The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-13

Ior the open tireplaces in the few
finished rooms in the mansion. Even
men to do the "chores" were SO scarce
that they had to be imported from
the distant city of Baltimore, which
was days journey away, by stage
coach or horse.
Somehow this capable dame, who
had been used to managing her own
domestic affairs in the long absences
OF her husband on diplomatic err
rands, managed to live through these
Inconvenience and privations, and to
impress her strong personality upon
the minds of all who met her as
queen of the Republican court "a
term that she would have hurled back
with scorn. Abigail Adams spent
her summers on the farm at Quincy,
Mass, and this also she managed
with goodly degree of success. But
she found time to write her husband
such letters as give truer pictures of
those early days in our country's his
tory than are to be found in the
writings of many other annalists.
Dolly Madison, and Mrs. John Quincy
Adams.
One might write book about Mrs.
Adams's successor, Dolly Madison,
were not the read ing world alrea ly
familiar with her fame, as perhaps
the most popular mistress of the
White House. There, being more of
society woman than Mrs. Adams, and
the Executive Mansion being some
what more advanced as place of
residence, she reigned like a queen.
She in turn was succeeded later by a
lady of still gentler breeding, Mrs.
John Quincy Adams-who never
seemed to me to have that promi
nence among these historical danes
which her beauty, tact, and many ac-
complishments seem to merit; and
for that reason she will have this
tardy bit of justice. The old chroni-
clers say Of her that she always car
ried herself with dignity in social
life, understood politics, and was
fully able to sustain conversation
with the most brilliant men of her
time. Remember that 'conversa-
ton" was then considered an accom-
plishment as much as we consider
music or art.
Mrs. Lincoln,
Houses, like people who survive to
a good old age, come to have a per-
sonality, if not history. The quad
rennial tenants of the past 100 years
in the White House brought with
them trials and troubles that could
not be left behind. Death some
times galloped fast after those who
crossed its threshold with so much
satisfaction and pride. Calumny
many time and oft slip ped in but
rarely did it have a shaft to send af-
ter the mistress who walked that way
tragedies and comedies, waiting
upon all our lives, whether in man.
sion or cottage. But this one thing
we have to rejoice in. No common
place or unworthy mistress name is
among them all. The one most crit
icised, Mrs. Lincoln, was more unfor-
tunate than SHINING. She possessed
social qualities that in a peaceful
time would have given her a much
higher place in tradition-her very
love of dress, display and gayety.
Having been born in slave State,
her feelings were not so bitter toward
the ''rebels" as they otherwise might
have been; and it was easy in those
dark days to construe all conduct
that was not pronouncedly for as oe-
ing against the cause that her bus
band stood for as no other living
man.
Mrs. General Grant.
Gen. Grants widow acknowledges
that the sweetest drafts of social
pleasure she ever tasted were slipped
in Washington while her husbands
star was rising and while, too, he was
President. Mrs. Grant never was
beautiful, but she had to an eminent
degree that rare kind of sense called
good common sense, and she was
never out of place wherever she found
herself. No one could ever say that
she shone with brilliancy, but she
did fulfill all of the most exacting
duties without criticism. She was
herself happy and generally success
full in making others about her hap
Ply. Gen. Grant was almost shy in
the social world all his life, but Mrs.
Grant always covered up all his de-
ficiencies with tact and discretion.
Mrs, R. B. Hayes.
Mrs. Lucy Webb Hayess name will
long be remembered as that of the
happiest mistress the White House
ever had-unless Mrs. Cleveland can