Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-07-14

when, through the death Of Gen.
Harrison, he became the President.
Mrs. Tyler's health was bad and ere
long she died In the Executive Man.
sion. For some time Mrs. Robert
Tyler performed the duties Of
hostess, until the President met
and married the youthful Julia
Gardner of New York, and the re-
naming eight months Of his admin.
istration were of . brilliant char.
acter.
Sarah Childress Polk was a strict
Presbyterian and upon taking up
her residence in the White House
banished dancing at the receptions,
in addition to stopping the habit Of
offering refreshments at the ordi-
nary presidential receptions. She
was Of the Spanish type Of beauty
and had jet-black hair and eyes
with . regal presence.
Mrs. Taylor did not relish the idea
Of entering the White House. She
had hoped the time had come when
she could retire to some quiet place
with the general and there round
out the rest Of their lives free from
turmoil and excitement. But fates
decreed 1t otherwise. For the brief
period Of his incumbency his young
est daughter, Betty, who married
Col. William Wallace Bliss, PEI
formed all the duties intended fc-
her mother Another daughter had
married Jefferson Davis.
II gossip can be believed, Mrr.
Taylor, like Dolly Madison, liked tc-
bacco, but in a different form. Dolly,
it is said, liked snu1, and Mrs. Taylor
liked her pipe.
Abigail Powers Fillmore, because
Of lameness, put the burden of the
social functions upon the shoulders
OF her young daughter, and Mrs.
Franklin Pierce, because she was In
mourning for her son, recently killed
In IN accident, had . rather sad
stay In the White House.
President James Buchanan's niece
and adopted daughter, Harriet Lane,
afterward Mrs. Johnston. aided her
uncle In his social functions. It was,
IN 1860, during the latter part Of
President Buchanan's administra.
ton that the Prince of Wales, after.
ward Edward VII, visited this coun-
try and Warrington, and Miss Lane
was Of great assistance upon this
occasion.
Sad Life With Lincoln.
Mary Todd Lincoln, wife OF the
first Republican President, was a
very much abused woman. She was
born and educated In the South. She
married Abraham Lincoln at the age
Of a, and when he became President
she aided in the White House re.
ceptions. But her life as the wife
Of the Civil War President was .
sad one. Death twice entered tho
household while she resided there,
first. when her son Willie died and
second, when the national calamity
came and her husbands body was
returned to the east room.
Mrs. Eliza McCardle johnson en-.
tered upon her social duties % the
wife Of the President under painful
circumstances In . period Of grief,
and added to this, her own health
became so bad that she took part In
an exceedingly limited number Of
social affairs, and was Of little help
in this way to President johnson.
Mrs. Grant entered Q refurnished
White House, equipped as 1t had
never been before. From the time
she went there until she turned
affairs over to her successor, there
was one continuous round of brilliant
receptions, including the marriage
Of her daughter, Nellie. Being well
educated, Mrs. Grant was able 10
conduct the social functions In q
most creditable manner.
Lucy Webb Hayes revolutionized
things when she entered the White
House. She was what we would call
an ardent supporter Of prohibition,
and she almost entirely banished In
toxicating liquors from all social
functions. She made, however, an
excellent hostess. having become
quite familiar with social duties
during the three terms her husband
had served as Governor Of Ohio.
Mrs. Garfield had hardly time to
do any entertaining before the hand
Of an assassin brought grief to her
household and to the Nation. She
was the daughter Of Maryland
farmer, was educated at Hiram,
Ohio, and was an excellent wife and
mother.
Following Mrs. GARFIELD, Mrs. Nc
Elroy. President Arthur's sister, took
over the social reins and she was
kept busy In doing 10, for 1t IL doubt
full If any other President In the
same length of time did more enter.
tanning in . more lavish style.
She was succeeded by President
Cleveland's sister, Miss Rose Olsve.
land, who acceptably performed the
necessary duties until the President
later married Miss Frances Folsom,
who graced the White House With
such pleasant memories.
Mrs. BENJAMIN Harrison died IN
the White House, and Mrs. Mckee,
her daughter, succeeded her, to DO,
In turn, succeeded by Mrs. Cleve-
land. ...'...
Mrs. Mckinley was IN invalid and
socially her husbands adlninistra-
ton was a quiet one. The Rooss.
velts, with Mrs. Roosevelt and Alice,
were well supplied with entertaining
talent, and the marriage Of the lat
ter to the Speaker of the House,
Nicholas Longworth, was Q notable
and memorable affair.
OF the subsequent administrations
Of Messrs. Taft, Wilson, Harding.
Coolidge, Hoover and the present
incumbent, tho reader Is no doubt