New-York tribune., 1903-04-26
AT The WHITE HOUSE.


Washington April 25 (speciaD.-Archie and e'uen-
tin Roosevelt are convalescing finely that So
cIetv is hoping that Mrs. Roosevelt win be aoie
to carry out her plan for garden party early IN
May.
The lawns are abIoom with spring flowers and
blossom bearing trees, but owing 10 the cohdl'iOA
Of parts of the grounds where Improvements are
in progress the White House gardeners nave az
lowed the lawn, in front OF the mansion.
grow until it ripples like river IT. the VIZ"
Dandelons star the grass. and fat robins S4u
about. The meadowlike rankness OF the grass an"
bloom makes restful picture for city tlred eSeS'
and only yesterday a Of national afaifs' iIi
passing down the avenue. stopped to look III
the ratings II suppose that vagrant h'lio
dandelion" he said, holds dearer associations Iol
the average and woman than the finest mower
that blooms. 1t had place in the heart OF NC
Kinley that the pink carnations falieo 10
reach. l have good reason to know II. for ule
spring before his death, when We were walking IN
the south grounds of the White House. he stopped
in the middle of a talk of special interest to both
to look at a dandelion in the grass-a rare thing
to see here at most times. L don't know Why' ne
said, but a dandelion always reminds me OF my
mother I made attempt to renew the con-
versation for full minute. for 1 know what
memory of that sort is worth TO a man..
The speaker had scarcely finished his little story
when party of tourists came by. AS they en-
tered the gate. in full view of the ripping grass,
the dandelions and the fat robins. one of them
had eyes only for the dandelions. After all, she
was right: dandelions are weeds The dictionary
says so.
White House hours do not please the majority
of tourists who besiege the mansion every day
There Is always more or less of a crowd at the
public entrance at 10 o'clock when the doors are
opened. Generally the men carry cameras and the
women notebooks. though few attempts are ever
made to photograph the interior of the mansion
Tourists belong the early bird variety. and hav-
having to lose a minute in Improbable wait
ing. The consensus of opinion is that, as tney
only allowed to corridor hung with rev
portraits a flight of steps and the East Room,
which is off the rest of the house as If 1t
were a separate building there is no reason why
they should not be allowed to 1t at any proper
time, instead of the present limit Of from 10 to
o'clock.
1t is conspicuously observable that young peo-
pie and strangers like the new White House. while
older men and women familiar with the place criti-
else every change These criticisms are generally
charged with resentment, and are doubtless only
so much sentimental prejudice against any inter
ference with old associations. Then, too, the i'm
provements come in for fair share of enthusias-
tic commendatiOn. An artist and his Wlfe were
so carried away with delight yesterday and were SO
audible in their compliments that they served as
guides for the other tourists who were making
the rounds. There old woman in the party,
however who considered it her duty to find fault
with every thing she saw, and especially with the
gilded piano. She looked at the FarniSned case
with its vivid red scroIIwork and coored State
arms. What is that?' she asked. WITH a suS-
picious emphasis on her verb
Mr.. Pendel, the veteran usher, who was appointed
by President Lincoln, and whose wealth OF renln,
iscence makes him interesting c1cerone, toid
her about the instrument. "A piano. eh-thought
1t was q band wagon in q circus parade'-and IN
the general laugh that followed a mans voice eX-
claimed that it looked that way to him The same
old lady objected to the big blue vases tnat stand
the floor at each side of mantel Mr. PendeI
told her that the vases had been presented 70 % tns
dent Mckinley in commemoratiOn of the laying of
the Franco-American cable.
That's just like man." she said. Why didn't
he put ali the china into something useful. like
dinner set?"
Miss Roosevelt and her younger sister, Miss
from fear OF the measles. but to enable the former
10 keep her various engagements without emnarras-
sing her friends Miss Roosevelt may return TO
the White House next TueSd9y, and VlSlI New
York later in the week -
The lockwood trees which the architect OF the
remodeIled White House placed the east and
reconstruction said to be distasteful to mrs
Roosevelt, and therefore the one hundred dainty
Poughkeepsie The Dutch trees which were Sc
cured the same time are TO have a kinder fate,
and will be allowed to do duty as lone sentlneIS
on the terraces. The box and bay trees were
brought to Washington by Mr. McKim just before
President Roosevelt's departure for the West ana
while Mrs. Roosevelt was on the cruise IN the
Chesapeake.
The Presidents children will play tennis this
spring just south of and adjoining the executive
Office in the west terrace. The location of the
court ideal in some respects. On the western
end a high of hedges will protect the partIcl-
pants from gaze of the paSserS by in the street
and cast dense shade on that side OF the GROUNDS
top of little knoll the highest site on the SOUTH
slope, and will be open to an afternoon breeze
President Roosevelt's office Overlooks the court,
which. in fact directly adjoins the wall within
which he is seated.