Evening star., 1897-01-09

House. There are Fillmore and Pierce and
the pompous Buchanan, and, greatest of
all. there is Abraham Lincoln. Then come
the Presidents of more recent days and as
they pass before us the tragedies and come
dies of twenty-four lives are played over
again as we look.
Some White House Tragedies.
The front door of the White House! What
stories it could tell of grief as well as JOY.
Through that door Abraham Lincoln was
brought after he was shot by John Wilkes
Booth. Step with me to that side window
and l will show you an old man who was
one of the White House messengers at the
time, and who is still stationed at the door.
His name is Perdle. He told me once how
little Tad Lincoln came running to him the
morning after that shooting and cried:
They have killed my papa; they have
killed my papa!'
He will tell you how he picked up Tad
and tried to comfort him, and how he car
red him upstairs to his room and talked to
him until he dropped off to sleep.
1t was through that same door that Gar
field was brought after he was shot by
Guiteau. He had been but few weeks in
the White House, and. tired and worn out
by fighting with the ofTice-seekers and the
Senate. was just about to go to Long
Branch for few days of much-needed
rest He came out here and took the car
rage for the depot, not half mile away,
and was waiting for the train to start
when the assassin's bullet brought him
back. He was carried in through this door,
and lay here for weeks, racked with eX-
cruciating pain. During those last days he
said to Steward Crump who nursed him,
that he could not see why Guiteau had
shot him, and he thought he might have
waited at least until he had returned from
ais little vacation Guiteau intended to kill
Garfield in the White House. Failing in
this. he stationed himself in the park just
opposite, and was there seen watching this
door the morning that Garfield was shot
II oirosa1 tharn hos hn hi
House carriage come out, and then, taking
a street car, he reached the depot and per-
formed his bloody deed. Since then the
White House has been more carefully
guarded than before
We passed policemen when we came in
TO the yard. They patrol the streets about
the White House night and day. There are
now more than dozen on duty within the
White House grounds, and President Nc
kinley will be watched almost as carefully
any king. There are guards within the
vestibule on the other side of the door,
There are guards in the basement, and the
messengers who conduct you from room
to room, though they look very harmless
have by long watching become expert de-
tectives. and can tell a crank almost at
glance.
There are only four hours of the day
when strangers without urgent business
can be admitted to the White House. This
is from 10 am. till pm. After this. if
you call and ring the bell, you will a
guards face at the little round hole filled
with plate glass in the mosaic window of
the door and a pair of sharp eyes will ex-
anime you before the knob is turned which
lets you in.
The Cave of Aladdin.
If you are so fortunate as to pass this
inspe ction, you will see the doors open in
ward and moment later will find yourself
standing in what might Ne called a very
cave of Aladdin. Columns have been writ
of the parlors of the White House The
nost beautiful part of the whole building
10 my mind is this great vestibule with its
frescoed ceiling, it's beautiful walls covered
with the coat of arms of the United States
its floor of many colored tiles and the jew
eled wall which separates it from the cor
ridor opening into the blue room, the red
loom and the green room beyond. One OF
the great monarchs of India made throne
of gold. the back of which was set with
jewels to represent the feathers and colors
of the peacocks tail. The throne cost
S30,0Uo,00O and it is described as having
been wonderfully beautiful. 1t was how
ever, not much larger than chair l visit
ed the room where it stood during my stay
in Delhi some years ago. The throne room
vas, L venture, not as large as this White
House vestibule. and here, instead of
chair of jewels there is whole wall made
of bits of glass and costly stone put to-
gether in the form of a magnificent mosaic
1t has not cost as many thousand dollars
as tne peacock throne cost millions, DQt
when the electric lights shine behind 1t 1t
is, / venture, far more beautiful. 1t Is in
this vestibule that the Marine Band, dressed
in their gorgeous red uniforms. with their
brazen instruments shining like so much
gold, play at the Presidents receptions, and
over this mosaic floor step the diplomats of
all the nations of the world, clad in their
gold lace, the gay uniformed officers of our
army and navy and the powdered and be-
jeweled throng which makes up what is
known as Washington society.
You will go to the left through this vesti-
bule to reach the second floor of the
have business with President Mckinley
but If you wish to see Mrs. Mckinley and
are so fortunate as to be friend of the
family. you will be taken right across the
Vestibule. and door in that wonderful
wall will open for you and admit you to
the parlors of the White House. At the
Presidents evening receptions the rooms
to the left of the White House will be
fitted up with shelves, where the hats and
coats of the men can be put away, while
the wraps of the ladies will be stored for
the time in the state dining room.
In the Blue Room.
1t will be in the blue room that Presi-
den. Mckinley will receive at such times
This las been the custom from time i'm
memorial. and Il will not be changed. 1
doubt. however, whether Mrs. Mckinley
will be able to be with him. She is not at
eiii Stlohs, anu Sle cOuIQ not StanQ the
wear and tear of an evening reception. 1t
took all of Mrs. Cleveland's vitality to en-
able her to carry out her part during her
first years in the White House. I know of
receptions at which she shook hands with
at lee st 5000 people, and at which it SEEM
ed to me she gave smile to each one and
not two alike. Mrs. Harrison tried to save
herself by not shaking hands, and at some
OF the receptions she carried a bouquet in
order to show the people that she could not
do this. Some think that it was the care
overwork and worry of the White House
Which killed her. and the same is said to
have caused the death of the first Mrs.
Tyler and also of Mrs. Fillmore, although
she survived, l believe. until few weeks
after she left the White House. It was in
the blue room that Mrs. Cleveland was
married, and here she bade goodbye to her
guests and took the carriage with the
President to the special car on the BaIti-
more and Ohio road which was secretly
waiting almost half a mile from the sta
tion, to take the White House bride and
groom to their honeymoon cottage at Deer
Park. FRANK a. CARPENTER
Truly Wonder.
From the Cleveland Leader
Dawson-"My wife Is one of the most
extraordinary xonen in he uorld