Evening star., 1897-04-10
friends. but more often duplicates. from
which they sell the autographs for a good
round sum-

friends. but more often duplicates. from
which they sell the autographs for a good
round sum.
With Axes to Grind.
Among the walters will be found aspir-
ants for foreign consulships and the under
offices. those who are seeking preferment
In this country, and those who come to
give timely protest against certain appoint
ments. Each and every one of them has an
ak to grind and they use the Presidents
nerves for a grindstone. This senator has
a candidate for a berth abroad, and he
rings the changes on his right to have this
appoint -lent day In and day out day after
day. while his colleague. who is .is
heels urges some other man with just
much persistency for the very same place.
Here is political boss who wants to
place" one of his lieutenants in political
work He talks and argues, and all but
tries TO browbeat the President into ep-
pointing the ward heeler. There is an all
around good fellow who has friends every
where, TO all of whom he feels under o5li-
cation. and he comes in with pockets ans
hands flied with recommendations for half
a-doZen or more. He urges the claims Of
each. and in effect tells the President that
his place in the House Senate. as the
case may De. depends upon his getting jus;
these particular offices. For two long
hours this sort of thing keeps up, the
President listening, always listening, never
talking much except TO ask few pointed
questions. and then at noon the common
herd is run through into the secretary's
room, and from there is cut out in punches
and corraled in the Presidents room,
where he gives 4 few moments 10 each.
This is perhaps the most trying hour of al.
Sometimes the visitors come well primed
for speech, and they try their oratory for
all it is worth. The President abhors that
sort of thing, and the man who attempts IL
prejudces his case efectually. Then there
are mothers who want nardons for their
hayward boys. The President loves chi drcn.
ard. like all those who have seen the sun oi
happiness well nigh set when a precious
baby life has gone out, he is peculiarly
susceptible to the piteous pleas with viii u
he is assaied. 1t is so hard for mother
TO remember that the head of a great na-
ton must be just before he is generous.
that there are so many, many heart-brolleu
mothers who nave boys they want par
doned, but that justice and the law must
be vindic1ted. The President is very tender
but always firm. in cases like this.
The Fnvors They Ask.
Among the cranks who slip in at such
times are women who are Shaving them
selves TO death to pay off the mortgage on
he homestead SO they inform the T'resi-
dent, and they have come to him. as he is
rich, because he draws such an enormous
salary, and ask him to give them a hundred
dollars, or nifty. or five. as the case may be
toward that desirable end. Others wan;
him to indorse notes for them. The autc-
graph fiend is always there in force and
the bTic-l-Druc hlli,fcr Is omuiDrest IL
it is known that this class of bores is
among the callers, they are headed OH and
not permitted TO reach the presence of ,ht
President, but they get in somehow. some
times, and there is always more or less OF
a circus before they are taken out. one
hour is given UP to this class of callers ana
at 1 o'clock the President goes to lunch
with his wife. 1t is often the case that he
invites a friend or two TO lunch with him
informally. Both the President ami Mrs
Mckinley are fond OF having people in
vited in a perfectly informal manner ,
ana as the President is rarely good host
HVely and entertaining. invitations of that
character are highly priced. one hour is
given TO lunch and TO family gossip. then
he goes back TO his desk. The mere matter
of attaching his signature to public docu-
ments is burden that few men would care
to encounter, bat ii has to be done, anG
the President catches such moments
he can to do it.
AT o'clock promptly he fiings care and
business aside and goes out for an hour
Sometimes he walks, sometimes he rides "A
morse sometimes goes in u carriage, and he
is always accompanied by Secretary Por-
ter, who is doing much to make the Prcsi-
dent popular, ana sometimes he is accom-
panied by d friend. On returning the
President Slances over the daily papers
and rests until dinner time. Dinner j.
served at clock promptly, and the Ipresi-
dent dons evening dress for il. He often
invites friends to this meal informally.
and ii is very seldom indeed that the Presi-
dent and his wife sit down to a meal by
themselves. After dinner, If there are
men to entertain. the President takes them
into the little room OIL the hail, where
they smoke and tell stories. Good stories,
too, they say, for the President has that
President Arthur was fond OF that little
room, and Isod il - Il luHng.n., room
during his administration.
Without Let-Up.
In the evening there is very often music
at the White House, ard music of the Dcs,
character, and there are always callers Ii
would seem as though public men might
respect the evenings of the President 81 d
leave him TO his family, unless specially in
Vited, but they don't. They invade his
home life, and talk consulships, secretaries.
ministers, revenue collectors. appraisers,
commits sioners, and so on through the list
till 10 O'Clock or after, when they 90 and
leave the President to 60 to his Office to
look at the bashel of kilograms, the two
bushels of let ers, iiic half a ton of .ioru-
ments to sign, all of which must be cleaned
up before he goes to bed else oEe DAYS
work would soon cover another, aud he
would never get through. BY the time the
last paper is attended to the President is
as tired as though he had been working in
the harvest field all day.
This is just an average day. Three days
Ia the week he gives an hour TO shaking
hands with the general public in the east
room The time is O'Clock, ana it is a
motley assembly that greets his eyes. There
are old men and young ones, OLD women
and young ones, all colors classes and con-
ditions of humanity, and little children
make a large contingent. Mr.. Mckinley
shows his fondness for children by giving
them tender pat on the head, and a kind
word for them alone. Sometimes he picks
one up in his arms Cor minute, and il is
not unlikely that he is thinking of the lit
tie graves that have robbed his life of half
its sweetness. Many garruIous tale is
told him as the people pass him, but he al
ways listens patiently, and is careful to
hurt the feelings of no one.
Two days a week are given over to cabi-
ret meetings, from Il to I, and X is then
that affairs of national Importance are con-
sidered. These days are particularly hard
upon the President, because he must con-
slider conflicting interests and harmonic
them, he must keep his finger on the pu.se
of the people through all his cabinet off,