Evening star., 1897-03-04

east front of the Capitol, where the oath
of office was about to be taken by the ne"
President.
The occupants Of the public gallery were
held in their places for some time in order
not to block the procession OF ofhclals;
Gradually the chamber was deserted ana
the scene OF action removed to the east
front of the Capitol.
On the Platform.
Preceded by two military aids Mrs. Nc
Kinley and her party emerged first from
the Senate wing, and were escorted to their
seats on the platform. in advance of the
procession, the future mistress of the
White House, heavily wrapped, resting on
the arm of John Addison Porter. She
walked somewhat feebly, and was given a
large leather chair Immediately behind the
raised platform from which her husband
was to deliver the inaugural. l1r. McKin-
leys mother and the other members OF the
party were shown seats just in the rear.
A parasol was raised to protect her eyes
from the glare of the sun.
The crowd waited fifteen minutes before
the head of the procession appeared at
the door of the Senate wing. and the
closely packed multitude moved and pressed
suddenly forward as il they were urged by
an electric shock
First came Mr.. Wilson. marshal of the
District of Columbia. and Mr. McKenney
marshal of the Supreme Court. The former
does not look unlike Mr.. Cleveland, and
the latter is about the stature of Mr.. Me-
Kinley. so that for an instant the crowd
mistook them for the chief actors in the
drama today, and great shout went up.
But when the mistake was apparent the
cheering subsided.
Following them came Chief Justice Fuller
| and the justices of the Supreme Court, their
| glossy, black satin robes displaying the
| curves of their generous figures. 1mme-
| diately in their rear followed Col Bright,
| the sergeant-at-arms of the Senate, and
| the Senate committee on arrangements, in
| which the tall, spare form and intellectual
| countenance of John Sherman, the new
| premier, was conspicuous.
! Then came Mr.. Mckinley and Mr.. Cleve-
! land arm In arm.
| Almost instantly they were recognized
! by the multitude that had been straining
| for the first glimpse of them. The univer-
| sal shout with which their appearance was
| greeted began with ripple that ran down
| the platform. swelling it went until ii
fell upon the sea of faces on the plaza and
| broke into a thunderous roar that recoiled
from the dome and rolled away through the
| diverging avenues.
AS Mr.. Mckinley and Mr. Cleveland de-
scended the steps and emerged upon the
| platform 1t was noticed that the crown OF
| Mr.. McKinley's head reached only to Mr.
| Cleveland's eyes. He showed no trace OF
! his recent illness. He held himself splen-
didly. His Napolecnic head was thrown
| back. and his clear cut, cameo-like features
| were SOItcneu DS tHc trace OI d smile as ne
| advanced along the platform with a conf.
! dent air and an elastic tread at Mr.. Cleve-
! lands side.
Mr.. Cleveland now faced an Inauguration
| audience for the fourth time, once more
than any other President of the republic
| Although he appears twenty years oldel
than he did when he was first inaugurateG
twelve years ago. evidenced by his almos
bald head and the lines which official care.
have chiseled in his rugged face, yet ht
never looked better in his life and his facs
displayed in no way the fatigue Of the op
pressive work of the past few days. but hi
gait was rather slow and halting.
Cheers of the Multitude.
| AS they walked down the platform tn
yells and shouts became deafening, an,
when they stepped upon the raised plat
form Mr.. Mckinley felt called upon to &C
knowledge the reception by bowling righ
| and left
He then took a seat in the big leathe
chair The pressure against the stand wa
| SO terrific that women screamed with pal
and several tainted.
Meantime the procession from the Senat
continued.
The senators, we'll dressed and imposing
; followed by the more nondescript member
of the House. sifted into their seats The
came the dignified and pompous diplomat
| CORPS rigid with gold braid and afiame wit
ribbons, headed by the British ambassador
he gold plate. red coats. horse-hair plume.
!. | high boots and shining swords were enoug
to pale the splendors of any spectacula
| drama.
The governors Of the states. the genera
. | of the army and the admiral of the navy
b with the officers who had received tn
thanks of Congress. all resplendent In fu
| uniform, made up the rear. and wer
closely followed by the distinguished a:
| semblage of men and women who ha
;, crowded the Senate galleries.
All this time 40, 900 people were strainin
y to keep up the constant and tremendou
applause. while Mr.. Mckinley surveye
3 the crowd, occasionally looking aloft at tn
: bows on the dome. and smiled and bowed.
y Then Mr Mckinley arose and uncovered
d while Chief Justice Fuller. in his flown
v | robe. administered the oath In the pre-:
o ence Of that tremendous multitude. Fl
y | kissed the large gilt-edged Bible presen
g | ed by the bishops Of the African Methodi
| Church to seal his oath.
d Holding the manuscript Of his inaugur
Il address In one hand, he turned to the mu
q | titude Of people, and. lifting up his han
t as IL adnonition for order, began his Il
augural address. Mr.. Cleveland. with h
" | silk hat on. his bands resting on his ur
+ brella. listened attenflyely to every word.
e - McKinley's tones were clear al