Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-29

better be spoken of as offhand. He gives
the typical American salute with hearth
ness; there is no grudging Peter Grievous
touch in his handshake, nor Is there any
affected overcordiality or careful conforma-
ton to the latest vogue. You get the whole
| hand and you are made to feel when you
get 1t that should you have a reasonable
request to prefer, it will be granted with
out any ifs and ands, and that If 1t can't
be granted the fact will quickly but inof-
fensively be made clear.
Those who meet Mr.. Hobart by special
appointment generally see him in his Of
flee; the others are received In the recep-
ton room opening directly off the entrance
hall. 1t Is a large, cheerful room, which
somehow suggests the man, and Is fur-
nished with easy chairs and lounges, which
make your waiting comfortable If you have
to wait Sometimes, when there are many
present Mr.. Hobart circulates among his
callers instead of having them come to him,
to the great saving of every ones time. on
those rare occasions when the visitors are
few he is prone to seat himself easily by a
callers side for a short talk, and he al
ways puts every one at his ease. AS a
rule, he Is ready for the callers by 10; this
gives just an hour to them, for he likes
to start for the Capitol, to which he gen.
orally walks, at IL.
Mr.. HObart's Social Life.
Callers are occasionally received by Mr..
Hobart at his home after the Senate has
adjourned for the day, but the time be-
tween o'clock and the dinner hour is
brief and not so many go then as in the
morning. There is no lack of occupation,
though, for the afternoon mail has to be
attended to, and often some of the morn
ing letters are still unanswered. These
must be disposed of, for II there Is any
thing he dislikes it is leftover letters. Be
sides, time for the consideration of social
matters has somehow to be provided. That
10 ALWAYS difficult but there are days
a-plenty when it is.
Since Mr.. Mortons term it has been sup
posed that social observances take up
large portion of the Vice Presidents time,
money and energy Unlike some general
suppositions, this one is just now quite &C
curate though Mr.. Morton was the first
vice president who cut much of social
figure But Mr. Hobart Is offhand, as 1
have SAID while Mrs. Hobart is gracious,
and both enjoy social life immensely. The
result Is such pronounced personal popu-
larty for both that were each week TO be
of thirty instead of seven days, it would
be impossible for them to accept all the
social courtesies rendered AS it is, they
either go out or entertain every evening in
the week, except Sunday, in the season
The first noteworthy function given by the
Hobarts in Washington was reception to
all the senators, regardless of politics,
while the extra session of 1897 was on
Something has been doing at the Vice
Presidents house at least once a week
since then. when Congress has been in ses-
sion. The most important functions
so far this year have been the reception to
the diplomatic corps and the dinner to the
President.
In Exquisite Taste.
Every one of the Hobart receptions and
dinners is got up in exquisite taste, as you
have probably read from time to time in
the dispatches. The house is always deco
rated prOfusely with flowers, and there is
high-grade music, whether the function be
a dinner or reception. Dances are barred,
for the reason, among others, that the
house is not properly arranged for them.
The details of the social program are most
ly looked after by Mrs Hobart, whose
punctilious observance of all the forms
and ceremonies is highly satisfactory to the
best Washington circles. A young woman
secretary is employed to look after Mrs.
Hobart's calling lists and the engagements
of herself and Mr.. Hobart, as a matter of
necessity, and a regular social schedule for
at least a week in advance is always the
Vice Presidents desk.
1t may be said here that We're Mr.. Ho-
bart dependent wholly upon the vice presi
dental salary for his income there would
be fewer and less delightful entertain
ments in the Hobart mansion. 1t would
be impossible to say how much of a drain
upon his private purse his social expendi-
lures have been, so far, but the aggregate
is surely well into the tens of thousands.