Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-06-05
JUNE s, 1886.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. MAY 81. 1886.

The day Of doubt and surprise is
over, aud unless the trains are off
time, and things are out Of joint, or
slip comes 'twixt cup and lip, the
president will be married when sou
read this, and Miss Folsom win be
| the head of the American Nation.
Love will rule the court, the camp,
the Grover, aud the White House
will no longer be under the social
control of an accentuated blue stock
ing spinster, but have for its mis-
tress young woman with French
frockS.
Last autumn while driving in
Soldiers home park your cores
pondent saw the President driving
with Mrs. and Miss Folsom and his
sister Mrs. Hoyt. The President
sat on the back seat by Mrs. Folsom,
and Miss Folsom sat on the front
seat directly facing him and riding
backward. / thought then that the
President ought to have given that
pretty girl the better seat, but then
it would not have been good form
for the President to ride back
wards and doubtless the distribu.
ton was the best that could be at
tanned.
The marriage ceremony is to take
place on Wednesday evening in the
historic and handsome blue room
where the President receives the
Diplomatic Representatives of the
effete mOnarchies and where he has
so often stood in the midst of throngs
of diamond and gold lace bedizened
guests. The White House will be a
garden of roses and of other flowers
the names of which you will find in
your Botany. There be plenty
of gas. The Marine band will play
an original wedding march as the
President and his bride descend the
broad staircase and intone a soft &C.
companimentto the words ofthe Rev.
Byron Sunderland who will pro-
nounce them man and wife.
The wedding party will be small
one. 1t had been the intention of
the President to have big wedding
and invite everybody, but the death
of Miss Folsom's grandfather made
change of program necessary, and
the guests will be only a few rela-
tives of the contracting parties and
the members of the Cabinet, except
the Attorney General, who has made
a vow that he will never wear a
wedding Swallow tail coat) garment.
The Cabinet ladies and also Col. and
Mrs. Lamont will be present.
After the wedding ceremony
there will be collation. set in the
state dining room, which is to be
made cheerful with tropical plants
and a wealth of art flowers. The
arrangements described are possible
within the resources of the White
House. 1t will be plain wedding
without parade for the public, and
without any exhibition of elaborate
costumes or gifts.
Mr.. Cleveland will be the first
President of the United States to
have a home. No wife of a Pres.
idenl has ever felt that the White
House was anything except a place
where her husband and herself were
on exhibition to the millions. No
true woman could be satisfied with
it as a place in which to spend the
honeymoon. For years it has been
nothing but a public office. 1t is
not and cannot be home. Mr..
Cleveland has appreciated this fact
and has provided himself with a
place where a woman, who is mar
ried to President of the great Re-
public, can live a part of the time,
at least, the life of an American
wife. Good taste, even decency, de-
mands that the Presidents private
life should be separated from his Of
fetal duties, and / hope that the
move of President Cleveland will re.
suit in securing for all future Pres
idents at the public expense, that
which Mr.. Cleveland has attained
by his purchase OF II country home.
Our Chief Executive too has the
proud satisfaction Of supporting his
wife from his own earnings. Con.
gress does not feel called upon to
appropriate dollar.
The President and Miss Folsom
are overwhelmed with congratula-
tions. Never did prospective bride
and bride groom receive so many
honest wishes for their happiness
and prncparitr bafora TLo,o :. 80.