Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-12-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
society and Official Mourning.
wanted Her sweetheart Dis
charEed-CapitaIN Notes.


Pertaining during December have can
celed many OF their dates and will OBJ
serve the 80 days Of official mourning
The state department. by the order OF
the president has instructed all the
members OF the diplomatic corps
abroad 10 observe 80 days of mourn
Ing. Several large dinners had been
planned by the members of the cabi-
net, but the hosts have decided TO post
pone them until January. AS the So
cial season does not begin at the White
House until New Years, when the
president and Mrs. Mckinley hold
their annual reception. the mourning
Will not affect to any great extent the
social events ut the executive mansion
but the president and Mrs. Mckinley
VIII decline all invitations prior to
New Years. Ii was expected that Miss
Grace Mckinley and her cousin, Miss
Barber OF Canton, would come to the
White House soon to spend the winter
with the president and Mrs. Mckinley
and that they would make their debut
In society early this winter, but it is
now hardly expected they will arrive
much before the Christmas holidays,
and certainly the much talked of com
Ing out ball To be given at the White
House will not take place until after
New Years
Wanted Her Sweetheart Discharxed
Appeals are frequently made to Sec
rotary Root for the pardon OF soldiers
who have been sentenced to life i'm
prisonment and for the appointment
of persons TO office, but he was stag
gered by the request of young wom-
an, apparently OF education and refine
ment She wrote the secretary a let
ter the text of which ran about as fol-
lows:
my Dear Dear Mr.. Secretary
There is in regiment No. -, at San
Francisco. which has recently been
ordered 10 the Philippines, the dearest
man | know. love him. and he is the
only real friend | have on earth, as my
parents are dead. If he should go to
the Philippines and be killed, | do not
know what would become of me.
wish you would do me the favor to
discharge him and send him home.
Please, my dear Mr.. Secretary, do not
let John know | have written this let
ter. am sure you will treat 1t as
confidential and will not refuse to
grant my request
1t is due Secretary Root to say he
did not violate the confidence of the
young woman, and for this reason il il |
impossible TO say on official authority |
w 10
ed or not. Ii Is minated, however. |
he was not. as there is little senti- |
mentality about the secretary of war. |
who believes in requiring every one
to perform his duty and carry out his
contract.
Prince David Likes Washington.
Prince David of Hawaii like his
aunt, eX-Queen Liliuokaani, is in
fatuated with Washington and likes it
so well that there is "A possibility that
he will make it his permanent home.
The prince has made many friends
during his stay here and just AT present
is greatly interested in automobiles.
lie has just ordered a very handsome
machine, which he will use in Wash.
ington before shipping 1t 20 Honolulu.
The prince got the automobile fever in
New York during n recent visit there,
where he entertained number Of
friends from Washington in numerous
rides through the streets Of the city
and the country roads outside, and IL
Is expected when he brings his new
vehicle to Washington his automobile
parties Will be quite the fad
Referee For Contested Seats.
1t is believed that there will be a ref
cree in this congress i'm the matter of
election contests. 1t has been the ques-
tionable practice TO delay these con-
tests, In many cases almost until the
close OF the congress. thus depriving
the contestants. IL entitled TO seat,
from participation in legislation for a
greater part of the term. 1t is now
to make special effort to
have all contests disposed of as speed
lily as possible and to make their con-
sideration the first thing in order after
the committees are ready with their re-
ports The theory of this policy is
that one Of the first duties OF the house
Is to know how it's membership is con-
Brief Notes.
During President McKinley's brief
stay at Elberon last summer he had
his picture taken with Vice President
Hobart They were seated on the
lawn In easy chairs when an itinerant
went by and snapped
them. This is the last picture which
Mr.. Hobart had taken. The president
prizes II highly and has caused It to be
framed and hung In his bedroom.
The navy department has received a
report from Naval Constructor Gil
more. stating that the cruiser Albany.
the sister ship Of the New Orleans, Is
fast nearing completion at the yard of
the Armstrong; In England The
cruiser is to be given trial trip In a q
week or two and will be ready to leave /
Tor the United States early In the new |
year The department will send a de- G
tall of officers and men TO England to |
bring the cruiser home. She will re- {
port at the Brooklyn navy yard and be |
lifted out a
will ha