The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-26

| door. a.,
tspce to the attic. This attic. one. may
say, is rather an interesting portion of
The structure-roomy, old.fashioned
(after the manner of the typical attic
of Colonial housc). and extending over
the entire length and breadth Of the
dwelling That is to say, it was old
fashioned until the somewhat radical
alterations were made by Mr.. Roose-
Welt. Up to that time it was sort of
odds and ends. including articles Of fur
niture, discarded and left over from
earlier administrations. There was, too,
fairly spacious room of red cedar, in
which the President and his family
kept their summer clothing in winter
and their winter clothing In the sum-
mer time.
The attic being so large, such ar
ticles of furniture were permitted to
accumulate in odd corners; and. when
the writer paid a visit TO IT half a
dozen years ago, he saw, among other
things, a couple of antique walnut bed
steads, with somber hangings. which, it
was explained to him, dated back to
quite an early epoch in the history
of the republic. They had been orig
inally in the guest chambers. but had
descended thence to the servants quar-.
ters in the basement, and finally had
found their way to the attic. There
were also half a dozen chairs, once
very handsomely upholstered. which
had adorned the East room in Dolly
Madison s time. Very likely she her
self had sat upon them during her long
reign as mistress Of the White House,
But most interesting Of all was huge
and really beautiful cabinet Of rose
wood inlaid with ivory and mother-of
pearl, with multitude of drawers and
a strong suggestion of secret compart-
ments hidden in its recesses.
This particular cabinet, 1T would
seem. must have once upon g time
stood in the houdoir of dainty Harriet
Lane. who, as niece of the bachelor
President. Buchanan, held gentle rule in
the White House at the period when
the Prince of Wales, thcn scare grown
to manhood. was entertained there-the
chief evidence in favor of this theory
being bundle of old love letters, ad
dressed by enamored swains TO the girl
herself. which was found in one of the
drawers. The packet, ii appears, was
discovered not more than dozen years
ago by an old negro NANNY through
an accidental touch upon a hidden
spring; and, as was necessary under
the circumstances, the letters were I'M
mediately sent by messenger from the
White House 10 their proper owner,
who, up to the day of her death cou-
pie of years ago, dwelt In Washing
ton.
Gifts Made to President.
It used to be said, and currently be-
lievcd. that the attic was haunted by
the ghost Of President William Henry
Harrison, who died in the White House
early In his administration. Several
Of the negro servants employed there
at various times declared that they had
themselves bebeld the spectre; and
"Uncle jerry Simpson, whose services
dated back TO Lincoln, and who passed
from the earth twelve-month ago. was
accustomed to assert with fullest conf
dence that he had on more than one oc-
casion seen the phantom-recognizlng
its identity by its likeness TO the IA
miliar portraits of old Tippecanoe.
Most remarkable, however, of the
material odds and ends assembled IN
the attic were gifts of various kinds
made to the Presidents, 1t is most un-
fortunate that people Will persist IN
sending presents TO the White House,
taking it for granted that the tempo
rarv tenant will be delighted with the
attention thus Observation-Disclosures, as
q matter of fact. he would vastly pre-
fer not TO be bothered with them,
Things of substantial value he VIII
not accept. because he cannot afford
TO put himself under obligations to
strangers; and other articles, for which
he cannot possibly have any use, he
finds trouble in getting rid Of AT the
end of each administration there are
several wagonloads of merchandise of
the sort to be discarded. and most OF
it is sold at auction Meanwhile, II
must be stored, and the attic was the
place formerly chosen for the purpose.
Renovating Old Mansion.
The "renovation Of the old man"
sion accomplished by Mr., Roosevelt
at an expense of over hall a million
dollars involved some rather compre-
hensive changes, among which was the
transfer of the servants quarters from
| the basement TO the attic, Thus the
vast lumber.room of former days, Its
accumulations OF odds and ends thrown
| out. has become a supplementary resi-
Dental floor. affordiDg accommodations
for the White House butler (known OF
ficially as the steward), the house
keeper, the cook and assistant cook, q
couple of men servants and half dol
en- parlor and chamber maids. II
should be explained. perhaps, that the
wages of all these people. except tbs
butler (whose pay is $40 week. and
the housekeeper (S25 week. come
out of the private purse of the Pres
| ident
Even the ghost Of william Henry
Harrison seems to have been lost IN thu
shuttle of architectural change. At al
events, nothing has been seen or heard
Of the phantom since the alterations
were made. AS for the gifts contributed
by well~meaning strangers-many o.
which, by the way, are sent TO Mrs