The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-10

mansion herself and sees that things
are kept up to date and in good order.
The house, you know, is cleaned every
spring. It takes about 200 people to
do the cleaning, and so you need not
worry about any lady Of the White
house being overwOrked, if she has
enough executive ability to know what
she wants and tell others how to do it.
WHITE HOUSE IN 1897.
But let me tell you just how the
White house looks in this year of
our Lord, 1897. II is bigger than it
seems, for it covers the third of an
acre. You do not see the basement
as you look at it from the street. and
the basement is almost a house in it
self. Its rooms are high, and, with it's
recent improvements, it is now as dry
as bone. The White house is, you
know, some distance back from the
street. A big park surrounds it, and
going up to the front door you walk
about drive which leads in the shape
Of a half moon to Pennsylvania avenue
On one side Of this drive there is a
flag pavement, and in coming into the
side of the yard nearest the treasury
you walk half the length of the build
ing before you reach the front porch
AS you do this you can look right down
into the basement and see the servants
DIT WOIh. lie room DoIOW you is de-
voted to the laundry, and you may see
colored women here almost any day
of the week rubbing away at our
presidents shirts or ironing the pretty
white dresses which the White house
children wear. Passing these you reach
the large pofte-c0chere. The columns
which uphold this are as big as the
biggest oak tree, and the stone plat
form within them is so large that a
r. nj IOn c+o
upon it and have room to spare. You
reach this platform by stone steps and
stand at last before the front door Of
the White house.
THE FRONT DOOR.
Stop a moment before you go in. Do
you realize where you stand? You are
al a point where the great miracle in
the history of nations is enacted every
four years. Within a few weeks
through that door will pass out forever
the king OF what is one Of the great
est peoples of the world and at the:
same time new king will step in.
Without a jar, without the stoppage
of a single wheel, in the twinklng Of
ali eye the government of seventy mil
lions Of people will be changed and
our national machinery will go on as
smoothly and as irresistibly as it has
since its beginning. Think again where
you are. You are at the goal of the
Americans ambition. At the door Of
the White house, the point where
thousands are ever striving to enter a
masters, but where few succeed. Look
back over the procession which has
already passed in, and in your minds
eye picture the disappointed faces of
some who have gone out. Note that
little fat man in gorgeous coat, knee
breeches and gators.
How his bald head shines and how
he swells and puffs as he walks
through the door. That is John Adams,
the first president who ever lived in
the White house. His great ability was
so leavened with vanity that he
thought himself superior to George
Washington. Look again. 1t is four
years later and Adams is about to de.
part. How his face frowns. He leaves
the White house with regret, and now
at midnight on the Sd Of March his
coach is at the door, for he cannot
bear to see his successor inaugurated.
Now it is morning. A new president
stands upon the stone steps under the
great porte cochere. This man is big
and raW-b oned. He has q red head
and his face is covered with freckles.
See how democratic he is and how
his blue eyes smile on all those about
him. That is Thomas Jefferson. He
feels proud and rich as he enters the
executive mansion. 1t is eight years
later, and he also is about to depart.
He has been denounced and Calumniat-
ed during his reign, and the iron of
bitterness is in his soul as it was in
that of John Adams. He has, during
his term, spent more than his salary.
His wine bills alone have cost him