Evening star., 1902-02-15

his death, ordered for President Mckinley
another pair of Sevres vases made at the
government works. After President Loubet
succeeded these were presented at the
w hfte House by Ambassador Cambon who
said that they were Offered to the Alneri-
can people Thus he expressed ii in his
address of presentation. In the name of
my countrymen accept the gift you Offer
Mr.. Mckinley remarked in the course of
his speech of acceptance.
Napoleon presented the nation with
palr OF handsome candelabra during Presi-
dent JefferSons administration. These
adorn the chimneypiece of the red parlor.
In the blue parlor is a clock which Napo-
leon gave to Lafayette, and which the lat
ter pre- sented to Washington. The frame is
of alabaSter and French gilt bronze. This
old timepiece has to be wound but once a
month, but keeps time today as accurately
as when 1t was new. In the hall leading to
the Presidents Office is a huge steel shield
the gift of the French govel nment Upon
1t is a representation of Adam and Eve in
the Garden of Eden.
President Arthur left in the White House
two large vases of Royal Worcester pre-
sented to him by New York firm. In the
red parlor still remains a screen, bearing
the arms of the United Stater presented
to the Grants by the Grand Army of the
Republic. Near by stands a lacquer cabinet
given to President Grant by the Chinese
government
Small Gifts Accepted.
the White House by early Presidents gifts
Of great intrinsic value are Systematically
declined by the chief magistrate and his
family when received from private cti-
zens who are not personal friends. There
was once sent |, Mrs Cleveland a brooch
set with gems worth 81 900. The giver was
unknown to her and the present was imme-
dlately returned On another occasion a
piano firm wrote to President Cleyela nd
stating that his 2.t0O employees had volnn-
teered to make for him an elegant piano
each contributing n piece of mecha niSm
turned out by his own hand. The motive
Tor the gift was guaranteed to be patriotic
The President, after some hesitation stated
that he would accept it under the circum-
stances. A procession made up of the en-
pioEes OF the piano factory and a hired
brass band escorted the piano to the depot of
the nome city The triumphai journey of this
instrument well plastered with posters an
nounc1ng Its destination, written up by
sainsidized M newspapers all along the route
70 Washington. The piano remained in the
White House d few weeks before the Presi-
dent heard of the advertising scheme by
winch he had been victimized. The gift was
feturnec Indaunted by this rebuff the
piano firm had it's offering exhibited at a
fair, where it was la peled: Piano used by
Mrs. Grover CleveIand'
! presidents see about one out of ach hun
dred or the small fry of gifts showered
| upon them weekly from all corners Of the
land Those of practical use are distributed
among the heads of the various branches of
the household. The President opens none
of them. All pass through the hands of his
secretaries and clerks
| Formerly the White House garnet was the
dumping ground for gifts neither valuable
nor useful But under Mrs Rooseyelt's do
mestic administration windows have been
| cut into the hitherto bleak garret and a
| generous part of it's space has been par
tltloned Off into quarters for the household
servants who under former regimes were
relegated to the cellar or the stable attic
for their nightly repose.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS JR