Birmingham state herald., 1897-03-05
'NO LONGER TIE FIRST LADY
Mrs. Cleveland Leaves for Her
 New Home.
LAST ACT AT WHITE HOUSE
Was to Welcome Her Successor and Tidy Up
 the Bed Room-Grover 0ffto the South.

Washington, March At was 10:20 o'clock when Maj. Mckinley. accom- panied by Senators Sherman and Mitch ell arrived at the white house. When they entered the blue room nobody was there to receive them. President Cleve- land was busiy engaged up stairs put ting his signature to bills and joint reso- lutions.
 Meanwhile members of the cabinet walked in to greet the incoming execu- tive and there was a pleasant exchange of courtesies. But the wait was much longer than anybody expected. It was exactly half an hour after the president elect entered the blue room before Mir. Cleveland came down stairs to greet him. They spent a minute or two only in con ventionalties and then word was given to Maj. Hall, of the army, aide to the grand marshal, that they were ready to start for the capitol.
 It was a dignifed procession that walked from the blue room to the car riage waiting under the portico.
 Maj Mckinley and MT. Cleveland led the way. President Cleveland showed little trace of the physical suffering and hard work of the closing days of con- gress. He walked with a percepuble limp. Tn one hand he carried a tightly rolled umbrella, but did not use 1t as a support for his lameness.
 Every one in the lobby uncovered as the two distinguished men passed them Following them came Senators sherman and Mitchell and the members of their cabinet-not all of them, for there was one notable exception. Secretary Olney who should have led the line of his off, ficial colleagues was not there and his absence was at once noticed and com o.Y1td NXHac Q n occurrence that those who were there busy as they were in inspecting every detail of one of the most interesting events of th= day, found time to wonder why it was. With Secretary Carlisle who would have been MT Olney's com panion, was Attorney General Harmon while MessrS. Lamont, Herbert, Wilson, Francis and Morton followed two by two in the order of their official precedence.
 There was an awkward wait at the west entrance to the driveway while the military escort was being marched into position
 While battalion after battalion, cavat- ry infantry and artillery soldier and marine, swung along the avenue front of the mansion, the two central figures in the ceremonies of the day were com pelled to wait behind the closed gates. When the last file of regular troops had gone by, Troop A. of Cleveland, wheeled into position, the gates were opened and the triumphal progress of the new presi- dent to the capitol began.
 All the stands erected along Pennsyl- vania avenue and Fifteenth street were fairly well filled with spectators, though the crowds were not quite as great as expected. Every window along the line of march framed half a dozen heads or more. For that entire distance of mile and a quarter the sidewalks were packed. At particular points of vantage the congestion was too great to allow progress of restless on-lookers. fnr1 x1zxap OTTO 7aA xxytth f,any o 1d women and places a block away were utilized by timfd persons to secure long distance view of the parade.
 The decoration along the route was general and generous in good taste.
 Cheering began from ths time the pres ident-elect's carriage, draw by it's four sorrels, passed through the white house gate and began it's progress eastward. Flags and handkerchiefs were waved by women and children, while men waved their hats and displayed their enthusiasm stronger by using their lungs. The es- cort to the capitol consisted of brigade of United States forces, artillery, in- fantry, cavalry. engineers, marines and sailors, and a brigade of the national guard of the District of Columbia. It was led by pla atoon of mounted police, and followed immediately by the regular army band from Governors Island, New York. Gen. Horace Porter. the grand marshal with numerous array of special and regulars, most of them in uniform preceded the escort Wnlcn was commanded by Maj.-Gen. Wesley Mer- Titt U. S. A. The escort formed a first division of the parade. It was 2:25 when the procession started on its return to the white house.
 Major Mckinley was kept removing his hat constantly in response to the cheer ing that preceded, followed and kept abreast of him.
 Al times he would ride with head bared for a block or more The sun shone warm and bright and lessened the d3n- ger he ran of catching cold. MT. Cleve- land seemed to be in the best of spirits. He showed keen interest in the scenes along the way and smiled pleasantly al unusual outbursts.
 It was 2:20 D.. m. when Mrs. Mckinley and her party drove up to the front DOT tico of the White House The delay oc- casloned by stopping to take lunch at the capitol was most embarrassing. Mrs. Cleveland. with Prigadier General Will son, ex-Secretary Lamont and Mir Thur Der, had been waiting to receive Mrs Mo Kipley fully an hour on the sunny rear porch, the tedious delay meaning more to Mrs. Cleveland than anyone else for she bod determined at any personal in- convenience to welcome Mrs. Mckinley and the loss of an hour would not only cause her to miss saying farewell to the cabinet ladies' at Secretary Lamont's but also prevent her bidding good bye to her husband before he staried south The first duty she was eventually enabled to hurrtedly accomplish but she was much disappointed at being unable to 20 as she had intended to do, to bid MT Cleveland farewell at the wharf She had prepared with her own hands beau tiful bouquet of La France roses and li- | laos fastened with broad pink streamers