Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-09

IL
he liked to select his dinners himself.
There is the Roman.nosed Tyler, who
had more fights with Congress than
Cleveland, and bluff old Zach Taylor,
who died in the White House. There
are Fillmore and Pierce, and the pom
pous Buchanan, and greatest OF all,
there is Abraham Lincoln Then comes
the Presidents OF more recent days, and
as they pass before us the tragedies and
comedies OF twenty-iour lives are played
over again as we look.
SOME WHITE HOUSE TRAGEDIES.
The front door Of the White Housed
What stories it could tell of grief as
well as joy Through that door Abra-
ham Lincoln was brought after he was
shot by John Wilkes Booth. Step with
me to that side window and | 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 Pendle. He told me once
how little Tad Lincoln came running TO
him the morning after that sho oting and
cried:
"They have killed my papa: they have
killed my papal'
He will tell you how he picked up
he carried him upstairs to his room and
talked to him until he dropped off TO
sleep.
1t was through that same door that
Garfield was brought after he was shot
by Guiteau. He had been hut few
weeks in the White House, aud tired
and WORKOUT by fighting with the Office
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 carriage 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 car
| r!ed in through this door, and lay here
| Tor weeks, racked with excruciating
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 his little vacation. Arthur, the
doorkeeper OF. the private secretary's
| room OF the White House, whom we
must meet today il we would call upon
the President, was here then. He told
me that Guiteau came day after day TO
the White House to see Garfield but
Arthur thought he saw danger in his
taken in. Guiteau intended to Nil Gar.
field in the White House. Failing in
this he stationed himself in the park
Just oppo site, ami was there seen watch
ing this door the morning that Garfield
was shot. He remained there until he
saw the White House carriage come
out, and then, taking the street car, he
reached the depot and performed his
| bloody deed. Since then the White
| House has been more carefully guarded
| than bstoIe.
We passed policeman when we came
| into 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 Pres dent Mckinney will be watched
almost as carefully as any king. There
! are guards within the vesiibule on the
other side Of the door. There are
guards in the basement, and the mes.
sengers who conduct you from room to
room, though they look very harmless,
have by long watching become expert
detectives, and can tell crank almost
| at glance.
There are only four hours OF the day
when strangers without urgent bus ness
can be admitted to the White House.
This is from 10 a. m. ill 2 p. NJ. After
this, if you call and ring the bell, you
will see guards face at the little round
hole filled with plate glass in the mosaic
| window OF the door and pair OF sharp
eyes will examine you before the knob is
turned which lets you in.
THE CAVE OF ALADDIN.
If you are SO fortunate as to pass this
inspection, you will see the doors open
inward and a moment later will lind
yourself standing in what might be called
a very cave OF Aladdin. Columns b ave
been written about the east room and
the wonders OF the parlors of the White
House. The most beautiful part of the
whole building to my mind is this great
vestibule with its frescoed ceiling, its
beautiful walls covered with the coat of
arms Of the United STATES, its floor of
many colored tiles and the ,weled wall
which separates it from The corridor
opening mo the blue room, the red
room and the green room beyond One
OF the great monsrchs OF India made
throne OF gold, the back OF which was
set with jewels to represent the feathers
and colors OF the peacock's tail. The
throne cost $4,000, 900, and it is des-
cribed as having been wonderfully
DeautlIul. IL was, however, mol muCn
larger than a char. visited the room
where it stood during my stay in Delhi
some years ago. The throne room was,
| venture, not as large as this White
House vestibue, and here, instead of a
chair Of jewels, There is whole wall
made of pits OF glass and costly stone
put together ini,he form OF a magnificent
mosaic. 1t has not cost as many ihous-
and dollars as the peacock throne cost
millions, but when the electric lights
shine behind it it Is, | venture. far more
beautiful. 1t is in this vestibule that the
Marine Band, dressed i'll their gorgeous
red uniforms, with their brazen instru-
ments 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
beieweled throng which makes up what
is known as Washington society.
You will go to the left through this
vestibule 10 reach the second floor of
the White House, where the offices are,
II YOU nave business with President
Mckinley but If you wish 10 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 even.
a.. a 20 lnl.