The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-05-10

James X. Polk and Others-An In
teresting Chat with a Most Interesting
Woman.
'sYes, was born in the White House and
christened in the Red Room, and that cere-
mony was the occasion of a great official
gathering"
The speaker was Mary Emily Donelson-
Wilcox, sweet, soft-spoken, soft-mannered
lady of Southern type, whose birth, and early
years among the personages of ante-bellum
days invest her reminiscent chat with
peculiar interest. Mrs. Wilcox was the
daughter of Andrew Donelson, nephew of
Andrew Jackson, and the private secretary
and confidential adviser of "Old Hickory
during his entire official life
Her mother, Emily Donelson, was mistress
of the White House, and the portrait hanging
in her daughters cozy home on | street is
that of a very lovely woman. When Mrs.
Harrison succeeds in securing permission to
hang the portraits of White House ladies in
the Executive Mansion this of Emily Donel-
son will certainly grace the collection. 1t is
little singular that during the years of
Presidential occupation but two births are
recorded among the official families, that of
Mary Emily Donelson and Julia Dent Grant,
daughter of Col Fred Grant.
Referring again to the baptismal ceremony
Mrs. Wilcox said:
s'Both Houses were invited, and for few
minutes was of more Importance than any
of the great diplomats, jurists, or statesmen at
the Capitol. Over near the east window the
ceremony was performed, Uncle Jackson
holding me in his arms and Martin Van Buren,
e{o yulri
Livingston, daughter of the Secretary of State
and reigning belle and beauty of that admins
tration, took upon herself the responsibilities
of godmother. / was said to have behaved
very well during the ceremony, which my
mother attributed to the position near the
windows overlooking the Potomac. This was
my favorite outlook in the big mansion, and
when cross or unruly was sure to be pacified
by glimpse of the river from that particular
window"
'sTHE SUNSHINE OF THE WHITE HOUSE."
There were several children in the Donelson
family, and according to Mrs. Wilcox, the
White House babies were as widely advertised
as the poor, irresponsible little McKees are
to-day. In fact Mary Donelson was rendered
even more conspicuous by Presidential favorit-
ism than is Baby Mckee She was President
Jackson's particular pet, and when she hap
pened to be in the room he never failed to
call attention to the little flaxen-haired girl.
No matter of what high degree his visitor
might be, foreign, diplomat, or some dis
tinguished caller from distant State, he would
say, drawing the little one forward, ''This is
the sunshine of the White House," and in
variably adding, "This little girl was born in
the White House, SIN fact, so certain was
this to be said, }" continued Mrs. Wilcox smil-
ing, "that, child though / was, became tired
of being reckoned of no Importance except
that was born in the White House. 1t was
somewhere during my uncle's last term, and
had become quite student, that one day,
hearing some distinguished visitors announced,
] ran to the President, and, grasping his hand,
said hurnedly, please, uncle, don't tell them
] was born in the White House. Say that /
can conjugate dnO dDsdS dnlat,'
GENERAL JACKSON AND HIS BABY's HAIR.
'Uncle jackson was very fond of all the
children, and many bright morning he would
go with us over to Lafayette Square, where he
would join in our game of mumbley-peg with
as much zest as any of the boys. In 1882,
when the cornerstone of the Treasury was
laid, committee waited upon the President
sealed in the treasure box then ready to be
deposited in the cornerstone. Something
very precious added one of the gentlemen,
'and sacred to you. The President called
me in, and saying, Here is the most precious
thing in the White House, he cut off lock
of my hair and gave 1t to them. That lock of
hair, sealed up and weighed down under the
mighty building, always gave him great deal
of pleasure, and always in later years, when
we were driving, he would in passing nod
toward the great building and remind me Of
the honor he had bestowed upon me-"
MAssA JAoKsoN's CROWN.
Mrs. Wilcox related with little touch of
pride and satisfaction an incident of the Her
mitage that illustrated the great reverence in
which her uncle was held by his people. SIT
was during Martin Van Buren's term that my
uncle entertained him at the Hermitage, and