Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-08-13
= Mrs. Cleveland at Church.
bAY THE PRESIDENTS WIFE BE-
HAYES ON SUNDAY.

drs Cleveland sets her husband some
ID examples when she goes to church.
aders of this correspondence may re-
ember that Mr.. Cleveland. as seen at
Ech, did not bow his head when the
ger was offered; did not join in the
mn, or open the hymn-book; fdgeted
hrough the sermon, and was evidently
riad when it was over, and took no par
hlar part in the services, except to drop
Crisp new bill in the basket when it
anne around. Mrs. Cleveland does all
ese things differently. Like too many
her sex, she appears to have to attend
the praying for the family. When che
b to church, as soon as she enters the
pew and takes seat she drops her pretty
head upon her daintily gloved hand and
devotes moment to silent prayer. Then
she settles herself for quiet attention
upon the services, nodding pleasantly to
Mrs. Sunderland, the wife of the pastor.
whose pew is just alongside that of the
President. She knows, of course, that
she is the target of every eye in the church
and. though she tries to conceal her en-
>barrassment, she Is not able to do SO en-
tirely. When the pastor gives out the
hymn size is glad to turn her attention to
be hymn book and forget the uncomfort-
ble feeling which is the natural result of
ing stared at. When the congregation
les she rises also, following the hymn
through from beginning to end, sometimes
hough not often, joining in the singing.
When the minister leads in prayer her
lead is bowed and 1t drops little lower
Ihen he prays for ''the Chief Magistrate
of the nation," and adds petition for
ssthose that are dear to him." The an
nouncements of the church meetings
which follow the prayer are listened to
with womanly interest; and when the ser
mon begins after the second hymn has
been sung, she is all attention. She does
not fdget about and lean up in the cor
ner. and rest her head upon her hand, as
Grover does, but sits straight and quiet,
listening to the sermon from beginning to
end. OF course she fans herself constant
", for she would not be woman il she
Hdid not. She seems occasionally to remem-
fber that she is being stared at constantly
and bites her lips nervously, wiring them
with her dainty handkerchief, which car.
Eries a jeWe}ied smelling bottle, wed ding
- SC the Cabinet officers
Aaround. she DROPS
1Ol-tti06ei5n mOdestly ihJ0 it, and
when the closing hymn is given out finds
not only the hymn, but the doxology cor
responding In metre with it, and follows
them closely to the end. When the ser
vices end, then comes the most trying
time for Mrs. Cleveland. All eyes are
upon her. OF course she has attracted
more attention than the preacher, even
during the sermon, but she only divided
attention with him then; now, however.
she is the central and only figure of the
moment. All eyes are upon her as she
moves down the aisle, and every neck is
craned to get look at her face and figure
She tries to appear unconceraed, bows to
the church people near her whom she
knows, talks little to those nearest to
her, and is evidently relieved when the car
rage door bangs and she is hidden from
view of the crowd that was gathered on the
sidewalk to see her pass from the church
door to the carriage. Throughout. her
conduct is full Of dignity and gentle grace.
She dresses for church with excellent
taste. but absolute plainness, usually a
dark gray or black, a small pin at her
throat, but nothing else in the way of Or
nament. a high black straw hat tastefully
but quietly trimmed, and black gloves Of
undressed kid.