The Portland daily press., 1896-12-03
AS A HOUSEKEEPER
The Mistress of the White Heuse is
Relieved From Care.
Details of Domestic Management in the
Presidents Home.

| Details of Domestic Management in the
Presidents Home.
washington Starr
| Mrs. Mckinley, when she becomes the
mistress of the White House, the 4th of
March, will lind the old mansion in ex-
cellent ord er from garrett to cellar. The
| various Improvements during the last
eight years in the way of undertaking
| have been of incalculab BILE benefit to the
| house, and the health and comfort of it's
occupants, until now it may be said, 90
far as an old house can be improved. to
be in the pink Of condition. The wear
| and tear of the next three months will,
of course, be considerable, and may
change the shining appearance of it's
every nook and corner, but noticeable as
this may be. it will not be oiroum-
stance to what the mansion will suffer
during the first thr ee months of the new
administration.
New things soon grow worn and old
looking during these early and trying
daya Of each presidential term, when
visitors como by hundreds, either on
business or curiosity bent, and the White
House is the Mecca to which all eyes and
maay feet are turned.
That domestic virtue, housekeeping,
with Its attendant traits, is by no means
necessary part of the equipment Of a
White House mistress. The house which
has sheltered all the Presidents save one
is more of pu blic building than home
In the sstr1ctest sense of the term. The
taste OF Its presiding lady may be mani
fest in the redeooration of room, the
selection of piece of furniture, the tint
OF carpet or drapery or something
else In that line. but the best results in
the opinion of some, are secured when
these selections are left to the Judgment
| OF professional decorator, who will best
know how to preserve the historical and
artistic harmOnies. Some times fc0ngres-
| sional appropriations are more easily Sc
CURED than at others, and it was in these
liberal periods during the Harrison ad-
ministration when SO much Of genuine
| restoration and thorough cleaning up
was carried on with such success In
| recent years, perhaps, the late Mrs. Har-
rison was the best sexsmplification of
mistress of the White House, being.at the
Same time thorough housekeeper. The
placed in thorough order. At another
| time the redecoration of the halls and
the blue and green parlOrs was carried
ON che entire summer, and the results
in an artistic sense were eminently salts
factory, and in these two parlors espec-
tally continue to excite general admila-
tion. The desigus were chosen entirely
by Mrs. Harrison, who took the greatest
pleasure in watching the progress of the
work and in its success.
TASTE OF THE PRESENT MIS-
TRESS.
During the present administration
nothing of Importance so far as any
change was concerned was necessary in
the state apartments excepting the red
room, which in its present appearance
reflects the taste of It's charming mis-
tress. 1t is the parlor most used by the
President and his wife In receiving social
calls. The apartments upstairs used by
the family have been each thoroughly
| changed in their scheme of ornamenta-
tion during the last four years and will
in all probability come In for Just as
| many more changes during the next ad-
m1nlstration. The necessity for making
q
space caused Mrs. Harrison to explore
the attic and to utilize part for closet
and trunk rooms. President Cleveland's g
family circle il of smaller dimensions
and Mrs. ClevelaDd's ingenuity has not
| been taxed to find comfortable corpers
for each one, as Mrs. Harrison vas often
obliged to do.
Beyond settling some such problem as
these he mistresses of the White House
| do not take an active part In it's house
hold matters. The fact that Mrs Nc
k1nley will come there an invalid need
not, therefore initiate against her in her
management of its domestic machinery.
She will have far less to do each day SO
far as housekeeping is concerned, than
she does in her more modest establish
mont in Canton. There is usually
housekeeper to whom the feminine part
of the household help paws Difference,
She comes between the servants and the
mistress and relieves the latter of the
are of managing the former.
The steward, who Is at the head of the
klt0len cabinet and the grand factotum
OF the entire esta ablshment, is a bonded
individual, who is responsible for the
household equipment of furniture, china
and plate from the time he receives the
charge until he turns it over to his suo-
cessor. which mny be the same hour In
which the new President takes possess
otch' bo StoWdru Is iOb tu6 purchasing
agent, however, for anything excep what
IL used on the Presidents table by his
servants.
IN CHARGE OF COL. WILSON.
Col. Wilson, the superintendent of
public buildings and grounds, has the
charge of the White Honse-its repairs
and -refurnishing, the purchasing of new
supplies, the linen, china. glass and sill
YER, and all the hundred and one things
which contribute to the dignity of
presidential home and it's public and
private uses. All the servants in the
White House are paid by the government,
excepting the few who wait on the
family personally.
Few OF the White House mistresses ever
venture below stairs to the Kitchens or
laundry. They relegate any duty they
may md In this regard to the steward
anv,au