Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-08-01
oLD-TlMx VIRGINIA ROMANCE

Tea4! II txrs Preslae<sa'' Made sweet
hears "kIistrees-Sf NSt&ts House,"
Tkcac rs a Whsss Hosse tn EiyghaSa,
not lnany Hailes fr0aA Washington, a<-
cortklag TO y Virginia Department ese11
at the national capital There Is moth
ing in It's exterior to warrant the name,
he says. 1t does not, In fact, get its
name from.tts appearance.
1T never was white" continues the
Virgmian, within my recollection. ana
l have known it for thirty-five years.
The house became the property of a
young woman after the death or her
people. Her lover and attianced hus-
band was a student at the University
of Virginia. 1t was his ambition to be
President, and as she believed he was
deserving of the honor, and because he
had high social aspirations, she encour-
aged him in his aspiration. They had
some sort of vague idea that If they
were sincere in their wishes and would
pray for the honor they would succeed.
They did not understand politics as we
do. They used to come over to wash
tial mansion and the grounds, and go
up to the capitol and sit in the CALLER
les, and occasionally attend the puphc
receptions. l have been told that the
young woman confided her secret to
President johnson, and that, doubtless
to please her fancy, he told her that
her young man had Presidential
chances. 1t was quite natural, TOO
that Mr.. Johnson should have believed
this.
when she returned to her home In
Virginia she entertained after the man
ner of the President at his public re-
ceptions. Her young man. of course,
had the post of honor do not know
whether the people who attended the
receptions understood that this young
man and woman were rehearsing for
White House receptions or not. but the
young pair had that in mind. They
prayed for q realization of their dream
as earnestly. from all have heard, as
old Stonewall Jackson prayed for
strength to whip the Yankees. There
was an old black servant In the fam
lily who preached salvation to the
darkies on Sunday and stripped tobac-
60 during the week. His young mis-
sus' had great faith in Ephraim's influ-
ence with the Almighty, and she used
to call him in to exhort in behalf of her
lovers ambition. Ephralm became so
imbued with the idea that his suppl
cations would win that he got to calling
the young man Mr.. President when he
visited the plantation.
II reckon you have heard of the tour
naments they used to have In the
South? This young Presidential aspi-
rant was a fearless and graceful horse
man. He rode at a tourney one day
for the last time. He was confident he
would take the necessary number OF
rings to entitle him 10 choose and
crown the queen. and of course there
was esly one woman in the world upon
wAom ha would bestowstlss honor She
saw hha ia his saddle. lance eouehant,
start for tire wire. Bsaaye ks rssseed
it Lss horse stumbled. There wsaftlse
uslsal shout of hcr"Ox. The Knight OF
The Wsiaa 1Iouss, for thai was his tire
IN tlse sDnrDay. was carried Eosn tie
cpsp~e dead. In tire fan he bFehe hrs
meek
'~rle moment the yoHDg woman re-
allied what rad occurred her reason
fbed- nor did it ever return, in spite OF
skAful care. Her hair whitened, but
her face remained young, so am told
Her arrangement never took on VIC
lent form. Instead she became the mis-
tress Of the White House. She held
Ievees and receptions and gave elabOr-
ate dinners. Her servants were her
guests. A chair was reserved for the
President who never came. In this
halluclnatlon she died. That rs why
the place is known as the White
Hause"