Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1906-10-26

fi'ia $50 = sss.ks - -
II Mrs. RooseFe.t's p,an IS fol-
lowed By sacces I've niistre1ses cs the
Whige House, taat historic 81 home
will nave ame2g lis In ressag ez.
lists Gleay OF tho presto 2tial
c.iaa AS oo.Il..c - ~
make at this late day. One ln.-.s
assured and that is that the willy
secondhand dealers will hereafter
have opportunity to bid for the ware
which has served at a banquet board
or the.nation The quaint old eabi-
nets that are placed in the grand
corridor which forms the pathway
for guests at the large functions at
the White House contain a collection
Of all the china not in the hands OF
private collectors. This assortment
which Isl after all, but the fotsam
and jetsam of the ware that has been
used By the successive denizens OF
the white House, is being classified
and catalogued and put in a condi-
ton to be readily studied By those
who make old china their hobby
Plfainent in the exhibit now on
are the quaint old fruit bas-
u pierced ware and the large
punch bowl bearing on its wide
curying sides the great seal of the
United states, which were used By
President Lincoln on the occasion OF
his state Ginners. Nearby stand the
highly co red and deliberately deco
rated cal baskets of Grants SER
vice and anking tie the very
modern IS and Of Limoges
which were used e McKinley
regime. Novelties - 1t once catch
the eye s-e the Is little almond
dishes, which in color, shape and
marking, are exact reproductions OF
the flags Of the United States, Great
Britain, Germany and France. Tn
Fortunate, no mistress OF the exec
utive malsion has hitherto taken
much interest in the ware and ac-
cordingiy the greater collections are
outside the White House walls. Gel.
William II. Crook. for forty years
executive clerk at tho White House,
and himself a collector. is possibly
the best authority on the subject OF
White House china.
According to Col. Crook, there is
more Of the George a-d Martha
w lng;on china extant than that
q al the earlier administration pat
togefher The china used both at
NJ Vernon aad the executive man
sions at Kew York and PHILADELPHIA
Is Us be found in collections which
haee coec to their possessors ~
r,g3t OF desoent, General and Mar
TIA washington both specifying vita
ragticularity the disposition Of
household ware in their wills.
lost Of Mrs. Washington's china
{ eat first TO her grandson, George
Washington Parke Gusts, b. whom
It vas willeI in turn to George
sssainRtoa Gusts Lee. the eldest
or Of Gen Robert Z. Lee. This es-
eetal heritage had AWARDED history.
| Tho collection which embraced the
famo8s Van BraamY and Cincin
nati' sets was taken from Arlington,
| TITO ancestral home of the Lees, dur
iag the civil war and stored with
o.aef Washington relics in the pat
ent Office
Later it vas brought forth and
appropriately scheduled. was put on
exhibition in the National museum,
whore ii remained until the late
| President Mckinley relinquished it
to Miss Mary e. Lee in the summer
of 1895.
In the early history of the republic
| Congress twice a year appointed
committee from its members tc visit
the White House and investigate its
cupboards and closets and receive
the stewards report. In this way 1t
was hoped that the china would be
kept intact. but not for a long time
| has the sober task been in the hands
of the congressional solons. A nick
or crack has always been sufficient
to delegate any piece to the store
house where 1t remained until the
coming of a new administration
when it was disposed of to the high
est bidder. Even so recently as Presi-
dent Cleyeland's time no special
value was attached to the White
House CHINA anu IN lHls way tue
articles. which are now almost price
less, drifted from the hands of the
proper custodians. Nowadays rigid
rule is in force that every piece Of
damaged ware must be turned ever
to the steward who in tarn delivers
It TO the sarS rintgnlont of haildings
and grounds MR. Roosevelt her.
self has taken tho matter - and
upoa her determine .iaa Il has hscn
/ given oat tlat no GINA sfaii D. lis
Il posed during her &c me