The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-25
PRESIDENT POLK's WIDOW
a Famous Woman as seen at Home-H sr
UndyiDg Love.
lColonel MeClure. in Philadalpaia Tlmes.l

UndyiDg Love.
Colonel Mcclure, in Philadelphia Times.I
Just forty years ago. on the 9th of March
1915, HRS. James E. Polk snteIed the Waite
House Mt Washington as ths wife OF the
President and chief lady of the land. Sne
had then Teschsd even beyond the full noon.
tide OF her years, Is mors than forty winters
had entered into the story of her honored
life. Few OF the people of the present have
peTEoDal rscollectiOns OF the gentle gracs
and easy dignity with which she shone IN
the circles of the nation most cultured men
and women of that day; but the pleasant
tradition OF the White House that makes the
name of Mrs. Madison illustrious as the most
beloved of the early mistresses of the home
of the President is supplemented by
the lingering memories and oft-repeated
tributes in every section OF the land which
tell Of the well-merited and mora than gen.
eregs homage paid to Mrs. Polk while pre-
siding as the GENITAL figure of the social
Jewels of the Republic. She welcomed at her
hospitable beard the Clsys, the Websters, the
CalhouDs, the BentoDs, the Bells, the Buch-
snans of our history, and in all the bitter
conflicts of the disputing giants of the last
gen eratiOn the more than respect that grows
into the reverence of atfecuon was COM
mapded from all by the lady of the White
House. Soon after the retirement of her
hOnored husband from the highest civil
trust of the world he IVES suddenly called, in
the full vigor of his life, to join the great
majority beyond, and the whole nation
mourned the common bereavement il suf
fered by the death of James K. Polk. Wild
dowed and alone, Mrs. Polk fitted the
dresmless couch of the dead in the green
lawn that fronted their beautiful home in
Nashville and there the ashes of her lord Te-
Doie, IN daily view of the one whose life
has had angle sorrow that makes all other
sorrows fade into forgetfulntss. Untorget-
ting as II unforgotten, the modest panoDly
that covers the tomb OF her buried love Is the
shrine to which go out the devotions of each
succeeding day, and the room in the home
stead where the ex.PIesident sank calmly
into the sleep OF death has stood unsltered
and unoccupied seve as widowed love re-
turns to the altar OF blightad but unwsaried
affection. Thus while full generation has
come and gone has Mrs. Polk kept faithful
vigil over her husbands dust aud her hus-
bands honor. She has seen ten Presidents
follow Mr.. Polk in the chair he so worthily
filed, and is likely to see the eleventh sue
cessoT before the long halt shall come.
OF all the women of the land, the widow
of James Y. Polk has always been accorded
the laTgef measure nf the nations respect
and reverence. While ever faithful to the
one bright memory Of her long and bsauti-
ful life, she has made friend and stranger,
cd and young high and low, welcome to
her hospitable home, and the visitor to Nash
vile WHO does not cross the threshold OF
Mrs. Folks home ana receive her welcome,
is forgetful of one of the most delightful Up
portur tiles Every day her house bears the
greeting of the journeying stranger, and the
bright faces of childhood, of early men and
womanhood. aud of ripened age come and
go as the grand old lady smiles upon them
with the weight of more than four-score
years upon her. / saw her in the midst of q
large reception she bad given to Philadsl-
pbia ladies, and although bowed with age
and unable TO stand without support, she
was sprightly as any of the many accom-
plished ladies who assisted in her qneenly
hospitality, and her unclouded momory and
undated interest in pablo men and public
events made her ever the center OF at.rac-
ton for all