The evening times., 1896-05-22
LETTERS TO FIRST LADY
Curious Appeals and Requests
Seat Mrs. Cleveland.
HOW THEY ARE ANSWERED
An Executive Mansion Clerk Divides
the EpistIe With Certain CIasses.
Funny Begging Missives-Favora-
BILE Responses Occasionally Are
Mude-Stcreotyped Answer.


comes with each mail from North, South,
East and West addressed to Mrs. Cleye-
land that IL has been found necessary to
divide into classes these letters which ap-
pear deserving of any notice whatever.
First IN this category come the requests
for charity, in numberless forms. Appeals
for money are abundant, of course. Next
come calls for focd aud clothing. Then come
demands that she VIII make an apron for
fair III Podunk, or dress doll for church
exhibition at Smitayille.
Perhaps the funnc - OF the begging letters
are those which rave the gift OF a baby
carriage; they sre usually accompanie
by clipping or copied quotation from an
obscure local ne wspaper, in which an i'm
aginative contributor describes the C.eve-
lands as receiving a carload OF little car
riages pruse ats from inventors and manu-
facturers all over the country directly
after the bitth OF each child.
As matter of fact, no such presents
have ever come to them; but the fancy
Of the average Washington letter writer
runs riot on occasion, ana represents as u
real happening what might have occurred
If the whole guild OF American carriage
makers had let themselves loose in search of
a great advertisement.
HER INFLUENCE ASKED. {.
A second class OF letters are those iu
which Mrs. Cleveland is besought TO use
her influence with the President TO pro-
cure offices OF other political favors ior
somebody III whom the writer's dre iu-
terested.
Even the wives OF prominent Congress
nIen have been known to bespeak in this
way the interference OF the President To
obtain coveted committee assignments
for their husbands in one or tie other logis-
latiye chamber.
To the third class belSng letters asking
the use of Mrs. Cleveland's name as Il sub
scriber for u book or as subject OF a
dedicatory paragraph.
III the fourth class are grouped the con-
ventional engraved invitations TO take
part in some festivity-a wedding, a re-
ceptiOn, a christening, birthday party,
he anniversary OF i society, the laying
OF corner stone.
The almost unbrokeu rule in all these
cases is for one of the executive clerks
TO write a stereotyped form OF answer,
cOnsist ing of u polite ackno wledgment and
a declination.
Here and there a missive will have
some dis motive feature which causes it
10 be set apart from the rest and brought
To Mrs. Cleveland's notice when she re-
tires from the breakfast room and seats
herself at the desk.
A bequest that she will allow herself
to be named as godmother for some bud
ding genius OF a new generation is rarely
refused, an autograph is given where the
circumstances warrant the belief that the
courtesy will not be abused, aud in rare
very rare-occasions photograph is added.
WHEN SHE Is KIND.
Now and then. at long intervals, one
of the other requests receives a favora-
BILE response. but when the recipient is
ungracious enough to share the news of
Ills success with the public the result is
such a deluge ofappeals nd dema nds from
chronic mendicants that the kindly feeling
which prompted the experiments turned TO
disgust. and the lesson costs the ne xt thou
sand supplicants prompt denial of their
prayers.
As au example of the use to which even
the declnaiion of an invitation may be put,
a single instance may be cited. From a
social climber OF the most self-obtrusive
and offensive type, who had been eagerly
bent for years on obtaining some personal
recognition from the Presidents family,
came one day card for the wedding re-
seption of his daughter.
The stcreotyped response was sent by one
OF the clerks. expressing the regret of the
President and Mrs. Cleveland that they
would be unable To attend. TIE morning
newspapers on the day following the ar
fair contained a full account of all thattook
place. ending with a list of distinguished
guests: and the recorded procession of gen
erals and commodores and judges wound
up with the announcement that President
and Mrs. Cleveland We're to have honoredthe
occasion with their presence. but at the
last moment were unavoidably. prevented
and obliged to send their regrets"