Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-06-04
Obj WASHING TON CORRES-
PONDENCE.

ORANGE BLOSSOMS WHOSE FRAGRANCE IS CRATE
Full TO FIFTY MILLIONS OF PEoPLE-GossIp
ABOUT THE PRESIDENTS MARR1AeE-A SOCIAL
EVENT OF MUSICAL MAGNITUDE.
Especial Correspondence OF the STANTON VIM
DIosToR.l
WASHINGTON, June 3.--Until now the White
House has not for five years had mistress
except by brevet, so to speak. The President
has had no wife to discharge the social duties
that custom imposes upon the occupants of
that his ;oric mansion. But it is a bachelors
hall" no longer. Last evening Miss Frances
Folsom became Mrs Grover Cleveland. The
mystic words pronounced by Rev. DIR. Sun
derland made the Buffalo school-miss the
'tfrst lady, of the land, promoting her above
the wives of Cabinet officers, Senators, Con-
gressmen, Judges and officials, who shine with
varying brilliancy in the armament of Wash
ington society.
No social event of such magnitude -judg
ing by the interest felt in it by the great
majority of our fifty millions of people-has
taken place on this continent since Christopher
Columbus has discoyeredit it. Washington has
been fixing and foaming over it like great
soda fountain, ever since it came to be really
believed that the President was
ON THE VERGE OF MATRIMoNY.
Until five days ago he gave not the slightest
sign that indicated the correctness of the
gossip that was on every tongue, and filed
countless long and sloppy columns in the
newspapers. 1t was the intention of the con-
tracing parties to keep the tender secret SO
tightly locked up that nobody should find it
out. But the gossipers did, just the same-or
rather they guessed at it, and for once hap
pened to guess right
The Presidents only confdant was COL Dan
Lamont, his private secretary. Dan-that is
what everybody calls him--is most valuable
adjunct of this administration. He is what
many persons would call a trump" whatever
that means If no such person existed no
doubt the President would manage to rub
along without him, but certain it is that he
has Dan, clever shrewed, jolly and ubigitous,
very handy man to have around. Dan has
known about it all the time, but he hasn't
told anybody. 1t is doubtful whether he even
confded the secret to the keeping of his own
wife. Mr.. Cleveland was too smartFto entrust
it to femenine custody. 1t has been..a great
relief to Dan to have The
AWFUL PRESSURE LIFTED FROM HIM.
1t was intended that the nuptuals should
not take place for some time to come. The
event was fastened by the desire of the Pres
ident, for the sake of both himself and the
bride-elect, to find relief from the constant
fire of the newspapers. This promised to be
greatly increased by the return of Miss Folsom
from Europe. 1t is true there was nothing
but good natured badinage. Only the kindest
sentiments and the best wishes for happy
union were expressed, but they were very
annoying nevertheless, and the President
determined that, with the lady's consent,
they should be speedily brought to an end.
Miss Folsom arrived in New York from
could not we'll go over to meet her in person
and he did the next best thing by sending
Dan. The latter chartered tug and met the
steamer in New York Bay, Miss Folsom and
her mother were quickly transferred to the
tug, and in few hours were quietly resting
at the Gilsey House. Col. Lamont had a deli
cate mission. Bearing message from Mr..
Cleveland asking the bride elect to name an
early day for the nuptials-and the earlier
the better-he was to receive her answer.
The arrangements were quickly made, and
Lamont came whistling back to Washington.
AS the result of his trip there was. issued an
official bulletin, at 10 o'clock Friday night
announcing that the President and Miss Fran
ces Folsom
WOULD BE MARRIED
by Rev. Byron Sunderland, at the White
House, Wednesday evening June 2, at z.
o'clock.
1t was not generally known in Washington