The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-09

When the weather Is too bad to per-
init standing on the lawn the visitors
jor Mckinley goes to receive their
| are show to the Tabernacle, where Ma
greetings. This Tabernacle has proba-
bly, resOunded with the oratory of as
many noted men as any place In the
country outside of Washington. 1t is
in this structure that Major Mckinley
has for years closed the campaigns,
speaking to his fellow tOwnsmen the
night preceding election. Mr.. Bryan
has been heard within it's walls as a
lecturer James G. Blaine addressed
In 1t crowd so far beyond it's capacity
that the sills gave way and panic was
only averted by cool heads in the audi
ence. Presidents and governors and
senators and congressman have pro-
pounded political gospel from its stage,
times without number. Doctors and
ministers and journalists and men Of
letters fill engagements In 1t every
year. 1t is plain square structure,
altogether uninvting without, but,
through good lighting and sensible
decoration by the committees this year,
pleasing to the eye and comfortable
within. A boXlike gallery extends
around three sides, and this, with the
ground floor. affords seating capacity
for nearly 1000 people, though double
the number are often crowded through
the doors.
Go where you will about the city you
will find some evidence that this Is the
home of presidential icandidate. and
that extraordinary demonstrations Oc-
cur here. But nowhere Is this more ap-
parent than about the Mckinley home
The house is modest little frame
structure of nine or ten rooms, two
stories in height. and of the plainest
architectural design. The front door,
through which all pass, opens into q
small reception hall. To the right is
what was originally Major McKinley's
study. library and office. To the left is
Mrs. McKinley's suite of rooms, neatly,
but not elaborately, furnished, and
provided with easy couches and soft
pillows, so necessary to the comfort of
the invalid wife of the candidate-sel-
dom so i'll as to be obliged to take to her
bed and never so we'll as to be bustling
about the house, as the natural in
stincts of an American wife prompt.
To the rear of the library Is the dining
room and back of that the kitchen. Up
stairs the little hall on the first floor is
duplicated. Just now 1t Is an i'm
prOmptu telegraph office. One of the
rooms Is reserved for writing and the
overflow of the office work. Several
he'd chambers complete the apartments
in the much-visited home.
The house stands well back from the
| street, leaving a spacious lawn filed
with shade and ornamental trees. Up
to the day the people of Canton invad-
ed it with congratulations on the st.
=, Louis result, the lawn was covered with
as pretty turf as can be grown. 1t was
dotted with shrubbery and flower beds
and the branches of trees hung low,
half-concealing the house. The porch
was Overgrown with luxuriant vines.
and everything was as neat and cOZy
| as could be. But what a change! To-
day there Is not blade of grass In the
yard; there Is not flower, nor a flow
er plant, nor trace of where once We're
| the flower beds. OF the vine on the
| porch only the strong mother stem re-
| mains, the leaves and tendrils having
been tOrnd own in front eager to i'm
prove their view. The trees have been
trimmed high above the ground by
| wiremen of telegraph and telephone
companies, by decorating committees,
and by those having more concern for
the vision of visitors than for the pres
| ervation of the beauties of nature.
HOME PRIVACY GONE.
In the house the transformation has
been almost as complete. Mrs. McKin-
ley's apartments alone remain practic-
ally undisturbed, and with the bright
colored, sweet-scented roses. with
which they are always supplied. con-
stitutes the one homelike spot left
about the place. Major McKnlsys
! room has lost all semblance II library
or study. 1t Is filled with desks and the
appurtenances Of the secretaries, with
/ n "a oa<n