The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-03-31
A VIRGINIA ROMANCE.

There IS White House IN Virgin
ia, not many miles from Washington,
according to a Virginia department
clerk at the National Capital. There
is nothing in its exterior to warrant
the name from its appearance.
"It never was white, continues the
Virginian, within my recollection,
and have known it for thirty-fve
years. reckon the people who live
i'll it never thought to ask why it is
called the White House. They are
not people who would look up the
reason. This is the story, and 1 know
it is true, but if it ever was printed /
never heard of it.
"The house became the property
of young woman after the death of
her people. Her lover and afianced
husband was student at the Univer-
sity of Virginia. twas his ambition
to be President, and as she believed
he was deserving of the honor, and
because she had high social aspira-
tons, she encouraged him in his as
piration. 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 Washing
ton and wander about the presiden-
tial mansion and the grounds, and go
up to the Capitol and sit in the gal
-ieries, and occasionally attend the
public receptions have been told
that the young woman conhded her
secret to President Johnson and that,
doubtless to please her fancy, he told
her that her young man had Presiden-
tial chances. 1t was quite natural,
too, that Mr.. Johnson should have be-
lieved 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 I do
not know whether the receptions I'M
derstood that this young man and
woman were rehearsing for White
House receptions or not, but the
pair had that in mind. They prayed
for realization of their dream as earn
estly, from all l heard as Stonewall
Jackson prayed for strength to whip
the Yankees. There was all old
black servant in the, family who
preached salvation to the darkies on
great faith in Ephraim's influence
,sssi4 'nfIii 1natJ exnorI in behalf of her
lovers ambition. Ephraim became
so embued with the idea that his sup
plications would win that he got call
ing the young man Mr.. President
when he visited the plantation.
81 reckon you have heard of the
tournaments they used to have in the
South ? This young President aspi-
rant was fearless and graceful horse
man. He rode at a tournament one
day for the last time. He was con-
ident he would take the necessary
of rings to entitle him to
choose and crown the queen, and, of
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
There was the usual shout
If horror. The Knight of the White
House, for that was his title in the
Quincy, was carried from the course
lead. In the fall he had broken his
ieck.
"The moment the young woman
ealzed what had occurred her reason
led, nor did it ever return, in spite
# skillful care. Her hair whitened
tut her face remained young, so am
old. Her arrangement never took on
violent form. Instead she became
he Mistress of the White House.
She held levees and receptions and
ave elaborate dinners. Her SER
ANTS were her guests. A chair was
eserved for the President, who never
anne. In this hallucination she died.
That is why the place was known as
he White House. "-Mezg Xo,k SIM