The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
WAS MISTRESS OF wHITT .,o,,s,,
oid Lady Now Living in the Iou,.
Home at Washinrton


ashington, Dec. 22.-Livine o,ia.,,.
riie Dig prick building known "a the
louisa Home. in Washington. d q ,s =
"hl'e halred woman who was tha ,,,ts.ros.
Oh the White House more than half co.
Jury ago. BY the world at large bar
very existence has been foreo++ar -.
would the mention of her name A..
'Iua Sempie' recall any memory what
ever TO The ordinary reader. It was as
iLealtle Tyler that the white haired ola
soa; nst became known to Washington
upos -. - me Gays when the capital CITY
s scarcely more than a country 1,ii1oge
containing few fine public buIldings sers,
S alateu by long stretches of nearly botton,-
less Ehud. She was the second daugbtar
Oh PRESIDENT John Tyler and she was q
". nnsInla belle in the days when that was
has4Si'.o, ~ ute 10 beauty that could be
bestowed in this country.
Tyler's administration seems a Lone
PACK to most of u.s. II seems stY.as7.,o +" a, =.
'nink that his serene faced woman who is
SUI active and vigorous, knew and tallxed
win webster and Clay and Calhoun ara
the other leaders of that period which was
50 promo of great men. Webster she sam
oIleh ana she describes him as a man of
imposing presence which made its mower
telt in any assemblage
Al the time of our coming TO Washing
ton' sald MRS. Semple, in recalling her
White House experiences of fftv wears
ago, my mothers health was TOO NOR 70
5uinit OF ner taking active charge of the
uuties naturally devoiving upon the wife
OF the PRESIDENT. My elder sister and nv
self had our newly made homes in Vir-
slhla 70 supervise and my youngest sister
was only child. Therefore. by comroor
consent, the wife of our brother. Robert
became the mistress of the White House
so far as the public side of the life there
vas concerned. However. my other sis
ter and myself were there a good mart of
the time.
This arrangement continued until after
my mothers death, which occurred in the
White House. Then my brother estab-
lished himself in law practice in PhiladeI-
phia, and his wife wished to make her
nome there. Meanwhile my husband had
Deeh appointed paymaster in the navy
and as that led to his being away from
home great part Of the time, came here
to take charge of my fathers household
and remained until 1874.
There were no great social entertain
ments in the White House during my fath-
ers term. My mothers i'll health ana
later her death forbade that For tbe
most part we lived openly. hospitahlv ma
unpretentiously in fact just as we had
been accustomed to do at home in Vir-
ginia.
II remember that II was customary dur-
ing the sessions of Congress to entertain
guests at dinner in the White House twice
a week. The former of these was usualIv
attended by about twenty prominent nub-
lie men, the personal and political friends
OF my father. The second was on a some
what larger scale. 1t usually Included
members of the diplomatic corps and the
number of guests was generally about
forty. But these dinners were ALWAYS
very simple affairs end they ended at
what would be considered now a ridden
lousy early hour
Then on other evenings 1t was CUSTOM
cry for the Presidents family to be in
formally at home, that is, to receive calls
from friends and acquaintance. But
even on these occasions the visitors al
ways departed before 10 O'Clock. At thai
hour the White House was closed and the
family retired"
Although Mrs. Semple is nearly 80 wears
old she takes an active interest In al,
current affairs. She receives many invi-
cations from people In public life in Wash
ington and although she is of course mn
able TO accept any of these, she is very
pleased TO have them as proof that she
is not forgotten by those who are In ana
of the world in which she was once a
leader.