The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-14

NDA NNft HhCA DOOlly weakness Simply
some dii1culty In moving about. Other
wise she is as well as most people of mid
ole age. Had she been a woman in tire
lower walk Of life, compelled to support
herself and perhaps others by the labor
OF her hands, the slight lameness would
hardly have been taken into account; but
the daughter of wealth, the idol of low
ing husband and of a wide family circle,
every member of which is ready to wait
upon Ida and foster the weakness that
Defeu her when the children died, more
than twenty years ago-it quite another
case. Coming TO the white house has
brought her out of herself, so to say, TO
a wonderful degree. Already she seems
stronger than at any previous time in
many years and accomplishes things
without apparent fatigue which few
months ago she would have thought quite
out Of the question. Attending her 'irst
informal reception the other afternoon,
] found her looking very well indeed, in
a handsome black silk gown, with dia-
mond-studded side combs in her short
brown hair. Mrs. Mckinley has decided
to use the blue room for the informal
reception of her friends, instead Of the
smaller red room, which other Presidents
wives have made use of, for similar pur-
poses, reserving the beautiful blue room
for state occasions. The present lady Of
the white house is one of the sensitive
souls whom colors as wen as odors, al
feet pleasantly or otherwise She is ex-
tremely partial to blue, while red is her
bette noir; hence the change. Most of
the Mckinley relatives who came on to
witness the Inauguration have returned
to their rural homes. The most conspic-
uous figure among them was the Presi-
dents mother, Mother Mckinley" as
everybody delighted to call her; the dear
est little old lady in the world, with keen
black eyes that saw everything going on,
"a . hit Vlg an aRh
side of her face, beneath an old-fashioned
lace cap. In many respects she reminds
one of Grandma Garfield" who was
picturesque figure in the white house for
short time some years ago. 1t goes with
out saying that Mother Mckinley took
lively interest in all the pomps and ceret
monies of the Inauguration, in which she
herself formed no insignificant figure. She
went about good deal during her short
stay here, even down the river to Mount
Vernon, and to other show places; and
the dear old lady was quite accessible
to strangers-always ready to stop any
where at any time and talk about my
SON." The way in which she spoke those
two little words revealed the world of
loving pride she feels in him. But the ex-
elements of Washington soon grew wea-
riSome and she began to long for the
quiet of her country home, to which she
returned last eve, accompanied by her
latter is another interesting figure. Tall
and stately, with a strong rather than
handsome face she looks a good deal like
her distinguished brother. She is one of
those people upon whom whole family
often comes, almost unconsciously, to de-
pend. Though of strong character and
brilliant intellect, she is extremely retir-
Ing, and the publicity to which the fam
lily is now subjected has been to her a
severe trial. She does not like the news
paper searchlight at all, and believes, with
some of the rest of us, that the private
families connected with public men have
some rights which Should be preserved.
She is the home-keeper in the old McKin-
ley homestead, and besides Grandma Nc
Kinley the two children of her dead
brother, James Mckinley live with her.
These young people, who will probably be
very much in evidence in Washington dur
ing the next four years, are Miss Grace
and james, Jr.," as he is called in the
family circle. Miss Grace is near her
graduation at Mt. Holyoke seminary, and
will make her debut here next season. The
charming coterIe of young ladies who call
the President Uncle" will, no doubt, fig
ure considerably in Washington society.
Three of them, at least, are of an age
to enter with zest into the brilliant scenes
before them, being now in the late teens"
Grace McKinley's roommate at Mount
Holyoke is her cousin, Miss Mary Barber,
who is in her sophomore year. She is the
daughter of Mrs Marshall P. Barber the
Presidents sister-in-law. The two cousins
are in strong contrast to each other, Miss
Mckinley being tall and fair, blue-eyed
and rosy-cheeked, while Miss Barber is
slight and dark. Miss Barber has two sis
ters younger than herself, whose coming
OUT will not be due this year. The Pres
| dents brother, Abner Mckinley, also re-
| joices in the possession of a beautiful
do ahn nfh arx vfca Il
home as Sunbeam" from her sweet and
happy disposition. She has a musical tai
ent which is said to be unusual, with a
clear, silVery voice of good culture She
has been living with her parents at the
Windsor, in New York CITY, and it is I'M
derstood that the family will spend much
of the year at the white house. Another
favorite niece is Miss Sarah Duncan, also
about is years of age, the daughter of Mrs.
Mckinley's sister, who resides in Cleve-
land. The Barbers-father, mother, four
sons and three daughters, have returned
to Canton, where they occupy the old Sax
ton homestead. With them lives Mr.
George Saxton, Mrs. McKinley's only
brother, who is still unmarried. Mrs Bar
Der, a pleasant faced, gray-eyed. matron-
ly woman, whose unaffected cordiality of
manner won many friends here, will
doubtless spend next winter in Washing
ton with some of her children. While Miss
Grace is the lively member of the fam
lily, Miss Mary is considered the greatest
beauty Mrs. Saxton, Mrs. McKinley's
aunt, who will remain permanently in the
white house as the first lady's" right
hand, Is a widow of rather striking appear
ance, tall, dark, with iron-graf hair brushed
back from her forehead, la pompadour
Mr.. Sam Saxton, Mrs. McKinley's Jolly
young cousin, will be another fixture in
the white house, where there will be am
pie scope for his peculiar talents. He was
the majors invaluable lieutenant during
the campaign and the subsequent struggle
with admiring friends. Had II not been for
sam. the major would have been persecut-
ed good deal worse than he was. He will
be the unofficial msjordomo of the white
house, whose province is to attend to peo-
pie, who cannot easily be disposed of, and
thus. save the Presidents and Mrs Nc
kinley's time and the wear and tear on
their strength and temper, and the feel
ings Of their visitors. With so many re.a-
tives TO share the burden of official life,
the McKinleys ought TO get along swim
mingly-as no doubt they viii. AS to the
new cabinet, the personality of its men,
hers aud thaip 70 ba. NO