Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-05
MANY FAMOUS MEN.
REM N iscences of n Caller at the
White House Reception.


White House Reception.
"Dear me! If there isn't a turban bon
net just such as my mother used to wear
when she was here with my father in Dol,
ly Madisons time" said an old lady at the
Presidents reception Tuesday. Her hail
was snow-white and worn in soft silvery
puffs each side of her almost unwrinkled
face. The lady was Mrs. Matilda Brundage
of Los Angeles. Cal, and she was making
her first visit to Washington after an alb,
sence of eighty-four years She was borr
in Washington eighty-seven years ago
January IL, 1S13-while her father, J. w
Miller then of Philadelphia, and a con.
tractor Of some means. was engaged in full.
filling some government contracts.
mo, can't remember anything about the
White House of that day." she replied
readily to The Star reporters question
Though I've heard my mother talk SC
much about it that would think remem.
bered if l did not know it to be impossible
at that early age. l remember those queer
turban bonnets because the one my mother
wore to one of the famous receptions here
we called it the Presidents Palace ir
those days, though my mother said it was
the barest, most desolate Of houses so fan
as comforts Of life were concerned that she
ever was in-is carefully preserved in oul
family 1t is a Notwithstanding affair OF
yellow velvet, with white feathers and tar
nished old buckles once brilliant with paste
diamonds.
"My mother told me that President JEFF.
ferson once held me his knee and ad,
mired my long curly hair. 1t was almost
white then, and it Is quite so now, you
see,'' she added with jolly laugh. 'Ir
1920, when l was seven years old, business
took my father to Boston, and there 1 saw
ex-President Adams, whom 1 remembered
very well. 1t seems to me that 1 can re.
member President Madison and his charm.
ing wife, but my mother said that was moi
possible, as was but three years old when
We left Washington. Mrs. Madison was
fond of me and often gave me sweets, my
mo her says, and President Madison some.
times spoke to me when l was with his
wife,
"Have you ever seen any other Presi.
dents?" was the natural question to put tt
this pleasant-faced woman who had lived
through most of an eventful century.
Yes, saw William Henry Harrison after
he was elected. but before he was inaugu
rated President I have also seen Presi
dent Tyler, and saw both General Taylor
and Willard Fillmore before they were
elected to the presidency and vice presi.
dency. I saw ex-President Franklin Pierce
In 1859 and James Buchanan just after he
left the presidential chair. saw Abraham
Lincoln in Philadelphia when he spoke In
Independence Hall just before his first in.
Grant, and saw him once after he became
President. Then we went west, and ha6
not the opportunity to see so many Of the
great men of the day. I saw Mr. Cleve.
and now for the first time have seer
President Mckinley. That makes eleven
counting the two Vice Presidents That
isn't bad. is it? I hope to live to see the
next President" and, spry as though but
fifty. this remarkable woman followed hel
party out of the east room. She had seer
the President who was inaugurated In the
close of the eighteenth century. been a
e. "a
and now rounds out hundred years u
presidential "reminiscences by visit to the
White House, where she played, a sunny.
haired child. when the old century was
young.