The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-20
A WHITE HOUSE MISTRESS.
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soman. ant There be- nm nfwranho 81 great
dignity aie1Fa bnuIt Dor ~" has many
friends from mo rrnts ~ Do" rasf Fncial
triumphs and they arc all nr'"rtiv" 70 hcr.
Her room In tho I,uia' Homo u' usually
fragrant with frrah Cow Drs But with all
these attention ~ be- 10 lou.', M.
The Louis, Home ~. u I1r 2" roofnv in
stltutiun niled with southern ladies Il gen
lie birth and culture. There m" beautiful
grounds. well cared Tor. ani n is situated
In tho heart of trs fashionable part " the
city. II Ia not u charitable institution. for
each woman must pay f'r her hoard and
room, Tho charge il modest, ~ tho irsti-
tuition was Handsomely endowed 10y tho
founder. tho late phi,anthropi-t W w.
Corcoran. who gave n IN memory ~ his
daughter Louise. who died IN her youth.
The grounds and house are well cared for,
and 1t Is a most attractive place. There Is,
10 be sure. an absence Of childish footsteps
and prattle. All tho hOardeTs m this big
houses are between the ages Of 90 and 90,
and thev know the loneliness Of advanced
age and reduced circumstances.
Mrs. Semple IN her youth was her fathers
constant companion. 'She vas a good
musician and was the life and spirit of his
household. She was gay ard loving ard
beautiful. She played for him in his
leisure moments and sang HIM to sleep
when he was tired, Hls ~fayCrile song was
an old fashiorcd ore called Rome, +" the
words Of which she now repeats 10 herself
every day, in fancy recalling the may
times her father listened to them with he-
light. At the age Of 10 SIZE lecame the
wife Of Mr.. Semple. When he death OF
william Henry Harrison made lyler Presi-
dent he brought a large and Interesting
family TO the White House. Ilrs. Tyler
was an invalid and could rever discharge
the duties Of mistress of the White House.
During the first few months Of Iyler's adj
Ininistration Mrs. Robert Tyler, wife Of n
ton Of the President, acted as his hostess,
while the Presidents beloved daughter,
Letitia, remained at their Virginia home
with her mother. Some months later Mrs
Tyler made the trip to Washington, ac-
comparied by her daughter, row Mrs.
Semple, but sucCumbod TO her mnladv very
shortly afterward and was buried from the
White House, Of which she had rover eeeA
able to assume the duties Of mistress.
After the death Of he. mother Mrs. Semple
assumed the duties of mistress Of the White
House, which she discharged with grace
and tact until her fathers second marriage
only a few months before his term OF Office
expired. His second wife was Miss Julia
Gardner of New York, aad although she
was a lovely and beautiful woman, this
secoId marriage is rot a pleasant memory
to Mrs. Semple, ike 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 80
suddenly and UNEXPECTEDLY TO. assume
the duties of Chief Executive Of the Iation
he called his family together ard expressed
the desire that their manner OF living should
not be changed, that they should o serve
the greatest simplicity, even if their home
for the few years to come would he in the
great White House,
Mrs. Semple relates that on the morning
after the arrival of the family in the White
House the President said at table, Now,
my children dl ring the next few years we
are to occupy the home Of the President OF
the United States. ! hope you will conduct
yourselves with even more than your usual
propriety and decorum. Remember you
will be much in the public eye, You are
10 know no favoriteS. Your visitors will
be ~citizers Of the United States and as such
are all to be received with equal courtesy.
You will not receive any gifts whatever
and allow no one to approach you on the
subject of Office or favOrs. These words
you will kindly remember, my children, AMI
let it rot be ilcumheAt upoA me 70 speak
them again"
The state dining room in those days was
literally the state dining room, Oaly once
q year were women permitted at table in
this apartment and this was on the occa-
sion OF the Presidents annual dinner TO his
Cabinet, which vas n very grand and cere-
monious affair. At hat time there was a
committee of three representatives. APP
pointed by Congress for the purpose OF
looking after the plate and furnishing s in the
Presidents house. They visited the White
House every four weeks and wcat 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 record was made of it.
Mr.. Semple was a rich man when he
married Letitia Tyler. He had a beautiful
estate in Virginia and sufficient means to
conduct it properly. When the civil war
broke out he was in the navy. He at once
resigned and went into 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, lea wing MIR. Semple at
the Virginia home, which was all that was
left them. Mrs. Semple was successful in
her school venture and conducted it for
many years. Mr.. Semple diei in his seven
tieth year. Some years afterward Mrs.
Semple realized she was too feeble to longer
properly conduct her large institution. She
disposed of it and came TO Washington
according TO a promise made to her old
friend, Mr.. Corcoran, long since deld and
gone, that should she ever be further re-