Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-01

months before his term of office ex-
pired. His second wife was Miss Julia
Gardner of New York, and although
she was a loving and beautiful woman,
tbs second marriage is not a pleasant
memory to Mrs. Semple. Like all
elderly people Mrs. Semple lives in the
past, and it is most interesting to hear
her relate stories of their manner of
life while in the White House. When
her father was called so suddenly and
unexpectedly to assume the duties of
chief executive of the nation he called
his family together and expressed the
desire that their manner of living
should not be changed, that they should
observe the greatest simplicity even if
their home for a few years to come
would be in the great White House.
Mrs. Semple relates that on the morn
ing after the arrival of the family in
the White House the president said at
table, Nov, my children, during the
next few years we are to occupy the
home of the president of the United
states, | hope you will conduct your
selves with even more than your usual
propriety and decorum. Remember
you Will be much in the public eye. You
are to know no faVOrites. Your visit
ors will be citizens of the United States,
and as such are all to be received with
equal courtesy You will not receive
any SlltS Whatever ana allow no one
to approach you on the subject of office
or favors. These words you will kind
ly remember, my children, and let it
not be incumbent upon me to speak
them again."
The state dining room in those days
was literally the state dining room.
Only once a year were women permit
ted at table in this apartment and this
was on the occasion of the presidents s
HnI II. LII
was very grand and ceremonious af-
fair AT that time there was a COM
m1ttee of three representatives ap-
pointed by congress for the purpose of
looking after the plate and furnishings
in the presidents house. They visited
the White House every four weeks and
went carefully over every portion of
the mansion with an inventory. Every
piece of silver, linen, china, glass and
furniture had to be accounted for, and
whatever was broken or missing the
committee was informed of and a rec
ord was made of it.
Mr.. Semple was a rich man when he
married Letitia Taylor. He had a
beautiful estate in Virginia and suf-
ficient means to conduct 1t properly.
When the civil war broke out he was
in the navy. He at once resigned and
went to the confederate navy At the
close of the war he found himself with
land, money and health all gone. Mrs.
Semple, having no children, went to
Baltimore, where she opened a young
ladies' school, leaving Mr. Semple at
the Virginia home, which was all that
was left them. Mrs. Semple was sue
cessful in her school venture and con-
Quoted II for many years.
Mr.. Semple died in his SEVENTEEN
year. Some years afterward Mrs.
Semple realized she was too feeble to
longer properly conduct her large in
stitution, She disposed of It and came
to Washington according to a promise
made to her old friend, Mr.. Corcoran,
long since dead and gone, that should
she ever be further reduced in circum-
stances she would become a resident of
the beautiful home i'm Washington ded-
icated to the memory of his daughter.
Mrs Semple is the last surviving
member of her fathers family. all of
her brothers and sisters having been
dead many years. She has, however,
many nieces and nephews living i'm
California and i'm the south, all too
| far away to visit her often, Her room
| is filled with mementoes of her south
| ern home and of her regime i'm the
| White House. Her most beloved pos
sessions are the old portraits of her
mother and her three sisters and her