Year: 1879

The Order Of business There.


There Is probably no man In the country who
does more work than the President. Quite cer-
tainly no man in the country does more
Irritating and aggravating work than the Presi-
dent. 1t Is pleasant enough to receive social
call or to shake hands with friend; but when
shaking hands becomes duty and receiving all
sorts OF callers necessity, the pleasure of the
thing dwindles most magniflcently. President
Hayes begins work shortly after nine O'Clock In
the morning. He then appears in


THE "PRBsIDKNT's ROOM"


situated In the right wing OF the White House.
This Is q large apartment, plainly but hand
somely furnished: 1t is on the second floor and
at the rear upon the well-kept grounds and the
Potomac beyond; also upon the alleged WASH
ington monument. The White House, esoe-
cially this room, is excellently ventilated Even
In the most sultry summer days there Is always
pleasant breeze blow Ing through. The Presl-
dent sits in a cane seated chair at a polished
table about fifteen feet long and five broad. His
sits MIR. Webb Hayes. Back Of. the President is
Mr.. Gustin, his stenographer. Around the room
are chairs and one or two sofas. There is but
George Washington, painted by South AmerI-
can artist, and presented by the President of
the United States Of Colombia.


THE WHITE HOUSE CALLERS


Although the President is ready to receive
1tors wanting: Members OF Congress and the
Presidents advisers walk past the doorkeeper
without showing their cards. Other visitors
must first send their cards In by Charley LOef-
fer, the doOrkeeper. Sometimes there are as
many as twenty people in the room at time.
Members OF Congress take their turn at talking
to the President in the order in which they en-
tered the room, keeping the tally themselves.
The President indicates to the others when he
Is ready to hear them. The interv Jews are short
or long, generally the former: When the Presi-
dent desires to consult without interruption
with callers they retire to the library adjoin->
Ing. Everybody who calls Is received except
those upon business strictly pertaining to the
ments. The President positively refuses to
hear applicants for such places. They are re-
ierred TO the departments. 1t is his rule not to
lea mserfere IN IN any appointments In the depart
up to half past two In the afternoon generally
average about two hundred.


WHAT THEY WANT.


AS general rule each caller Is on different
ten In on the same missfon-except Baltimore
delegations, which split up when they get be-
fore the President, and each man urges separ-
ae snake Of wn9
and growing. They humble something, seize
the Presidents hand and depart. 1t is great
thing for the principals of female seminarfes in
the adjoining states to bring on to Washington
whole batteries Of beauty and bring them to
bear upon the President. Bridal parties are
quite numerous. Sometimes they announce to





whether they do or noJ that fact is perfectly an
parent. When no attempt at the concealment OF
their happiness is made, the President presents
the blooming, blushing bride with q flower
on his table When concealment Is intended
ne looks unconscious while the groom looks
remarkably conscious. The President pays
dently remembering the time when he was
happy and fortunate groom. Another class of
visitors are excursionists by the hundreds.
East There ae as many m tas a
'Ive hundred people In one OF these excursions.
the member OF Congress whose constituents
they are, arranges with the President for their
RECEPTION. He gets them In line, and as they
file by the President the member introduces
eacn one and makes lots Of vote, for the next
time. >'


TIE HAND-sHAKING BUSINESS.


ing hands with the President Of the United
States, and there are peculiar ways Of going
through that greeting; Some folks seize the
rIes,dents @ M hand IN both OF theirs; other merely
above the wrist, and then others think the
narder they press the hand the greater Is the
nc non9E nor they enjoy The old ladies' always stop
assists the President in the reception ali the
ladies, both young and old, Invariably look
back after passing to see what she has on. The
% oid men want to add word or too OF advice on
political management as they pass, and tn
young man, when from rural parts, tries to ap-
pear as If he made practice OF being intro
naced nost TO 70 .p peeSaents every day About half
returns to his room and looks over the mail
that concerns his official business, This mali is
always briefed and laid on the table ready for
his inspection. He directs what answers n
any, shall be sent.


6OME MORE CALLERS.


Then me persons whom he has made ar
rangements TO see during the afternoon ar
rive. When they have left he always takes a
turns from the drive In time for dinner. After
dinner there are more visitors to be seen-visi-
tors whose business would occupy more than
ing the day. The President is seldom able to
join his family after dinner. Frequently the
only time that he has with the family is before
ne goes 10 work In the morning, at lunch, and
at dinner. This Is about the days routine at
the house during the busy Congressional DAYS.
During the summer the President drives in from
the soldiers Home about ten in the morning,
few callers. A great many people 20 out to the
Home to see him on business, later in the day.


THE CABINET MEETINGS,


on Tuesdays and Fridays there are cabinet
one by pne but they ara all on hand by twelve
O'Clock. Each member brings his portfolio.
The President Sits at the head OF the table and
Secretary schuz at the foot; on the right next
to him the Secretary OF War and beyond him
the Postmaster General. On the left next to
the PRESIDENT Sits the Secretary Of the Treasury
the next to him the Secretary OF the Navy. and
next to the secretary of the Interior on that
side the Attorney General. After the cabinet
meets 1t Is ten or fifteen minutes before the
members get to work. That ten minutes ia
taken up In greetings and ofr-hand talk. in
which the spirit OF fun and humor crops out a
good deal. The cabinet are all men with a
sunny, fun-lovtDg side when out OF official har-
ness: Judge Key is perhaps the Jolliest, though
the Attorney General pushes him hard for that
distinction. Secretary Thompson is a proyerbiai
Is hardly equalled in telling one. Secretary
McCrary Is good story teller. Secretary Sher-
man does not indulge in humor often. but
When he does, 1t Is, on OccOunt OF fts inex
pected character, the more enioyable.
secretary Evarts is one of those OF the Quietly
humorous sort: bis fund Of dry humor and wit
Is inexhaustable, and though not uproariOus ia
keenly enjoyable. The President has probably
the heartiest Cabinet that any President ever
assembled around him. The old bores who keep
at them day by day are unMerclfully dealt
with by the heads OF the departments when they
assemble. The Attorney General seems to take
q peculiar delight in Joking Secretary Thomp-
son. AT recent Cabinet meeting the Naval
Secretary took with him list OF midshipmen
who had passed their examinations TIE Sec
retary called attention to them and said he
would like that their nominations for promo-
ton to ensfgns be sent to the Senate as soon as
possible ''as they are worthy young men who