The New York herald., 1874-10-02
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE PRESIDENT.
The Bridal Couple at the Altar---Address
Of Archbishop Purcell.
The Reception, the Banquet and Depart
ure Of the Happy Pair.

indeed. But here love was enough We have
read 1t often and often In the story books how the
young. handsome and aspiring knight, nerved oy
love. to high ambition tolls and tolls for fame,
while the princess ne adores listens coldly to his
suit. He. however, has . good fairy on his side
who watches over him and whispers MIN from time
to time that under the light OF the moon IN bower
Of roses and eglantine. she the Princess, shall
promise to be his bride. Some day it happens
that when the Princess is encompassed by danger
he, ike the gallant fellow that he Is, comes oppor
tunely to the rescue. Then she learns to love him,
and che world moves on TO dance music. 70 which
al the stars twinkle In time, and the story OF the
bower, the roses and the phghtlng comes true.
But the grim King, her father, Is an obstacle.
Both are afraid to approach him. He would surely
refuse. The good fairy comes again and otds him
be OF cheer and seek the grim King, and ask him
for his daughter. The young knight with trem-
bling heart approacnes the warrior monarch, who
sits all day In mis- coat of mail and sleeps with his
helmet on. But the King smiles instead Of frown-
ing for he ts soldier. he proposes feat TO the
young knight upon the accomplishment Of which
depends the happiness Of his life. Then the young
knight sets to work and says the dragon or car
rles back the giants head, and the King receives
him with open arms and the Queen EN-.
braces him and calls him son. the
young knight leads the Princess 70 the
altar and the story ends In verse.
And all the Lords and ladies bright
orea hoeos wees 10 10 fhsPs he SlaSss. asse brave
Beloved the iairest fair.
Step down the centuries, leave out the king
the dragons and the giant substituting some
thing more In accordance with the era OF gun.
powder and daily newspapers and the romance OF
Thomas william Fitch and Maria Ewing Sherman
is so well told that he who runs may read. DO
not, however leave out the fairy, for she lives to
whisper yet to men and MAIDS.
The wedding to-day recalled all the pomp and
pageant Of what We dream OF as the old world
The cold matter OF fact life, unit oy splendors OF
ceremonial, the life that borrowed none OF the
glOries OF nature or efforts of art to mark the
memory OF q day or an event came TO America
with the Purtans, and 80 strongly has their infu.
ence been stamped upon our habits OF thought,
that such scene as met the gaze to-day seems q
foreign thing, however lovely We forget that there
was French Christianity IN America long, long
ago. and the great church pageants OF Rome, full OF
the flush OF color as the plumage OF the bros tn
the tropics were spread out by the Spaniards long
ere an Anglo-Saxon heel pressed upon the shores
Of the New World. From the hard, plain bench
OF the meeting mouse It may be dlfncult for some
to look upon the scene OF to-day with compla
cency, for the colo, grim spirit OF Purttanism,
sturdy, prejudiced but sefreliant, regards such
pomp and circumstance az the ngure OF all that is
ev1l, unrepublican and e6ete. But Witnessing the
grand ceremonial Of to-day were the President OF
the United states, four OF his Cabinet Lieutenant
General Sheridan and Generals and Admirals and
ofncers without numberi while the superb old
wrinkled veteran who marched from Atlanta to
the sea to save the Onion led hts daughter to the
altar OF a faith whose prayers are ceremonies and
whose ceremonies are prayers Not much danger
to liberty In that Here the ritual that has wedged
King and Queen, Emperor and Empress, did the
same for two children OF the Republic as nocu.
Ously as though the nuptial knot had been tied in
. dark church corner with only the bridal party
and the parson. AND then everybody whose stin.
ing sense OF religion makes them think that II Is
wrong for the President to encourage Catholicism
must remember that 1t Is only a chapter In fairy
tale.
At eleven o'clock-the hour noted for the cere.
mony TO begln-the scene In the church was bril-
liant indeed Although the bridal party had not
yet arrived, nor had the President taken his place.
ne had determined to be prompt, and accordingly
LEFT the Executive Mansion with hts wife, and
Marshal and Mrs. Sharpe, at twenty minutes
to eleven. The family carriage, drawn by
Egypt and Cinclnnasi-two OF the oldest
horses OF the Presidents stud-dashed across
the city, up New York avenue, turning
into Vernon Park at the junction OF Ninth street
and Massachusetts avenue. The driver, Albert
Hawkins, who has handled the ribbons for the
Presidents family for years, noticed that the
horses were unusually spirited and did his best TO
curb them. The pavement through the Park Of
smooth asphalt encouraged the restless horses 70
accelerate their speed until Cincinnati became
frightened BY getting his hind legs over the trace
NARROW ESCAPE.
Up the park the team dashed untl the
frtva woa IN hnn n
them BY hard pulling, AND so turned them into
the park until they reached the iron cnaia guard.
ing the enclosure. Tho carriage was brought 70
sudden halt BY the fall OF one OF yne animals.
ana, without waiting for further developments,
the President quickly angnted, quieted the
frightened horses anc told the driver
to return home. Assisting Mrs. Grant
and Mrs Sharpe 70 alght with the
Marshal they proceeded TO me church
In the carriage Of friend, who was fortunately
passing at she time OF the trouble. The church
within Was III wltn sunbeams, falling gntteringy
upon gold slasned. epauietted uniforms, upon
sworo knot hils and scaboard. Tho sunbeams
we're playing prsnks, too, among the ngnt and
full hued toilets OF the ladies. Blue with White
lace, and pink with white lace, mauve and iaven.
der, were the prevailing eoiors. me uncertain
Green nues we're scattered mere and shere. ano
mShy were habtted IN rich barred, black grens-
Dimes.
SILENCE N TIE CHURCH.
Tnere was perfect hush 10 the church. Tho
Cabinet members had arrived. Soldieriy looking
Belknap; courtly. elegant aud silver -hairea Mar.
shall Jeweh; the hard cash.faced Bristow, Auc the
expansive Attorney General Williams were there.
The front pew ON the rtghshand side was reserved
for the President and was a. eleven O'CLOCK the
only one vacant In ths church. The aisles we're
thronged half way up beyond which point the
unseated were not allowed to pass.
white sils ribbon laid across each
passage was sufncient TO Keep them back-a cir.
cumstancs which tells volumes for the order ana
necorum OF all who had been blessed with invita-.
sionA Indeed the gentleman nshara. headed by