Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-05-11
ROMANCE OF OLD VIRGINIA.
Dead Future President Made His Sweetheart
the Mistress Of "the White House.

New York sun.
There is q White House in Vir-
ginia, not many miles from Washing
ton, according to Virginia depart
ment clerk at the national capital.
There is nothing in its exterior to
warrant the name, he says. 1t does
not, in fact, get its name from its ap-
pearance.
at never was white" continues the
Virginian, "within my recollection.
and l have known it for thirty-tive
years. l reckon the people who live
in it never thought to ask why it is
called the White House. They are
not people who would look up the rea-
son. This is the story, and l know it
is true, bat if it ever was printed l
never heard of it:
"The house became the property of
young woman after the death of her
people. Her lover and aflianced 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 be.
cause she had high social aspirations,
she encouraged 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 under
stand politics as we do. They used to
come over to Washington and wander
about the Presidential mansion and
the grounds, and 60 up to the Capitol
and sit in the galleries, and OCCASION
ally attend the public receptions. l
have been told that the young woman
confided her secret to President john
son, 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
manner OF the President at his public
receptions. Her young man, Of
course, had the post of honor. / do
not know whether the people who at
tended the receptions understood that
this young man and woman were re-
hearsing for White House receptions
or not, but the young pair had that in
mind. They prayed for a realization
of their dream as earnestly, from all l
have heard, as old Stonewall Jackson
prayed for strength to whip the Yam
KEGS. There was an old black servant
in the family who preached salvation
to the darkies on Sunday and stripped
tobacco during the week. His young
missus' had great faith in Ephraim's
influence with the Almighty and she
used to call him in to exhort in be-
half Of her lovers ambition. Ephraim
became so imbued with the idea that
his supplications would win that he
got to calling the young man 'Mr.
President when he visited the planta-
ton.
al reckon you have heard of the
tournaments they used to have in the
South? This young Presidential as
pirant was fearless and graceful
horseman. He rode at tourney one
day for the last time. He was conf
dent he would take the necessary
number OF rings to entitle him to
choose and crown the queen, and of
course there was only one woman in
the world upon whom he would be-
stow the honor. She saw him in his
saddle, lance couchant, start for the
wire. Before he reached it his horse
stumbled. There was the usual shout
OF horror. The knight of the White
House, for that was his title in the
tourney, was carried from the course
dead. In the fall he had broken his
neck.
"The moment the young woman re-
allied what had occurred her reason
fed, nor did it ever return, in spite of
skilled care. Her hair whitened, but
her face remained young, so am told.
Her arrangement never took on a vi
olent form. Instead she became the
Mistress of the White House. She
held levees and receptions and gave
elaborate dinners. Her servants were
her guests. A chair was reserved for
the President who never came. In
this hallucination she died. That is
why the place was known as the
White House."