The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-10
THE MCKINLEYS AP HOME.

How They Passed the Days of the
Campaign.
An Old and Intimate Friend of Mrs.
Mckinley Describes the Incidents of a
Recent visit with Them in Canton.
(From The Baltimore SUM-
Mrs. J. V. L. Findlay, who recently
spent day at Canton. Ohio, as the
guest of the wife Of Major Mckinley, and
had an opportunity of witnessing the
thronRs of voters who called on the
Presidential candidate to assure him OF
their allegiance to the cause of honest
money, spoke entsrtainingly Monday of
the home life of Major and Mrs. Nc
Kinley and of the scenes she witnessed
while there.
The acquaintance between Mrs. Nc
Kinley and Mrs. Findlay began thirty
years ago at Miss Eastman's famous
school for girls at Medina, Penn. Mrs.
Mckinley, whose maiden name WAS Miss
Ida Saxon, had been pupil there before
Mrs. Findlay's coming, and. she visited
the school several times to see a sister
who was in Mrs. Findlsy's class. The
acquaintance then formed was renewed
at Washington during Mr.. Findlay g
term as Congressman.
During my visit to Mrs. Mckinley. -
she said, (Which sslasted from O'Clock
inkthe morning until 10 O'Clock at night,
no fewer than twenty delegations, con-
tanning in all not less than 10000 per-
sons, called on Major McKinly. and to
each delegation Major Mckinley made
an address. Once or twice he spoke ex.
tsmporaneously and without moments
preparation, but he was usually notified
in advance Of the coming of delegation
Nearly all Of the delegations that called
the day was there were received at the
frontlgats, where there was stand
Major Mckinley would walk deliberately
down the path, and after receiving the
delegations would mount the platform
and make his speech. He was always
deliberate in his manner and his speak
ing, an6 whom the address was over he
would walk back to the house as deliber-
ately as he left 1t, and to all appearances
acted AZ il nothing out of the ordinary
hld happened. His ability to remain
calm at all times, together with his hap
py faculty of sleeping soundly every
night. no doubt IL the reason he has
been able to keep up under the trsmen-
dous strain which he has. undergone.
II was told that the day I was there
was only sample of many days that
had gone before. / can we'll believe this
whom recall the condition of the front
yard. The house stands back some dis
tance from wide street. and is sur
rounded by lawn that once was Major
McKinley's pride. Nothing remains now
to be proud of save the shade trees. In
place of the smooth lawn of soft green
grass there is only bare piece of ground
bereft of every sign of verdure. The
thousands Of feet that have trampled
over the lawn have worn away every
sprig of grass, and the ground is soshard
that, tn restore the lawn, it will be nee
essary to have 1t plowed UP. Not con-
tentswith destroying the lawn in their
desire to do honor to their candidate,
some members of the delegations carried
AWAY cigar UOAcS UllCO WIFI 6dEuu lIOlu
his front yard, and it may be found
necessary to renew the earth when the
battle is over and time is given In which
to restore the lawn.
"Mrs. Mckinley was very much
amused when she saw the dirt being car
RED away from the yard, and she en-
Joyed heartily what told her Mrs. Har-
rison had said to me about the havoc
wrought By the visitors to President
rrio n durino
1T must either be the poor house or the
White House with us. said Mrs. Harri-
son to me- for when we get through
there won't be home left here
Nearly all the delegations left some
little thing as reminders Of their visit.
One large delegation from an Ohio town,
evidently candymakers, left an enormous
stick Of candy. 1t was as tall as a good
sized boy, and as large around as a
stovspipe.
A delegation from Kentucky present
ed to Major Mckinley little brown jugs,
which they carried with them ON theiI
trip. One Jug larger than the others,
contained gallon of Bourbon whiskey
that was said to be fifty years old. An.
other delegation from the same State
left on the front porch a bundle OF
tobacco leaves tied together with yello W
ribbon. Tho tobacco was pronounced to
be the finest ever grown in Kentucky.
sat for while upon the now famous
stump of tree presented by delegation
from Tennessee. 1t was beautifully pol.
ished and was mounted on rollers, In
order that it could be moved about. The
top was SO slippery, however. that Major
Mckinley had not been able to make
speeches from it. A gift which Mrs. Nc.
Kinley priced highly was a beautiful
gold vase presented by a delegation oil
silvarsmiths, who had made ID by work
Ing extra hours.
Early in the campaign it WAS the GUS
tom to receive all but the largest deleRa-
lions inside the house, but this had to be
abandoned, as the furniture was quickly
giving way under the strain to which 1t
was subjected. In the closing days of
the campaign only the lenders OF the dele
cations were invited inside the house,
while the great body remained on the
lawn and was addressed from the porch.
AS is we'll known. Mrs, Mckinley is
an invalid. She, however, has taken
| the most lively interest in the campaign n,
and from seat just inside the front
door she has listened to every speech