The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-15
THE M'KINLEY HOUSEHOLD.
SIMPLICITY AND COMFORT MARK
THE PRESIDENTS HOME LIFE.

/ llt AlOuSthtt PING sue u tllt W itilN
House is a sealed book, not only to the
| people at large and to the hundreds who
| daily visit the President upon missions af-
fecting both nations and individuals, but
| even 10 the guests at the Respondent state
| dinners which are the chief events of the
| social season at the capital Constantly
| besieged by an army of officials high and
! low, and by others who hope for official
| preferment the executive mansion still
| forms the home of Mr.. and Mrs McKin-
| ley. And the few, principally relatives of
! the family, who are admitted within the
| sacred home circle, know that it is a home
in reality.
| With host of servants at her command,
The mistress of the White House exercises
a general supervision over the housekeep-
| ing affairs, and throughout the handsome
! apartments there are bright touch which
show the hand of a mistress. Housekeep-
ing plays a highly important part in the
worlds affairs, and housekeeping at the
executive mansion necessarily is carried
on upon a most elaborate scale.
| The chief parsonage connected with the
! domestic side of the presidential residence
| IS the steward. The present steward is
| William T. Sinclair, colored man, and
| the first of his race to hold the office. Next
| to him comes the housekeeper Marie Bar
! berry, young ana rather pretty New York
| err These two are practically responsible
| for everything
The leading characteristics of the Presi-
dents home life are simplicity, regularity
/ a nd CON, f<r8
! by $50 In the morning, and Mrs. Mckinley
! seldom sleeps much later than thar hour.
| Their bedroom is the one used by Mr.
! cleveland and his wife. Like all the liv-
! ing rooms Of the White House, it is on the
second floor, and looks out on the rear
| grounds. The beds used by the President
! and his wife stand side by side. They are
| medium-sized, comfortable looking, white
ehameled beds, with sheets of pure linen
and covers of plain white Marseilles.
private bath room adjoins the bod
room, and the first thing the President
does in the morning is to take tepid
bath. At 8:45 every morning family
prayers are said by. the President. in a
| drawing room across the main corridor
from the bed room. Breakfast IS served
in the private dining room on the first
| floor at O'clock
Immediately after breakfast the Presi-
NNiii ~ SINS WOlk his busiest hours are
| from 10 o'clock in the morning until I
| o'clock In the afternoon. Luncheon is al
| ways ready IA l o'clock but frequently
the President does not sit down to the ia
bic before 2. When his business is urg-
ent Mrs Mckinley generally lunches
alone. or with some visiting friend. This
/ is the rule on cabinet days. Usually after
a cabinet meeting one of the members
takes luncheon with the President. and
! rrrl,a f.,,r., L.
public affairs
On week DAYS dinners is served promptly
at Z O clock in the evening, and on Sunday
an hour earlier After dinner the Presi-
dent goes to his work room and dictates
correspondence Midnight is his regular
hour for retiring, but during the war it
was often long after daylight before he
sought rest.
In the language of the Washington mar
ket dealers, MIR. and Mrs. Mckinley are
good livers," but not thigh hvers.' -
There are many private families in Wash
ington that spend more money on their
tables, but few that live better. The daily
expense of the Presidents private table
does not average quite $25. This is. of
course, exclusive of the cost of special
or state dinners, but it includes the enter
tainment of many visitors. Invariably
there are one or more guests to luncheon
and dinner
Miss Mabel Mckinley. daughter of Alb
ner Mckinley. and Miss Barber Mrs Nc
Kinley's niece, are the most frequent guest
who remain overnight. They are both
musicians. and Mrs. Mckinley takes
great pleasure in their visits. The alb
sence of children in the White House is
especially marked in this administration
because the public interest in the dornes tic
side of the two administrations immediate.
ly preceding was centered in Baby Nc
Kee and the Cleveland trio of Youngsters
But Mr.. Mckinley and his wife are very
fond of children. When they are pass
ing in and out of the White House and
see little ones about the poriico or grounds
they always stop and speak to them, anC
there are several little girls in Washing.
ton whom Mrs. Mckinley frequently en-
tertains for day for the pleasure of hav.
ing them about her,
The active part of the domestic duties
calls upon the housekeeper Mrs. McKin
ley's il-health win not permit her to as
sums the actual management of such {
household. Yet she is not idle moment
during the day. The quantity of mail she
receives is enormous. and she opens and
personally answers about all of it, Charity
appeals come TO her from all parts of the
country. Women beg for her influence ant
mediation in behalf of their condemned
sons or husbands. The pathetic appeals FOL
pardous are very trying upon her, becaus,
she is compelled to decline to interfere il
such matters.
The President very decidedly prefers col
\ ored help. His steward, cook, coachman
footmau, and walters and all colored. Sin
clair, the present steward, comes from New
York He is considered a most careful buy
err He served President Cleveland eigh
years. and Mr.. Cleveland recommended
him to Mr. Mckinley. His salary, fxet
by law and paid by the government, is 81,
500 a year. He has an Office in the base
ment of the white house, but lives will
his family ON Sixteenth street. a few
blocks distant. He is responsible for al
the property belonging TO the United State
within the executive mansion, and is bond
ed for $50, 900. The value of some of tn,
property under his care. from a historical
standpoint is inesiimable
If the steward were 50 inclined he coul,
make at least 5000 year lending his nam
to schemes. Dealers often offer him larg,
sums TO buy exclusively from them. s,
that they can advertise themselves as ca
torers to the President. New York cater
! ers have offered him as high as 800 for tn,