The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1898-12-16
Christmas at the White House

Mrs. Mckinley is doing her own
Christmas shopping this year.
Nearly every day her handsome
coupe can be seen standing before
the large dry goods establishments
aud toy shops while the first lady of
the land goes about choosing pres
ents for each member of the Cabinet
and their wives and the various
members of her family and that of
her husband.
Last year Mrs. Mckinley did
little or scarcely any shopping for
herself, but delegated this duty to
some Of the young ladies of the
Cabinet circle. Mrs. Mckinley has
been steadily growing stronger phys
ically since her entrance to the
White House, as is shown by the
fact that she is undertaking the
arduous task of buying the presents
which she and the President will
give away. Mrs. Mckinley is
we'll known figure in the shops and
stores. 1t has become to be her rec
Ognized wish not to be molested by
attention from the clerks. She pre-
fers to move about the floors her.
self, aud when anything especially
attracts her attention to call a clerk
and have it laid aside or to ask the
price. Having more Christmas
funds now than when she was mere
ly the wife of poor Congressman,
she does not have to be as careful
in her selections and if she likes
thing very seldom takes the trouble
to inquire about the price or to
stop to look at her shopping book
to see whether or not she can afford
it.
Mrs. Mckinley, by the way, has
come to be looked upon in Washing
ton as one of the handsomest dress
ed women in the capital. Her
gowns are elaborate and always
made in the latest style. She pays
a great deal of attention to her CO.'S
tunes. Madam Grundy says she is
the best gowned woman who has
been in the Executive Mansion since
the regime of Mrs. Harriet Lane
Johnson. Most of her gowns are
made high neck. She never wears
a decolette gown, but often has the
neck filled in only with lace work.
This is in strong contrast to most
of the fashionable women of the
capital, who have gained a reputa-
ton throughout the smart society
of the country for the extremely
decOlette gowns they wear.
Mrs. Cleveland, when she was
here, undertook to reform the fash
ion of dress, and certainly did mod
ify the style to a considerable ex-
tent. Whenever she appeared in
a low-cut gown it was either filled
in with lace or else cut much high
er than those worn by the maj ority
of the women who would appear at
her receptions. The women of the
White House can and do have a
decided influence when they care
to exert it on the society of Wash
ington. 1t was said that Mrs. Cleve-
land actually made it the fashion to
be good mothers. The effect of
her devoted home life is still here,
so | am told.
Mrs. Mckinley, while she is a
great invalid, sustains her position
with great dignity and no woman
who is VIGOROUSLY rapid or talked
about is invited to the White House,
it makes no difference how we'll she
is received in what is known here
as the smart circle. She observes
strictly the American Sunday at the
White House, making the day light
for the servants and permitting as
many as possible to take the day off. |
Whenever they are away from home,
she and the President insist upon |
spending the day as quietly as if at
their own ashington
correspondence Nashville Banner.