Evening journal., 1892-11-03

escape the visitations of the dread
monster. Death is no respecter of per-
sons, and palace and hovel, prince and
pauper, must alike bow the knee to his
tyranny. AS the White House record
stands today, its first and last deaths
were in the Harrison family. Never
before, however, has an administration
been so sadly marked by the tragedy Of
nature in the White House and the inn
mediate circle revolving around it.
The presidents wife died last week.
Less than two years ago the wife of his
private secretary, Mr.. Halford, passed
away. For several weeks the privai,
secretary himself lay at deaths door in
the executive mansion. Secretary Pru-
den, Of the White House staff, lost his
wife early in the present year. Since
Harrison became president the wives of
three other White House employees have
died, and four or FIVE children have been
! lost from the White House circle. In
all these Affections the president and his
late wife performed many acts Of deli
cate sympathy, endearing themselves TO
! the bereaved. Since he came to Wash
ington as president General Harrison has
lost a sister, and Mrs. Harrison's sister,
Mrs. Scott-Lord, died two years ago.
Death has played havoc in the cabinet
families too. Walker Blaine died with
in a stones throw Of the executive mar
sion from cold taken at a White House
reception. His brother EmmOns fol-
lowed him last summer, just after Mr..
Blaine's resignation from the cabinet.
Before that Mrs. Blaine had lost a sister.
Other cabinet families have had bereave-
ments among their near kin, but the
most terrible tragedy of all, saddest
scene perhaps the great East room of the
| White House ever knew-and it has had
more than its share of tragedies-was
when, in the dawn Of morning, fire and
smoke combined to rob Secretary Tracy
of his wife and daughter
Their funeral was held in the White
House, and to this day 1 find it impos-
sible to enter the palatial East room,
even on such occasions as state re-
ceptions, when the great apartment is
thronged with beauty and fashion, and
ahght with smiles and laughter, without
thinking Of the afternoon when the
blackened remains of mother and
daughter lay there side by side, and near
them stood a strong man, husband and
father, whose grief was too great for
tears.
1t Is only since the death of Mrs. Har-
rison that more than half dozen per-
sons have known how she, on that sad
occasion, took pity upon the grief of Sec
retary Tracy, sympathized as only a
woman could with his yearning again
TO behold the face of his wife, and with
her own hands, alone and secretly,
opened the casket as it lay in the East
room, spread flowers over the cruel
wounds the fire had made, and then led
the secretary to the spot and left him
there with his dead.
How many such scenes the East room
has witnessed-h many tragedies have
played one or mothero of their acts with
in its beautiful wallsl Though the White
House is now nearly a hundred year.
Old it is n remarkable fact that for more
, than forty years not one death occurred
in the families of its inmates. During
the last half century the grim reaper
has more than made up for lost time.
April 4, 1871, the presidents hous,
was for the first time wrapped in mourn
ing. On that day President William
Henry Harrison died, just one montl
after his inauguration, his fatal illness
having been brought on by exposure q
the storm on Inauguration day. Funera
, services were held in the East room
No sermon was preached, but Rev. Haw