The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-09

of society in the little capital through
the eight years of Jefferson's admins
tration radiated from Mrs. Madison.
She was wealthy, and did many gem
erous acts, which endeared her to the
people, but kept a very unpretentious
house, because the president would not
have 1t otherwise. jefferson was very
proud of her; he had loved and courted
her mother, who married John Payne.
When her husband became president,
however, Mrs. Madison took the reins
and re-establshed the levees of her
two predecessors. She was then 81
years old. Her hospitalties were on a
big scale, and she was called "the
queen" and the White House "the pal
ace.' Some of her costumes were ex-
tremely gorgeous and elaborate, and as
retained in portraits look rather odd.
In 1917 she turned over the executive
mansion to Mrs. Monroe, a handsome
woman, whom Monroe married the gay
winter following Washington's first in
auguration. She was Eliza Kortwright,
and belle of New York. Hitherto IL
mad been one of the duties of a presi-
dents wife to return calls, but Wash
lngton had now become quite a town.
and Mrs. Monroe refused to submit to
so inconvenient a custom. 1t was af-
terward revived by Mrs. Robert Tyler
through the advice of Mrs. Madison.
Mrs. Monroe was extremely exacting in
the matter of dress at her receptions
She got her ideas of such things from
ten years of life in European capitals
While Monroe was on his various mis-
sions. Her daughters were educated in
France, and Eliza was a class-mate of
Hortense Beauharnais. Mrs. John
Quincy Adams, who succeeded Mrs
Monroe, was born, educated and mar
ried in London. AS wife of the secre-
tary of state she had assisted the wife
or the president about the White House
for eight years. She was a graceful
pretty little woman and capable of en-
tertaining great men. Her callers in
cluded such giants as Daniel Webster.
Andrew Jackson and De Witt Clinton.
While John G. Calhoun was vice. -presi-
dent and Henry Clay secretary of
state. Lafayette was her guest for a
week.
Thirty years after Lafayette's visit
the Prince of Wales came over Bu-
chanan was then president, and his
house was kept by his niece, the cele-
brated Harriet Lane, who entertained
the prince both as a private gentleman
and in royal state. She had previously
been in England with her uncle and
made marked impression at the
queens drawing room. A personal de-
scription of Miss Lane gives her violet
eyes, golden hair classic features and
a beautiful mouth. Buchanan, who
Il
his niece, reared and educated her, and
she was steadfast to his interests and
his best friend, though she eventually
married a Mr.. Johnston. Buchanan's
letters to her are said by his biogra-
piers to rank with those of Burke,
Chesterfield, Chatham and Eldon.
About twenty years separate the visits
of the Prince of Wales and Alexis. The
Russian grand duke was entertained
at state dinner by Mrs. Hayes, who
wore a white silk robe trimmed with
flowers. Mrs. Hayes was exceptionally
popular, and her receptions attracted
immense throngs. Almost every even
ing, assisted by Mrs. Ewarts and
daughters, she had informal gather
ings in the library. Mrs. Ewarts, as
wife of the secretary of state, was
preceded by Mrs. Fish, who, as an en-
tertainer on big scale, won a repu-
tation second to none. She was a very
courtly woman, but unyielding in con-
Ventionality and was of great assist
ance to Mrs. Grant in dispensing hos
pltalities to the brilliant galaxy of men
and women that once more, after the
war; surged through the doors of the
Whlte House. Mrs. Grant is remem-
Dered for her good taste and courtesy.
ana passed the ordeal of eight wears
as presidents wife with less criticism.
possibly, than any of her predecessors.
Whatever of unnecessary convention
allty there was at Mrs. Grants recep-
tions was no doubt in a measure due
TO the presence of Mrs. Fish, who seems
10 nave fashioned her own pretentious
gatherings after the dgnified manner
OF Mrs. James X. Polk's Whatever
Mrs. Polk did was of the strictest for
mality and correctness.
Mrs. Grant succeeded Mrs. Patterson.
who came next after Mrs. Lincoln. The
years of Mrs. Lincoln's incumbency
were lonely and sad ones. In the second
year after the Inauguration, Willie's
death occurred, a sorrow from which |
neither she nor the president ever re-
covered. But for the conditions pre-
vailing, Mrs. Lincoln would probably
have made the White House socially |
what 1t had been. She loved society. |
and had cherished the ambition of be- |
ing the wife of a president. Her re-
tirement upon the assassination of her |
husband, we know, was duplicated in
Mrs. Garfield who was followed by
President Arthur's sister, Mrs. Noel |
roT. The first winter was one of
but the following spring, in
1882, relation with the outside world |
was reviewed by a splendid reception. |
at which Mrs. Grant assisted, dressed |
like queen, with a coronet of dia- |
monds in her hair. Mrs. McElroy's en-
tertainments We're exceedingly elegant.
Like her brother, she was gifted with
the social art