Evening star., 1911-01-15

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the basement gallery: There is consid-
erable speculation over the matter. and
so far there seems to be no authority for
forming an opinion either way. II any
thing the consensus of opinion seems to
be that she will take it with her.
The White House at present boasts only
seven portraits CT its bygone chatelaines
out of all the number Of women who have
held court within its walls and whose wit
and charm have made the President s
house the orbit around which has always
revolved the social and Official hospitality
of the nation.
The much-discussed new portrait OF
Mrs Taft was made by Bror kronstrand
of Sweden at Beverly this past autumn,
where Mrs. Taft gave him twelve sit
tings. 1t portrays the Presidents wife
seated in the White House grounds and
shows a suggestion of the official resi-
dence. The portrait was on exhibition Tor
a time in New York city and later in the
present it is hanging in the seclusion OF
the private apartments of the family.
The well known picture OF the stately
Lady Washington" the only one OF the
Presidents wives on the main floor, by
Andrews, occupies a conspicuous place in
the red parlor in company with the ia
nous Stuart portrait Of the father OF
his country. This latter owes its present
unspoiled condition to the bravery ana
forthought of the fearless Dolly Madlson,
who, when the. British were in possession
of the capital and were coming to purn
the White House, risked all OF the hor-
rors OF capture to save the public docu-
ments and remove the picture to place
of safety.
OF the remainder of the portraits which
adorn the walls of the basement corri-
dor the chief in point OF succession ana
age is the very charming painting OF
Angelica Singleton Van Buren,, the b.ide
Of Mai Abram Van Buren, the eldest
son OF the President. Being a WidoWeT'
President Van Buren, depended upon MS
sons wife to fiji the position OF mistress
of the White House. This quaint WORK
of art seems tos belong to an eariier
period and is Of type not easily for-
gotten The girlish face. with its set
ting of curls and jeweled bandeau anu
headdress of waving whites piumes. 10
particularly pleasing. 1t greets one IKE
a whiff Of a faint perfume or old iace
and calls to mind brilliant picture OF
the old-style elegance of satin small
clothes and silk stockings treading the
stately minuet under this same roof IN
the early youth of our republic.
Another of the old-style oils which de-
mands attention shows Mrs. Julia Gar
diner Tyler in the full glory OF an even
ing toilet President Tyler's first VIE
died in the White House in 1872. and
two years later he married Miss Garoi-
ner, daughter of David Gardner OF Ne"
York, who was one Of the six victims
of the explosion on the war sloop Prince
ton during a pleasure trip OF President
Tyler and q party of guests to Mount
Vernon The funerals of all six were
held from the White House, and the ro-
mantle wedding resulted from the ac-
auaintance developed through this trag-
edy.
Mrs. 'Polk's picture was presented py
the ladies OF Tennessee during the au-
ministration of President Arthur. Her
regime was distinctive for its extreme
formality and the fact that d9ncing was
prohibited.
OF the later times the portrait OF Mrs.
Hayes is SO widely known as to require
little description. 1t was presented by
the Woman's National Temperance Union
in recognition of her prejudice against
the use of wines in the White House.
Mrs. Benjamin Harrison's likeness.
painted by Huntington, was the gift OF
the daughters of the American Revolu-
ton. In It's majestic dignity 1t bears a
close resemblance to that Of Martha
VI