Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-19
DAMROSCH-BLAINE
Marriage of the Secretary OF
States Eldest Daughter.
Mr.. Walter Damrosch, of New
York City, the Groom.

Recent Deaths of the Brides Sister anC
Brother--A Private Wedding Impossi
bIe-nany Presents.
WASHINGTON, May 10. = Margaret
Isabella Blaine, eldest daughter of the
secretary of state, was married at
o'clock Saturday afternoon at the resi-
dence of her father, in this city, tx
Walter Damrosch, of New York. ThS
affair was the crowning event of bril-
liant social season, rendered the more
interesting from the privacy which sur.
rounded it. Public curiosity had been
whetted for some time by announce
ments about the coming ceremony, al
ways guarded and never complete.
The secrecy which served only to in.
crease the interest in the event, was due
in great measure to the Affections which
have fallen upon the family of the sec.
retary of state during the past winter.
The engagement of Miss Blaine was
announced some months ago, but the
marriage has been postponed because of
the comparatively recent death of Mas.
Coppinger, her sister, and later of her
brother, Walker Blaine. 1t was the wish
of the secretary Of state that the cere-
mony should be postponed only so long
as was necessary; but he strongly wished
that the marriage should be entirely
private, and that the witnesses should
be confined to the immediate members
of the families of the contracting par
ties.
The official position of Mr.. Blaine rem
dered it impossible, however, to main
tain this strict privacy, especially as Mr..
Damrosch was anxious that the German
minister at washington should be pres
ent, SO invitations were extended to all
of the members of the diplomatic corps
and to a few personal friends of the
Blaine and Damrosch families. In view
of the semi-official character of the event,
an invitation was extended also to the
United Press.
The general interest which surround
ed the marriage was evidenced before
noon by the gathering of curious in
front of the Blaine mansion ON Lafay-
cite square. There was no crowd, and
no disrespect was intended by the as
semblage which gathered on the broad
walk opposite the house and watched
with interest for the arriving guests.
The windows of the great house were
closely curtained, and the glow of many
gas-iets diffused through them dimly a
soft yellow light.
Shortly after noon the guests began to
arrive They were welcomed by Mr.,
and Mrs. Emmons Blaine and then by
the secretary of state and his wife. The
decorations for the event had been of a
modest, but effective character. Every
where throughout the rooms was ar
ranged a profusion of blossoms
A white satin ribbon stretched across
the drawing room, dividing it midway.
On the other side of this ribbon, and in
the library beyond, was the space re-
served for the guests. As o'clock
drew near they came in great numbers,
and it was soon evident that had the
wedding been less private" room could
never have been found for those in
Vited.
The president and Mrs. Harrison
drove over from the executive mansion
few minutes before 1 O'clock and
when they appeared in the reception
room, they quickly became for the mo-
ment, the center of attraction. Mrs.
Mckee was also pl esent as member of
the executive party. All of the cabinet
members except the attorney general
were present.
The members of the diplomatic corps
came nat as they would have come to a
public function, in brilliant uniforms,
but arrayed in sombre black. Only the
Coreans were i'll colors.
The assemblage not only filed the
drawing room and library but overflowed
into the hall when / o'clock arrived.
But the bridal party did not appear at
the appointed hour. What bridal party
ever did2
1t was nearly 80 o'clock when the
minister, Rev. G. w. Douglass, the rec
tor of st. Johns Episcopal church, took
his position at the end of the drawing
room.
A few minutes later Miss Blaine en-
tered the room on the arm of her father.
She wore an imported dress of white
mousselein de sole, delni-traine, with
applique embroidery. She carried in
her hand a boquet of violets tied with
white ribbons. With her came her
bridesmaid, Miss Harriet Blaine, who
wore becoming gown Of white crepe
lisse. She carried bunch of mar
guerites
The groom's only attendant was
Frank Roosevelt, of New York. Miss
Blaine's little nephews, sons of Col.
Coppinger, walked one before and one
behind the bridal party.
Mrs. Blaine, who followed the we'd
ding party, wore a heliotrope satin
gown; Mrs. Emmons Blaine carried a
bunch of lilies of the valley, bordered
with heliotrope.
In addition to those mentioned. there
were within the ribboned enclosure the
groom's mother, Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Damrosch. the groom's two unmarried
sisters his married sister, Mrs. Wiss-
man, and his aunt, Miss Van Hamburg,
of New York.
OF the brides family there Were EN-
mons Blaine, james G.. Blaine. Jr., and
Miss Abigail Dodge. The bride and
groom met at the place where, against
background of blossoming plants, the
minister, prayer book in hand, awaited
their coming.
A hush fell over the assemblage as
DR.. Douglas began the simple, solemn
service of the Episcopal church. Both
the bride and the groom made the re
sponses in clear, steady tones, without
embarrassment. Mr.. Blaine gave away
the bride.
At the conclusion of the ceremony the
bridal couple turned and received the
congratulations of those within the rib
boned space. The ribbon was taken
down then. and congratulations became
general. For fully half an hour the
bridal couple stood 10 receive the good
wishes of their friends. At the end OF
that time the bride took the arm OF
President Harrison and led the way tc
the dining room ON the first floor, where
the wedding breakfast had been set.
There were nulnberless valuable pres.