Evening star., 1941-01-19
By Herbert H0iIander.

L NoANNiiO hN " a Vial
larly, so we know exactly what he
did in the White House almost from
DAY TO day. Here is typical nota-
ton:
Since my removal to the Presi-
Dental Mansion I rise about 5,
read two chapters of SCOTS Bible
and Commentary and the CORE
spending Commentary of Hewlett
then the morning newspapers and
public papers from the several de-
partments: write seldom and not
enough; breakfast an hour from
9 to 10; then have a succession Of
visitors upon business in search of
a place. solicitors for donations. or
for mere curiosity from II till be-
tween 4 and o'clock. The heads
of departments, Of course, occupy
much of this time. Between 4 and
take a walk of or miles. Dine
from half-past till 7 and from
dark till II I generally pass the
evening in my chamber. signing
land-grants or blank patents, in the
interval Of which. for the last 10
days, I have brought up three
months arrears in my diary index
About II retire 10 bed"
JackSon's Inaugural.
The White House never has quite
gotten over the shock Of Andrew
Jackson's inaugural. O.d Hickory's
followers trampled the carpets.
sprayed tobacco juice over the floors,
climbed chairs and awoke the
echoes of the diqnifed rooms with
frontier yells. This was the ad-
ministration of the Peggy Eaton
affair, still talked about in wash
ington salons.
Jackson liked to sit upstairs in
a large rocking chair and hug the
fire. His days in the White House
always were shadowed by the loss
of his beloved Rachel. by the acri-
moniouSness Of the DISPUTE over
Peggy Eoton and by his fierce com-
bat with the United Stotes Bank.
which he finally DESTROYED.
An elegant era in White House
history was introduced by Martin
Van Buren. He liked things done
in recall STYLE and lived that way
in the mansion. He threw out the
carpets which showed most tobacco
stains: redecorated with rich wall
paper. bought new furniture-stlll
that disputed elegant French
and even acquired some foot tubs
Van Buren, was the very picture
of what the well-dressed man should
wear; but even so, he took time OIL
to have something done about the
White House kitchens. where the
rain stood in puddles for days. Also
at this time, hot-air furnace made
its appearance, for the house was
still heated primitively and in win
ter it was almost as drafty as it had
been years before.
Just months occupancy of the
White House was permitted William
Henry Harrison, who died that soon
after his Inauguration. He was the
first to die in the White House. and
the building was decked in black
inside and out. Tyler, his Vice
President, moved into Harrison's
room and commented that it was "a
nice, comfortable bedroom
The Polks entertained quietly.
Even then, Dolly Madison was Wis
itor at the White House, despite
her 80 years. Neither tough old
Zachary Taylor nor his wife was
keen to 60 to the White House. and
their occupancy was brought to a
tragic end in his death there. Mrs.
Taylor, it is said, was the only Presi-
dents wife to smoke a corncob
pipe-which, early chronicles report,
she did in the privacy of her
chambers.
Significant Additions.
The Millard Fillmores left an i'm
portant imprint on the White House
in beginning the library. But the
most impressive change was the
installation of gas. That was a
step forward. Equally significant,
or so it seemed, was the installation
of a bath tub for Mr.. Fillmore's use.
James Buchanan ushered in a
socially brilliant era. The only
bachelor President, his hostess was
his charming and beautiful niece,
Harriet Lane During this admins
tration, the Prince of Wales-later
Edward VII, grandfather of the
present King George VI-visited this
country. The Prince stayed at the
White House. So crowded was the
mansion that Mr.. Buchanan slept
in his own office on an iron cot.
The White House presented rather
melancholy picture during the
Lincoln administrations. The war
curtailed entertaining. and a heavy
atmosphere of gloom hung over the
house. There was war, with its
terrible ravages; one of the Lincoln
children died; and Mrs. LincoIn's
biting tongue added to the Presi-
dents distress.
President and Mrs Grant enjoyed
life in the White House. The gen.
eral loved horses. and was a con-
slant visitor at the stables. This
was a gaudy period, and the taste
of the day was reflected at the
White House in the numerous social
affairs and in the furnishings. Vast
wardrobes with mirrors in the doors
and draperies over the marble man
telpieces were among the Grantian