Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-06-19
HOW HE GOT IT.
A Journalists Search for Miss Folsom's
Picture.


Picture.
Brooklyn Eagle.
The history of how the only authentic
portrait of the presidents intended bride
was secured for publication has never
been told, and just at the present is OF
no little interest. About the time Pres
ident-elect Cleveland began packing
up his bachelor traps preparatory to re-
removing to the white house rumor
got started that Grover Cleveland had
wearied of single blessedness and Yves
about to take unto himself a wife. At
the time every influential paper in the
country had correspondent stationed at
Albany, whose sole duty was to dog the
steps of the lucky Bufalonian and de-
tail hot and smoking for the next morn
lng's issue every movement. Dan Lamont
was stricken with walking nightmare
and imagined he saw reporters ambush
ed in every shadow.
At his suggestion the president-elect
put himself under care of a couple of de-
tectives, who accompanied him wherever
he went and kept the reporters at safe
distance. When the rumor that lady
would figure in so pleasing a relation
was started, the correspondents literally
tumbled over one another in their anx-
iety to get hold of the facts, and above
all, to secure the photograph OF the pros
pective BRIDE Miss Van Vechten, Miss
Pruyn, Miss Cornell and score of Al
bany's leading society ladies were inter
rogated in vain. They we're ignorant as
the press of the identity of Nh. Cleve-
lands affianced.
In turn every prominent single lady
in the capital was suspected Of being
that one. At length newspaper man
hit upon the expedient of pumping the
maidservants. The chambermaid proved
to be good looking and talkative, and it
was through this young lady's propen-
sity to gossip that not only Miss Fol
som was discovered, but the exact date
and hour of the presidents departure fol-
Washington and route he proposed tax
ing, which were jealousy guarded, were
ascertained. The maid admitted that
Miss Cleveland and young lady named
frankie Folsom, of Nunda, we're very sis
t.rly, and asserted thlt Mr.. Cleveland,
while governor, had several tines made
trips into the country to visit her. She
also limited that the ladies, meaning Miss
Cleveland, Mrs. Folsom and her daugh-
ter, had within week visited leading
Albany photogra her and had their coun-
terfeits taken and left strict injunctions
that no person should be permitted to
copy them or even look at them.
The hint proved sufficient. The two
newspaper men in the plot managed to
get hold of Dan Lamont and suddenly
put the question to him abruptly. Dan
got mad an unusual thing for him and
informed the newspaper men SO crustily
that the future bride of Mr.. Cleveland
if he contemplated taking one, was con-
Germ of his own and Of nobody else, that
they were convinced that they were on
the right track. Next every photo
grapber in town was visited, and large
establishment dealing with the best pee
pie, was naturally suspected as being
the place patronized by Miss Folsom.
But the proprietor was obdurate; 80 a
ruse was resorted to. Ladies are known
frequently to sit for their portraits, order
a certain number sent home and let the
bill run until presented. A reporter
who was not known to the photographer
was pressed into the service. He STEP
ped into the gallery, walked up to the
pretty young lady who kept the books
and said: 81 will pay Miss Folsom's
bill if you have it ready" The book
keeper turned to the ledger and then
said: s'Oh, the last lot were paid for
but the new lot are done. VIII you take
them p
The grave young man said he be.
lieved he would take . couple back with