonwealth flows In
her veins.
Jefferson. Jackson. Martin Van Buren,, Tyler. Ar.
thur and Harrison were widoweTs while occupying
The White House. The wives of Presidents Tyler
and Harrison died In that mansion. MIS-. Tyler
whose death occurred September 10. 1872.
woman OF great beauty and charming personality,
was fairly do..zed by her children. In writing OF
the death Of her mother-n-aw Mrs. Robert Tyler
says:
Nothing can exceed the loneliness Of this large and
gloomy mansion hung with black, It's walls ccho!ng
Sghs and croans She was beautiful TO tho
eye even IN ilIoss her complexion was az clear as
an Infants. her figure perfect, and her hands
and feet were the most delicate | ever cav. sne
: as refined and gentle in everything that sne sna
and d!d: and. above all. pure and spotiess Chri+
tan She was my beau ideal OF gent!ewoman.
The devotion Of her sors and husband 70 her was
most affecting l con think I ever saw her enter
a room that all there d:d not sprng up to lead her
to a chair, arrange her footsool and caress aud
pc; her.
Mrs semp,e was already married when her father
was made President. and lived in prncely style IN
the Colonial pa.loe in Williamsburg which mad been
built before the Revolution for the Kings repre-
sentative but she spent much time at the White
House during her mothers Illness sharing with ner
SISTERS and her sster-in-aw its official ard domestic
duties Shortly after her mothers death Mrs SEM
pie was sent for by her father to take charge OF M
hcme, and she remained as Its mistress until AZ
marriage IN lS:i TO Miss Gardiner, OF Newly .
belle OF those days.
II was the writer's privilege recently to spend
half-hour with Mrs semp.e in her cosey room y
the second story OF the Louise Home The room
which has Il northern exposure, W@s noo9ed WIZ
afternoon sunlight \ cheerful fire burned In the
crate and over the mante, were family portraits
among teen charming picture OK har ss'e. as ons
OF the social cents OF the Tyler Adminisration
fhis was oa.y oae q many reminders OF the tlms
OF ''TiD9ecano, and Tyler. too" There were many
pictures Of Distinguished people connected with that
period. and L framed memorial hanging JUST Do
MIR Mrs semr;e IS a lady Of the Cd school, and ID
llstnsuisiec both in appearance and manner She
is tall SENDER dlgnlhoi with large. regular feat
ures. dark. expressive eyes and her hair whlca s.s
wears in picturesque clrls on either size Oh ,es
we.l-shapeA head. il snowy white There IS dis;
nct resemblance to the portraits ., hr iasneI "a ca
she has without doubt inherited ms MIMI anu
II.
the seventies. but she gives the impression OF oels
much Younger Tor neither IN her manner nor eU g
yet she has suffered stroke OF paralysis ana IS
unable to walk or be much on her teet ms ~,
70 any great extent with the outside world. The
last time she took part in semi-ohicial junction
when she attended President C.eVe'afdS "e''
There are few people so rich IN "reminiscences az
few who can tell them more brilliantly. Her man;
nor OF going back % the past. giving gmpseS "a
most s}Facve SEE was at the head o; the White
House when the Prince De JoInye made his FAMOUS Gus
tour OF America. and Daniel Webster VINO We ~
1,hss G See5ry o. 20 ~ Wcbssrs o she said
the most brilliant men but one Of the moot pr9founa
thinkers ever me- on 5 snpies, subjects that
no one would think OF making frivolous Fe"'''A -
I'm our time" said Mrs. semple. in answer TO
question. I'VE ueed the same furniture. the safs
the house during Mr. Monroe's Admlnst ration 40
be sure the furniture and hang!ngs naa or' usi
jump through re sits in the curtains , IN XIV XIV
fathers vas m economical Administration. There
no intention that IT shoud be 9snerw Hc;,e
Ian tel you something aoGu en tes known
was nct whit before the OF 1872 but Was b.
b,hSs AZ 6urnca by the british in Si were the wall:
painted white. and Il was known by JUS pr lsssI,
VAS neither finished nor furnished NJ MO 55D'.
tlrght both Mr. and Mrs. Monroe to like me
French style their IDEAS we're all FrenHn ana or me N.
White House ordered from Paris The nanS-
irgs have been replaced many times ana the iu,h
ture recovered Indeed. / am not sure that tne
furniture is the same but Tho chandeliers. the can.
dcabra and the clocks are those ordered ny IN, ~
Monroes don't care for the interior OF the Wai,e
House Of to-day. 1t is too ornate too elanoratse,
for the old house, and too pretentioue Tor a Rep.u
Ne which should be characterized by simplicity:
Life there was much shipper as remember : ~ y
than now We brca,fasted at 5. dlned nj anu
mad simmer az : There were public receptions
every Two weeks. but AZ the dinners given for
rcntismen the women OF the family never APP
pcared." . =, A., .,,.,. =,
When asked II she had an interest IN the politics OF
,he dav and Kept up with them. Mrs Semple said:
MO thcv sadden and deDress me. There IS so much
corrup;ion 40 much dishonesty. The Republic
eccn,s ~ be growing further and further away from
80, 49,. - h 1hcre stnleS-