Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-30

soon as he reaches the senate chamber
floor, and he gives everyone as free as
audience as circumstances will permit. But,
no matter what the pressure, there Is one
duty which he invariably attends to be-
fore the session begins. This is the careful
perusal OF the previous days journal. He
has an usually retentive mind and might
reasonably be sure of keeping track OF
everything were he not to look at the jour
nal at all, but he prefers to refresh his
memory every morning and to take MOTH
ing for granted.
After the session has begun he has eyes
and ears only for the current proceedings.
He keeps close watch Of all that is going on
and of everything that is said; he has never
been known to lose the thread and be
obliged to ask about the previous question
and he ~enforces the rules. In other words,
he looks upon the work of the senate chair
manship precisely as he regarded keeping a
country school years ago. 1t is rare in
deed that he calls any one to the chair and
for this reason a newspaper correspondent,
out of sympathy with the vice presidents
~self-imposed task of listening to many
speeches delivered, otherwise chiefly to
empty benches, recently described Mr.. Ho-
bart as the "chronic audience"
MR. IVA b"sg Dhy
When congress is in session Mr.. Hobart
Is one of the busiest men in the national
capitol. He rises early and before 8 o'clock
has broken his fast. Sharp on the hour he
seats himself at his desk in the ground floor
room set apart as an office in the Hobart
residence. His letters are always roughly
divided into classes by his personal secre-
tary before Mr.. Hobart is ready for their
n1oc;lnrn.tnr Into nm n1agG are MT the
letters relating to his large business in
t~erests. Mr.. Hobart got out Of most Of his
directorates when made vice president so as
to be free to give virtually undivided atten-
ton to his official work, but there are still
many matters upon which his business as
sociates consult him by mail. Their let
ters are, naturally, attended to by Mr.. Ho-
bart himself. Besides these the mornings
mail brings many letters of n purely per-
sonal and social nature. Many others that
are formally official as to contents, and still
others whose writer's solicit personal pack-
ing with the president or the heads of gov
eminent departments.
Mr.. Hobart impresses the visitor who sees
| him for the first time as essentially Amer
lean in type, and this impression grows with
each subsequent interview. He is rather
| above the middle height, his features are
almost regular, his wholesomely tinted race
is shaver clean, save on the upper lip, his
| hair and long moustache are beginning to
show the gray and his blue eyes nave the
frank, direct look of a man who has Fought
his own way to a high place in life and is
| neither afraid nor arrogant. His voice IS
full and round. His manner has been termed
bluff: it has always been characterized as
suave. l should say it might better be
! spoken of as offhand. He gives the typical
| American salute with heartiness; there Is
no grudging Peter Grievous touch in his
handshake, nor Is there any affected over
cordiality or careful conformation to the
latest vogue. Yet get the whole hand and
you are made to feel when you get 1t that
should you have a reasonable request to pre-
fer, it will be granted without any ifs and
ands, and that if it can't be granted the fact
will quickly but inoffensively be made clear.
Those who meet Mr.. Hobart by special ap-
pointment generally see him in his office,
the others are received in the reception room
opening directly off the entrance hall. 1t is
a large, cheerful room, which somehow sug-
gests the man, and is furnished with easy
chairs and lounges, which make your wait
ing comfortable if you have to wait. Some
times, 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 always puts
everyone 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 generally walks, at II.
Mr.. Hobnrt's Social Life.
Callers are occasionally received by Mr..
Hobart at his home after the senate has
adjourned for the day, but the time between
5 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 morning letters are
| still unanswered. These must be disposed
Of, for if there is anything he dislikes 1t is
left over letters. Besides, time for the con-
| sideration of social matters has somehow to
be provided. That is not always difficult,
but there are days a-plenty when 1t is.
Since Mr.. Morton's term it has been
| supposed that social observances take up a
| large portion of the vice presidents time,
| money and energy. Unlike some general
| suppositions, this one Is just now quite ac-
| curate. though Mr.. Morton was the first
vice president who cut much of a social
figure. But Mr.. Hobart Is offhand, as / nave
said, while Mrs. Hobart is gracious, and
both enjoy social life immensely. The re-
suit is such pronounced personal popularity
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 courtesie'
rendered. AS it is, they either go out oil
entertain every evening in the week, eN
cent Sunday, in the season. The first note
worthy function given by the Hobarts II
Washington was a reception to all the sen
ators. regardless of politics, while the extra
extra session of 1897 was on. Something
has been doing at the vice presidents nous
at least once a week since then, when con
eress has been in session. The most I'm
portant functions so far this year have Peei
the reception to the diplomatic corps ant
the dinner to the president.
Every one Of the Hobart receptions an
dinners is got up in exquisite taste, as yo'
have probably read from time to time II
the dispatches. The house is always deco
rated profusely with flowers, including IN.
costly American rose, and there Is hlgl
grade music, whether the function be a DIN
ner or a reception. Dances are barred 10
The reason, among others, that the hous
"a not properly arranged for them IN
details of the social program are mosll
looked after by Mrs. Hobart, whose pune
tlious observance OF all the forms and cere
monies is highly satisfactory TO the Des