Hello Dolley

A couple of days ago I wrote about my friend who is a fine chef and has a flair for entertaining. This led me to thinking about famous hostesses in history and made me recall that First Lady Dolley Madison (5/20/1768-7/12/1849) gained a reputation as a lively and accomplished hostess with lots of influence on her husband's political career. Her status in Washington society was assured when President Thomas Jefferson, who was a widower, asked the wife of his friend, Secretary of State James Madison, to serve as his hostess in the White House. After her husband became President, Dolley became known as much for her knowledge of politics as for her charm and sparkling entertaining. Dolley also proved to be courageous and far-sighted. This is a good article that everyone would enjoy reading.
http://www.womenofyesteryear.com/2010/02/15/hello-dolley.html