Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-11-27

the President will see them later on.
MAIDEN WITH A MISSION.
There comes a young woman who
wants a private audience with Nc
! kinley She is a dashing girl, dressed
in black of a fashionable cut. She has
sailor hat upon her head, and she
makes eyes ut Mr.. Porter as she talks.
Her eyes are pretty, too, and her teeth
are us white as pearls. Mr.. Porter
smiles and asks her for her business
is very private and very important,
and the secretary tells her to go into
the next room and walt there with the
congressman and senator's. and the
President will see her in her turn.
She leaves, but n moment later re-
does not think that viii be a good place
for her to explain her business with
the President, and says that she must
see him alone.
But could not present the matter
to him. Mr.. Porter replies. Is IT
anything regarding Officer"
mo, IL is not about office" answers
the maiden. ut is something of far
more Importance. 1t is a matter
which affects the whole nation"
Well" says Mr.: Porter, 81 would
like to oblige you. but the President Ia
very busy and without know exactly
your business | could not think of talk
ing up his time by making Il special
appointment for you"
The young lady pouts. At last she
says:
"Perhnps after ill, Mr.. Secretary, you
can help me. will tell you what
want. | want the President to Join
with me in the work of abolishing Sec
tarianism in religion. l want to sec
all Christians meet together in one
church and work together, and am
sure that he will unite in the work"
| n
that you have undertaken n pretty big
job" says Secretary Porter. It's too
big for the President to join with you
in ii Just now. Don't you think there
are other things quite as important
the Cuban question, for instance?"
The young lady would argue the mat
ter further, but dozen other people
are waiting. and the secretary has to
bid her good day. The next man is
correspondent for the London Illus
trated News He is anxious to have
an interview with the President. and
would like to have social chat with
him'in order that he may make an ar
ticle for his newspaper. He is told
that ne cannot have an interview, but
that he can meet the President.
Now II messenger enters with an i'm
portant telegram. IT relates to mat
ter which Mr. Porter can settle with
out asking the President, and he rapid
" dictates reply. He is hardly
through before another man demands
his attention, This Is senator who
has made an appointment to see the
President this evening, and he wants
the hour duly registered In the APP
pointment book Mr.. Porter has to
keep track of all the Presidents en-
gagements. He has to arrange nearly
all the matters connected with the
White House and to attend to n num-
her of details outside. All those let
tiers which we saw in the other room
have to pass under his eye, and humid
dreds of them will he answered by him.
He has to see that the appointments
which the President makes are sent to
the Senate. He Keeps track to GER
tain extent. of congressional matters,
and in addition to this, answers all the
Presidents mail. He has a stenog-
rapher with him all the time and die
receptions of the callers. His work
goes on from nine o'clock in the morn
ing until midnight. and President Nc
KinleY's days are SO full that 1t Is
often 10 p. m. before he has time to
go over the matters which he alone can
settle and give directions to Mr., Porter
as to how they are to he disposed of.
IT is often midnight by the time he is
through with the President, and after
this some of the most imnortant mail
has to be answered. These long
hours are absolutely necessary in order
to keep the business of the White
House up to date, and this is so, not
withstardlng the fact that Secretary
Porter has systematized the work bet
ter than 1t has ever been arranged be-
fore In another letter | shall deal more
directly with the President himself.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.