Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-12-11
LADIES OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
Sad "Reminiscences of the Death of
President Tyler.

"IfPresident Cleveland wants to do a
graceful thing" said gentleman, COM
menting upon the fact that three wo-
men of the White House in ante-bellum
days still live, "let him invite Mrs.
Lane to assist him in his first reception
after the Inauguration. 1t would be a
graceful action, and would recall flood
of interesting memories"
And so it would. Mrs. Polk, who
was spoken of by travelling English
lady as Surprising in dignity and at
fractions any of the three queens" that
she has seen upon the thrones of Eu-
rope; Harriet Lane, the brilliant mis-
tress of the White House, admired and
honored by two continents, and Mrs.
Tyler, the bride of the White House,
whose portrait in bridal dress and veil
still hangs in the Green Room, pointed
out to all visitors as the only bride that
has ever graced that establishment as
its mistress.
II remember her WE'LL" said an old
employe of the White house. ut is
forty years ago last June since she came
here as the bride Of President Tyler. 1t
was joyons event, but recalled some
very sad memories, for right here in
the great East room, but few months
before. the mangled remains of her
father had been brought from the
steamer where he had been killed al
most before her eyes. You don't re-
member the bursting of the Peace-ma-
kers,? No, there are not many now in
Washington who have a personal rec
objection of that sad event. Well, the
President had Miss Gardiner here, and
their engagement had been made. She
and her father, Mr.. Gardiner, of Long
Island, were visiting Washington, stop
ming at one of the hotels here, when they
were invited by the President to accom-
pany party consisting of the Secreta-
rv f Of War and some others who were
going down the Potomac to test new
large cannon called the Peacemaker. 1t
had been fired repeatedly and was con-
sidered entirely safe. On the trip it
was fired several times with satisfacto-
nv results, and as the boat was nearing
Washington on the return all were
called on deck to witness the last shot
Mr.. Gardiner and the Secretary of the
Navy, Mr.. Upshur, went on deck, and
the President was about to go when
Miss Gardiner playfully hid his hat,
preventing his going. Probably that
little action on her part saved the coun-
try its President, and herself a presi-
dental husband, for when the gun was
fred it exploded, killing the Secretary
of the Navy and Miss GARDENERS faith
er, the cries of the wounded carrying
the news to those below that some ter
rible accident had taken place. That
was an awful experience for that young
girl. Her fathers remains were
brought here to the White House and
Law in state with those of the Secretary
of Navy, Mr.. Upshur. Their fun
eral took place in the East Room, in the
presence of very large assemblage.
The result was that the wedding of Miss
Gardiner and the President, which had
been set for the following summer, was
a very quiet one, none except the i'm
mediate family of the bride attending,
and all New York being taken COM
pletely by surprise when the guns be-
gan firing in honor of the event. They
came directly here. She was beauti-
full young woman, as you will see by
her portrait in the Green Room.'