The evening times., 1897-10-30
MRS. MCKlNLEY'S KNITTING
Blue BOOties' for Mrs. Cleveland s
New Baby Boy.
Expecting IA Little Lady, the Color
Was Wrong, But the Measure of
Affection Was Complete.

just rs the clock struck 9 IN. yrstertIay )
| aliveried messenger hurried DOWN the steps
from Mrs. McKinieys apartments at the
Executive Mansion and depositeda a niysteri
ouS-looking package i'll the mail-box neal
| the front door. Very soon United states
mail-carrier arrived, and the bundle was
sent speedingon it's way. 1t was appare
| ly a box aboutsix inches long by four inc hes
| wide, and was neatly wrapped in pliio
manila paper and tied up with pink twine.
| TIE address was written in black ink. and
the Chirography was distinctly feminine,
! The writing was not hard to deeipher and
read Mrs. Grover Cleveland, Princeton.
New Jersey"
About an hour previous to- the departure
| of the mysterious package Que of Washing
| tOn' sniost fashionable chair-dressers ha, been
called ia To arrange Mrs. McKinIey's hair
preparatory to her leaving for Ohio,
The pleasant task was nearly completed
when Mrs. Mckinley laughed SOFTLY bn,
! gleefully, and turning, rang a sw eet-toned
silver bell that stood OH the dresser neal
| her right hand. Mrs. Thurn," she said,
| ia well-modulated voice, to her mdiG.
| W no had responded to the bell, will you
please hand Inc those blue"-here ste
laughed again and emphasized the word
blue" baby bottles that are lying on
the top of III ykEitting basket MIS- Thurn
paced the socks In Mrs. McKinley's lap.
and nodding her head know ingly, Inur-
INJURED something about Just in time.
Tie wife Of the Chief Magistrate sat
smoothing and fondling thelittie Socks until
the hair dressing was completed.
For many days, at intervals OF time,
the knitting needles OF Mrs Mckinley have
clicked blitbeSomeiy as the zephyr was
cast on and off - "pearled,'' here and
there going round and round, weaving in
bright hopes and good wishes, until final
ly a dininutive pair of socks for some
lucky baby was fashioned by her skill
full fingers
Hour after hour the first lady OF the land"
has rocked back and forth, preparing
congratulations ana loving greeting foe
the wife Of the ex-Prcsident. and dOuttlsss
her eyes have filled with tears many
times a she thought of the little stranger
who was welcomed to her heart and
home yeaIs ago, hut whose grave is now
green IN tGe Canton cemetery. Blue"
SHE Thought 10 litINtHf II lCl bdD9 EHls
and pink is for baby boys, ~ III make
the ~,cks uf blue anu then they viii suit
without doubt"
But this is where she made mistake
and why She smiled when she contemplated
the azure b0oties yesterday, for the dear
est wisl or eX President Cleveland has been
realized, in the shape OF d twelve pound
son and heir.
With her own hands Mrs. Mckinley ia
closed the sOe ks In a dainty box, and, with
note characteristic OF her own sweet
self, sent double hearty congratulations
and explained how it happened that blue
maternal bad been used instead 0f pink
She then compromised matters 10y tying
up tie package with pink twine.
CncCn,a'iodsof of the honor .lons him. Grover
Cleveland. ir., will kick his blues sOcked
feet in the air, unconcerned to whether
Jerry Simpson wears socks OF not.