Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-06-25
Growers First Curtain Lecture.
THE Reporter N ust Have His Joke, but
10 t ss Sensible and Truthful
- HIS Alush.

10 N ss Sensible and Truthful
| - His Siush.
WASHINGTON CITY, June 3-Public
curiosity has invaded the palace
car upon which the President and
his bride seated themselves late We'd
nesdsy night for an hours restful
conversation after the ordeal of the
day. At least, a cot.rie of mbitious
but impudent newspaper men are
gleefuily wiring their journals what
purports to be the brides first cur
tain lecture. These reasonable
young men claim that they bribed a
Pullman porter to permit them to
place telephone in the car, where
it was deftly concealed behind the
rich drapery of the apartment, and
connected by Edison's inductive with
a receiver located in an office on
Newspaper Row. Possibly these
philistines of the press are not such
piratical invaders Of private rights
as they pretend to be, and it is more
than likely that the story with which
they are burdening the wires is the
product OF their imaginstions rather
than of their ingenuity. Be this as
it may. public curiosity must in some
manner be Satisfied. and no message
president ever sent to Congress or
inaugural delivered from the portico
of the Capitol before an ocean of up
turned faces was read with more
avidi'y than this alleged maiden
speech of Growers bride is sure TO
be perused.
Now, Grovey," the account says
Mrs. Cleveland began otter she had
divested herself OF some Of her un-
comfortable finery, put on her slip
pers and seated herself upon a
cushion; Now, Grovey. dear, there
ere some things l want to say to you
at the very threshold of our married
life. As my poor grandfather Fol-
som used to say, one understanding
prevents two quarrels. I don't want
my Grovey to think his little birdie
presumptuous, but because I am
young enough TO be your daughter,
and an innocent maid from school
here the President coughed], and
because you are great man. com.
mauder of the army and navy, custo-
dian of public papers, grand general
issiuo OF postmasters, lord high sx-
ecutioner Of Republican Office.
holders"
"No Mikado,' dear" interjected
the President.
because you are all this. Grovey
DEAR" the young bride continued I.
"is no reason why your owney own
should not address you frankly, is it
Grover
Certainly not, my child"
There it is, the very first thing.
knew you would say that, and that
is one of the expressions 1 was just
about to warn you against. I am
not cbild-so there. Aud I don't
want to be called one, either. You
used to call me a child when you
dandled me on your knee-that was
when you was papa's law partner
and sheriff of Butfalo-but that time
has passed, Mr.. Cleveland. I am q
woman, and l have travelled abroad,
sir. and don't wish you to call me
child. If you call me child. you
will advertise the disparity of our
ages, and make people say that I
married an old man for his public
position. Because I didn't marry
you for your money. nor your good
looks, either. did I GroverY'
Here the President loosened hie
white tie, which Dan Lamont had
drawn too tight about the executive
neck the last thing before the cere.
mony, took q look at himself in tho
mirror and replied, with a laugh:
II don't believe you did"
"No, Grover; I married you for
yourself alone. And now that you
have got that neektie off, I wish you
would also remove your collar"
W-what for?" the wondering
President replied.
No matter what for. I think
you should grant this my first request
without coaxing."
But it is unreasonable, my dear;
there is nothing about 1t in the civil
war-I mean I don't understand
why l should remove my collar"
"If I say Iwant you to, won't that
be sufficient ?"
"Oh yes, yes. said the President.
And he removed his collar only to be
mel with another poser in the shape
of . request to pu. it on again. This
appeared whimsical, and the Presi-
dent chafed under the unreasonab BILE.
ness Of the demand; but ct length
his good nature triumphed and with
bis left hand he graspsd his collar at
the middle, placed it at the back of
his neck, scrooged his chin down
upon bis shirt front, half closed his
eyes. elevated his upper lip. aud in
othI* vsys put upon biz face an o..