The Washington herald., 1910-09-20
AS THE DAYS PASS.
ny FRANCES JAY.

vertising recently for boys to scrub
carpets" This is a rather new use 10
put boys or any one else 70. for that
matter. For one would imagine that the
last treatment 20 subject a carpet 10
would be 10 scrub it. II is a rather safe
guess 10 declare that the wanted" boys
were not 10 apply az the White House
If the rest Of the building is as free OF
covering on the floors as is the famous
East Room. Probably nothing more dis
tinetly marks the change Of opinion in
matters OF home furnishing since The
birth Of this country than the alte-a-
ton OF this justly famous room. How
splendidly sanitary il is Not the most
athletic germ could cross that expanse Of
polished hardwood floor without either
breaking its neck or starving TO death
Gone forever are the unhealthy carpets
and heavy curtains, and with them much
of old association. With feet pressed
deep in velvet. one could imagine the
tragedy OF the giant cheese that hos
pitabie old Andy Jackson once served 10
his callers in such quantities at a public
reception that great chunks fell about
and were mashed under foot. so the
whole floor covering had 10 be removed
and renovated before the room could be
used again That was a time when
boys TO scrub carpets" might have had
a steady job for many days. This cheese
was the gift OF admirers OF the President
in New York State. and was the biggest
thing of the kind ever turned out Up
to that memorable reception il had been
the custom 10 serve refreshments OF a
simple kind 10 all who called at the
Executive Mansion. But this experience
sounded the death kneli 10 the free
lunch habit in high places. a prettier
picture in which the carpet Of the East
Room figures was when the children OF
the Tyler Cabinet gathered about the
chair OF the fragile first lady OF that
name. who even in the shadow OF death
loved the little people 10 come 10 her.
and they would play ar picking the roses
from the floor and throwing them into
her lap; for carpets that were gardens
of bloom were novelties for even the
best grade OF people in the early 40s in
America These dancing little feet were
hushed by the garland bearing moor COW
ering when the children gathered about
her coffin as she lay In state in this
great room, and probably the same car
pet muffied the tread OF those bearing
forth the body OF Lincoln's little son.
So, though II is quite correct 10 be up
to the minute in the arrangement OF
this most interesting home in the land.
old-fashioned folk rather long for some
OF the furnishings that were associated
with successive administrations, and the
bare expanse OF this beautiful room left
the heart as we'll as the feet cold.
I wonder how many of those who look
W at the post-office tower or run into
the imposing building 10 post a letter or
buy a stamp know that a minute trip
in the elevator will introduce one TO a
very interesting collection of oddities
connected with the postal service. past
and present One can be amused for
many hours with the quaint and curious
collection, or If hours are not abundant
something worth seeing can be had In
five minutes sojourn. The third floor is
used for the display of articles relating
TO the postal service, appliances ancient
and modern. But 1t is the collection Of
the fruit garnered In the department of
the service known by the somber name
of Dead Letter Office" that what the
story writers call heart interest is found
Here are evidences OF loves labor lost"
in the queer things made by patient
! scrap-work with old stamps and pie
lures the bits of fnery wrought with
loving intent for somebody's birthday;
the pair OF gloves mended by a careful
soul who yet was careless enough 10
leave them behind 20 be forwarded by
her late hostess; the stumped-oUt shoe
OF some little man intended for daddy's
comfort when he was too far away TO
| hear the sturdy steps; and-sharp con-
trast 10 this-a white felt hat once worn
| by sailor boy under far-off skies, and
| In his idle moments decorated in a Won
derful way with Indian ink sketches of
| the twin Cs and double Ds-cards and
cigarettes, dice and drink, and in and
out the hopeful legend I'VE are going
| home" This most ingenious record of
what the boy had learned on his cruise
| is bordered with a fringe made of dice
and tiny skulls. and bottles carved fTem