The Rating Game

When I saw that Lemonade Lucy was the choice for most overrated First Lady, I was reminded of an old family story. My uncle John Steele’s first wife was Mary Evarts, a great- (or perhaps great-great—I forget) granddaughter of William Maxwell Evarts, Secretary of State in the Hayes administration. She told me that one day he went to the White House for some diplomatic reception or other. When he returned home, he was asked if he had enjoyed the party.

“Oh, we all had a wonderful time,” he said. “The water flowed like champagne!”