The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-06-19
HOW HE GOT 1T.
A Journalists Search for Miss FoIsom's
Picture -Getting Clew From
Servant and Industriously
Following Ii.
Brooklyn Eagle.

brooklyn Edgie
The history of how the only au-
thentic portrait of the Presidents
intended bride was secured for pub
LEGATION has never been told, and
just at the present time!is of no lit
tie interest. About the time Pres
ident- Elect Cleveland began packing
up his bachelor traps preparatory to
removing to the White House, a
rumor got started that Grover Cleve-
land had wearied of single blessed
ness 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 smoking for the next morn
ings issue every movement. Dan
Lamont was struck with a walking
nightmare, and imagined he saw
reporters ambushed in every shadow.
At his suggestion the President-elect
put himself under care of couple of
detectives, who accompanied him
wherever he went and kept the re-
porters at safe distance. When
the rumor that lady would soon fig
ure in so pleasing relation was
started, the correspondents literally
tumbled over one another in their
anxiety to get hold of the facts, and,
above all, to secure the photograph
of the prospective bride. Miss Van
Vechten, Miss Pruyn, Miss Cornell
and score of Albany's leading So
ciety ladies were Intercepted in
vain. They were as ignorant as the
press of the identity of Mr.. Cicve-
lands aflianced.
In turn every prominent single
lady in the Capital was suspected of
being the one. AT length newspa-
per 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 propensity
to gossip that not only Miss Folsom
was discovered, but the exact date
and hour of the Presidents depart
ure for Washington and the route
he proposed taking (Which were
jealousy guarded) were ascertained.
The maid admitted that Miss Cleve-
land and a young lady named frankie
Folsom, of Nunda, were very sisterly
and asserted that Mr.. Cleveland,
while Governor, had several times
made trips into the country to visit
her. She also limited that the la
dies-meaning Miss Cleveland, Mrs.
Folsom and her daughter-had with
in week visited leading Albany
photographer and had their counter
feits taken, and left strict injunc-
tions that no one should be per-
mitted to copy them or even look at
them.
The hint proved sufficient. The
two newspaper men in the plot man
aged to get of hold Dan Lamont and
suddenly put the question to him
abruptly. Dan got mad IAN unusal
thing for him), and informed the
newspaper men so crustily that the
future bride of Mr.. Cleveland, if he
contemplated taking one, was a con-
Germ of his own and of nobody 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 pat
ronized by Miss Folsom. But the
proprietor was obdurate; so 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 impressed in
to the service. He stepped into the
gallery, walked up to the pretty
young lady who kept the books, and
said: II will pay Miss Folsom's
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-
lieved he would take couple back
with him and that Miss frankie
could instruct him what to do. The
affable young lady obligingly placed
two photographs of Miss Folsom in
an envelope and handed them to the
newspaper man, who could hardly
forbear giving whoop of JOY upon
gaining possession of the treasures.
Needless to say two newspapers sim
ultaneously produced portraits of
Miss Folsom, to the horror of that
amiable young woman and her ac-
complished mother. Dan Lamont
almost tainted, and General Farms
worth is said to have sworn a terri
BILE military oath that he would slay
the base traitor who published the
portrait. But he spared him..
The portrait is the only authentic
i IA L.