The National tribune., 1902-09-04
SECOND CLEVELAND ADMINISTRATION.

The fourth of March on which Mr..
Cleveland took the oath of Office for the
second time was one of the most buster
ing days imaginable. 1t was very cold
and bleak The first thing l did that
night when I came ON duty was to take
prescription out for one of the Presl-
dents children, who was somewhat indis-
posed. -Four years previous to that l had
escorted Mrs. Cleveland to her carriage.
1t was pouring down rain, and l had the
pleasure of shaking hands with her and
bidding her goodbye. Now stood ut the
Blue Parlor door and let her in-the same
door out of which she had gone four years
before. She looked charming. and seemed
to be perfectly happy. The routine busi-
ness went on as usual in the White House:
dinner parties, receptions and so on. She
made everybody who came there go
away happy. She had kindly way of
making people feel at home.
One morning during his Administration
l was making the rounds before day, and
when / came up stairs there was a lady
sitting on the sofa near the foot Of the
out Of breath. Mr.. Lewis, my partner,
said to me, Il am going to get glass of
water for this lady; be careful. keep your
eye on her. She is crazy" He brought
the glass of water. She drank 1t and
thanked him very kindly. He went over
to the other part of the hall and l got
into conversation with her. After l had
conversed little while with her. she got
out her pOcket-book, took out five-dollar
note and two-dollar note. and, handing
them to me, said, You take that and go
and buy yourself some tobacco" handed
the money back to her and kindly thanked
her, and told her that / did not chew to-
bacco. She wore a sealskin sack, which
evidently was very valuable. A beautiful
cross was suspended from her neck. set
with costly pearls. She seemed to be q
very devoted Catholic. Every now and
then she would take the cross and kiss it
While in conversation with her I found
out that she came from Boston. She told me
the history Of her life. She had married q
wealthy Spaniard, but her husband was
dead, and her little son was dead. She
had a delusiOn that her husbands two
brothers were seeking her life in order
to get the property away from her. II
began to get along then towards 5 o'clock
and Mr.. Lewis thought it was about time
TO get her out of the house. and back tc
the hotel where she was stopping. She
told him she was stopping at the Airing
ton. The hotel clerk told Mr.. Lewis tina,
she rushed downstairs and out of thu
hotel very rapidly. The night clerk sent
one of the colored servants after her, and
she disappeared so rapidly that the negro
thought it was a ghost and came back tt
the hotel without her.
| Mrs. Cleveland was very popular during
| this Administration. She held a grea
ms receptions. and they were immens'
aft irs. After these receptions were owe
she would generally invite from 80 to 10l
people into the grand corridor for tea
Some nights when she would come in from
dinner party / would be taking her NJ
| in the elevator. and she would remark {,
her lady friend. Il know it is ~ O'Clock
for Mr.. Pepdel- is on duty" They use'
to have quite a number Of friends to COM
| and spend ii week.
Mrs. Cleveland was very fond of canar,
birds and mocking birds. As l was max
ing my rounds on one occasion near he
room, her canary was near the windoS
sill. A great rat had forced his way int
the cage. had just killed the poor littl
canary and was going to make feast o
him, when / arrived in time TO make TO
him. He burst through the door an
made his escape, and Mrs. Cleveland wa
very sorry for it. l took the mOcking bir
downstairs where l could have my ey
on him for fear the rat might return
/ Afterwards Mrs. Cleveland had her pc
canary stuffed and put in her room.
Often musicales would be given in tn
Blue Parlor of the White House. Thes
were very pleasant, and there would ger
orally be from 30 to 40 guests to enjo
the music. On one occasion, in CONVEX
sation with one of her friends. Mrs Clev,
land remarked. "Oh. Mr.. Pendel is on
Of the pillars of the White House."
President Cleveland was a very plaiI
matter-of-fact man. On one occasio
when / came on duty at midnight. he wa
at the back end of the upper corridor tr,
ing to find a lamp. said, "Mr. Presiden
is there anything can do for you?" An
he said, "Yes, am trying to find lamp.
We both went back to the library, an
went on writing He was a very har
worker-the hardest working President
ever saw in my life. used to sit opps
/ site the library door, so that I would b