Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-03-27
TIE INAIGUKATION
As Described by "a Lady.


auguraton of Mr.. Cleveland, from pri-
waite letter from a Vermont lady:
WAsHNGTON, March 6, 1855.
The papers have told you all about the
festivities here but perhaps you would
like to know what part of them | have
seen. Tuesday morning -- and took
Il hanson and drove about the city to see
the decorations. Pennsylvania avenue,
from the Capitol to the White House, was
one mass Of red, white and blue, arranged
in IN endless variety of designs Balloon
les were put out at every available win
dow and these were deliberately draped,
and wherever there was space, stands
were built to hold the crowds OF people,
and you can imagine what II gala appear
ancc II gave to the whole city. Even the
shades To the street lamps were removed
and three burners with red, white and
blue globes were put in their places. AS
we drove about, we met at every turn
companies of soldiers coming in and bands
playing, and the streets were fairly over
run with people everywhere. The street
cars and all the cabs were covered with
flags and one could not help being in
spirited by it all even if it was in honor of
Democratic President. You know what
an exquisite dayit was,here ON Wednesday,
bright and sunny and with an atmosphere
like May. Mrs. said: Mature has de
cIarcd herself Democrat, unmistaka-
bly,, for it has been stormy every 4th of
March since the Republicans came in. "
We started out at nine in the morning
and even at that hour the crowd was some
thing tremendous, and one was fortunate
to get fOOt-hOld in cara cab was unat-
tainablc for luVe'Or mOney-and it was nee
cssary to keep ones eyes in ones head not
to be trampled on by the soldiers, who
4 lii, ti..,, ~.
went first to the Capitol, and fortunately
escaped getting crushed to death in get
ting in. We got into the Senate chamber
at 10 o'clock, and were fortunate i'll hay
ing excellent seats in the diplomatic box,
and there we had to wait two mortal
hours. However, there was a good deal
to interest lis in watching the people and
the gathering was well worth see
ing. Most of the prominent men in the
country were there, and it was in every
way II representative gathering. Then 1t
was very interesting to be there when
the Grant bill passed, and the
Presidents approval of it was an
thing thrilling, it seemed SO heart
felt and unanimous from that large body
of people When Mr. Cleveland and Mr.
Hendricks and the rest finally came in
they sat directly facing us, 50 we had the
felicity of studying their faces to our
heart content. The outgoing and incum-
ing President sat side by side, and could
not help feeling that as far as looks went
it was six of one to half dozen of the
Othrr--they both have such big, bulldog
nccks, such IA sleek well-kept look anC
are both 50 utterly unintellectual in ap
pearance. 1t was quite Il sight to see tn,
diplomats all come in, in full dress, ano
the supreme Court, in their robes, lOokin.
so digntied and | felt quite repaid for al
our waiting. But, oh the crush in get
ting out to the platform, where the PreSi
dent was inaugurated. We could moi
| hear him speak, so after watching him tol
sometime, and seeing all there was to see
we hurried away, to avoid little of the
crowd, if possible. The mass of people
about the Capitol during the inauguration
was one of the most impressive sight'
/ Imaginable. As we stood on the plat
form we were surrounded by
/ solid sea of faces, extending a
far as the eye could reach il
every direction, and even way off down
all the avenues the lines of soldiers faded
OFF in the distance. The Capitol itself wa
| fairly alive-every inch of standing room
even to the roof being occupied and nj
the windows filled. The trees had occu
pants to their very tops, and even tn
statues about held men and boys in thei
arms and ON their shoulders. over all TIN
heads ludicrUusly rose half Il dozel
cameras, photographing the President Il
| he spoke. | doubt if | ever should hav
got nome if friend had not seen us wan
dering helplesSly about in the crowd a
the risk of being run over every moment
and taken Us into her carriage.
We We're fortunate in having seat
ON the grand stand opposite tn
White House, from which To St
the procession, which was very fin
when it at last came after tw
hours waiting. Some of the uniform
were heautiful-the Old Continentnls I'm,
the Xouaves and others, and admired eX
ceedlngly tn, Virginia troops in thci
lovely gray uniforms, though M,-think
it scaudalouS in me to even breathe sue
such disloyal sentiment. We watChe
the procession for more than an hour AM
a half. its torythrGc bands relieving tn
monotony, but when TammanY and Irwin
Hall began to come, by the thousand
with their Indians and ROSTERS
our interest Tagged and we wen
home. We got back here after five
nearly exhausted, physically and men
tally but our zeal was not To be cooled ;
easily, and after dinner we went down t
see the fireworks, which finished tn
day most satisfactorily, although
thought ut one time that we should neve
get out of the crowd alive.
You can see what Il fatlguing day tn
18th of March is once in four years in TIN
city, and perhaps can understand tina
while enjoyed it Immensely, and fee
that it is something that every American
citizen ought to see once, ! can not I'm
derstand how any one should care for
repetition of the experience. Thursda
evening we went to the new Pension build
ing where the ball was held. The Marin
band gave promenade concert there, 70
the benefit of those who could not go L
the ball, and there We're 1000 people Their
Thursday night. The ballroom was trt
Ia md lApnrs.l
ed IneVer saw IL more gorgeous room
and il was great fun to look down upo
the crowd from the gallery. The draper
for the ballroom alone cost $1,000, bt
sides the immense numbers of flags AM
decorations supplied by the Government
Is this the "Jetfersonian simplicity
which we have been told was to character
ize the new regime
CANADA WANTS MONEY.