The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-07-09
M,safoLsoM's PICTURE.

MlsaFoLsoM's PICTURE.
The Enorss Of Persistent News.
paper Nan to Secure the Prize.
The history Of how the only authen-
tic portrait Of the presidents bride was
secured for publication has never been
told, and just at the present time is of
no little interest. About the time
President-elect Cleveland began packing
up his bachelor traps preparatory to
removing to the white house, a rumor
got started that Grover Cleveland had
wearied Of single blessedness and was
about to take unto himself wife. At
that time every influential paper in the
country had correspondent stationed
at Albany. whose sole duty was to dog
the steps of the lucky Buffalonian and
detail hot and sucking for the next
mornings issue every movement. Dan
Lamont was stricken with walking
nightmare and imagined ho sawreport-
ers ambushed in every shadow. At his
suggestion the president-elect put him
self under the care of couple of de-
tectives. who accompanied him where
ever he went and kept the reporters at
q safc distance. When the rumor that
u lady would soon figure in so pleasing
q relation was started. the correspond
ents literally tumbled over one another
in their anxiety to get hold of the facts,
and. above all, to secure the photo
ghaph of the prospective bride. Miss
Van Vechten, Miss Pruyn. Miss Cor
nell, and a score of Albany's leading
society ladies were intcrrogated IN vain.
They were as ignorant as the press of
the identity of Mr.. Cleveland's af.
fianccd.
In turn every prominent single lady
in the capital was suspected of being
the one. At length a newspaper man
hit upon the expctlient of pumping the
maid servants. The chambcrmaid
proved to be good looking and talka-
tive. and it was through this young
lady's propensity to gossip that not
only Miss Folsom was discovered, but
the exact date and hour of the presi-
dents departure for Washington and
the route he proposed taking (Which
were jealousy g,,artleD were ascer-
tanned. The maid admitted that Miss
Cleveland and young lady named
frankie Folsom, Of Nunda, we're very
sisterly. and asserted that Mr.. Clevc-
land while governor had several times
made trips into the country to visit her.
She also limited that the ladies, mean
ing Miss Cleveland, Mrs. Folsom, and
her daughter, had within d week visited
a leading Albany photographer and had
their counterfeits taken, and left strict
injunctions that no one should be per-
mittcd 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 hin) and
informed the newspaper men so crust
lily that the future bride of Mr.. Clcvc-
land, if lie contemplated taking one,
was concern Of his own and of no.
body else. that they were convinced
that they were on the right track.
Next every photographer in town was
visited. and large establishment,
dealing with the best people. was
naturally suspected of being the place
patronized by Miss Folsom. But the
proprietor was obduratc; SO rusc was
resorted to. Ladies' are known fire.
qnently to sit for their portraits, order
a certain number sent home, aud let
the bill run until presented. A reporter
who was not known to the photograph
or was impressed into service. He step
ped into the gallery. walked up to the
pretty young lady who kept the books,
and said: ~ will pay Miss Folsom $
bill if you have it ready" The book
keeper turned to the ledger and then
said: "Oh, the last lot were paid for,
but the new lot are done. Will you
take them?"
The grave young man said he be-
lievcd he would take couple back
with him, and that Miss frankie could
instruct him what to do. The affable
young lady obligingly placed two pho
tographs of Miss Folsom in an envelope
and handed them to the newspaper
man, who could hardly forbear giving
a whoop of joy upon gaining posses
sion of the treasures Needless to say
two newspapers simultaneously pro-
duced portraits of Miss Folsom, to the
horror of that amiable young woman
and her accomplished mother Dan
Lamont almost tainted, and Gen. Farms
worth is said to have sworn terrible
military oath that he would slay the
base traitor who published the portrait.
But he spared him.
The portrait is the only authentic
one of Miss Folsom. 1t represents her
sitting. side face, with the hair cut in a
flowing bang and drawn up in the back
high upon the head and secured in
wavy roll. She wears a white linen
collar Of peculiar shape, turning over
somewhat at the back-Brooklyn Eagle.
At the Exhibition.
She wears great big bonnet
With bunch of roses on 1t,
And tits tied beneath her chin