Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-10-30
Mrs. John Tyler.
From the New York World

Mrs. john Tyler.
From the itew York World
I had quite search for Mira. Tyler. but
at last was fortunate enough to find her at
the Exchange Hotel, Richmond. Va. bad
heard many people Say thai she Shs Gus Of
most agreeable women in the world, and
was not disappointed when met her. 1
sent my card up from the hotel parlor, and
the colored man soon returned and directed
me to Mrs. Tyler's room..
There was but one woman in the room,
and she advanced To meet me, ard yet !
could not think that it was HRS Tyler. She
was tall, and walked with easy grace. She
was well.formed, and dressed in long black
travelling gown. Her heavy black hair,
spripkled with few gray lines, was parted
in the middle, and the thick braids covered
the back of the head while one rested On the
top like q crown. It WAS odd fashion, but
very becoming. | was struck with her com :
ple1ion, which was clear, and the cheeks
we're go pink that 5ixteen.y,esr old girl
might envy the tint. Above.all Sege her
woDdrous gray eyee. l caught ell this in al
instant, and then heard:
i &c u
Blve en And then I found voice as we'll as
ease end explained the object Of my visit to
her.
~ am bird of passage almost, she said,
~ hardly have what call home. | travel
e great deal and visit among my children.
The old plantation, Sherwood Forest, on
never kept it up since the war, when 1t
was almost ruined" !"
"Wont you tell me how you met Presidsat
1'ylerp"
"Well, to begin at the first. was born
on Gardeners Island, three miles from land.
I was a descendant Of the first u bite child
born Of British parents in the State Of New
York, and the child OF the firss white child
born 10 Conn ecticut. My name, as you
know, was Julia Gardiner-with an ~ she
added, "Gardlner without an is like
Thompson without q p. There grew up
until my schooling was finished aud then
nv father took my sister and me to Europe
for the finishing touches as it were. While
we we're in Paris we heard Of the
death of President Harrison snd We Ameri.
can girls all wore Grape around our wrists
in mourning for long time. President Ty-
ler we knew was the successor and bad q
little canary which brought back with me,
that had named 'Jonny Ty, in honor ofthe
President, John Tyler"
"Did you not know him thens"
'No. But on our return my father took
nv aistsr and me to Washington that We,
might have the benefit OF the Bocie.y there.
We met the President and became great
friends, but I never thought of loving him
then. 1 was not yet twenty and he was easi-
ly thirty.hve years older than I, but I
thought him very nice and was very gay
and frivolous and Of course was fattered by
bis friendship"
"How did he propose to you?"
"You will think me very foolish when /
tell YOU about it," Mrs. Tyler said, her gray
ewes beaming at the recollection. II often
think how frivolous WAS then. There
was o grand reception held in the White
House on Washington's Birthday. All peo.
ple of rote were there and it was very bril-.
liant l had been dancing with young man
who was not pleased with the attention the
President had been pnying me. We had
lust stopped and were walking about when
the President came up, and drawing my arm
through his, said to the young man: l must
claim Miss Gardeners company for while
The Young man drew off and looked as ifhe
would like to say, We'll, you are impudent,
but he didn't. l walked around with the
President and he proposed then. Ihad never
thought of love, go l said: No. no, no. and
shook my head with each word, which flung
the tassel of my Greek cap into bis face Mt
eyery move. Il was undigniied, but it anus
ed me very much to see his expression as
he tried to make love to me and the tassel
brushed his face. did not tell my faith.
er. was bis pet, yet feared that be would
blame me for allowing the President to
reach the proposing point, so did not speak
OF it to any one."
"How we're you dressed the night the
President proposed ?n
1T wore white tarleton. 1t was very pret
ty and very becoming. On my head wore
q crimson Greek cap. I vas very gay and
Young or I never would have dared to toss
the tassel in Presidents face. On the
28th of February Commodore Stockton
gave q party on the Potomac. Everybody
was there, and We had g. lovely time.
told nv father when we started that be
must keep with me all the time, but l did
not tell him that it was to keep the Presl-
dent away. was with my father, and the
Young man who told you was jealous OF
the President, when gentleman came to
me and said, Miss Gardiner, the President
wishes to take you In to the collation. which
is lust served I suppose 1 will have to
obey orders,' l replied with laugh. and,
asking my father to follow me, started
down. Just then the wind caught my veil
and blew it up. Father caught 1t with bis
cane and brought it down, saying, Take
care of sour streamer.' They were almost
the last words ever heard him speak.
when We got down the President seated
me at the head of the table with him and
be handed me glass of champagne. Faith.
er was standing just back of my chair. so
banded the glass over my shoulder, saying,
Here, Pa he did not take it, but be said:
My time will soon come He meant his
time to be served, but the words have 81
rpaps Eeemad prophetic to me. That mo-