Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-20
MARRIAGE OF MISS M'EINLEY

TO Ud suthtlp 10 lllHne 6uouBn VI tHu
wedding Of the President niece,
manius Ludwig Baer, at Somerset, Pa.
So much has been said about it, Beth,
that there seems little more to tell, hut
the presence Of the President and his
wife in the little mountain town made
1t an unusual excitement. As William
Mckinley and his brother, Abner No
Kinley, sat side by side on the colonial
piszza Of the Mckinley mansion you
could not help but know their relation
ship, though the sinister expression on
brother Abner's face gives President
Mckinley the palm for good looks. The
arrival Uf the President in the little
mountain town was the signal for all
sorts OF festivities. Moreover it brought
from every nook and corner, frcm farm
yard, from corner grocery shop and the
village pvstoffice curious individuals
filled with u desire to view their Chief
Executives When | arrived think l
was more overawed by the presence Of
the prgss titan anything else. They /
Weie everywhere in evidence, every
prominent PAPER all ovsr ths country
had sent writer, and an artist to re-
port the great event. Camera fiends
lodged the GUESTS and visitors at every
step. II the Pres dent roked his nose
outside the door the correspondent and
his artist made dive for the gateway
10 snap and snap, presto! he was pho
tographed. The Mckinley mansion is
very pretentious and elegant looking
affair and is on the Main street of the
Public Square and for days preceding
the wedding the corners and curbstones
ard ratings OF the gardens of the
houses were lined with sightseers. One
would think that Buffalo Bill was COM
ing to town and through this crowd
the ever persistent press pushed his or
her way determined that no item of
news should be lost. One woman
journalist partioularly attracted nv at
tention. Everywhere | turned I'd see
tive sailor hat resting upon il tilted
toward tho nose; this woman with her
copy paper ard pencil seemed omni-
present. should sincerely hope that
her chief WAS pleased with her effort,
for truly she spent enough energy On
the report Of the wedding to satisfy
campaigning committee. The telegraph
office around the corner from the Mo
Kinley mansion was the centre of
deal Of interest, All the afternoons and
part OF the evenings newspaper people
were flushing in and out dashing off
any bit of late news to their respective
papeis. AIN tho hotels were filed to
oyerfiowing- -oyerhowing with cots as
it were two or three which would be
in rooms hardly large enough to turn
| around in but enthusiasm of the
| moment caught everyone and the guests
were willing to undergo almost any
hardships and Inconvenience that the
might be present at The great function.
The morning of the wedding day was
spent informally by the Mckinley
family. In the afternoon there was
wedding rehearsal and at o'clock the
| entire town was alive with hustle and
excitement. The liverymen have surely
| lined their pockets for the winter for
every conceivable trap that could be
found was put in use to convey the
guests from the different hotels to the
Mckinley mansion. each carriage max
ing severalt trips and these willy country
drivers we're in no way backward about
demanding large sum for such con-
yeyance. The description of the we'd
ding has been given so infinitely that l
shR'n't go over it again for you, Beth,
but next 10 the bride the two chief
personages who attracted the most at
| touhlOh huAiuk tuo bkouiuR WbTb VI
course the President, who walked about
chatting congenialy with everybody,
and Mrs. Benjamin Cheyney, better
known as Julia Arthur. Her pale
face and dark luminous eyes were made
more attractive by the richness of her
black lace gown, With no color relief
and the only ornament was diamond
brooch, to which was attached gold
chain bearing diamond-mounted
lorgnette. stayed at the wedding but
a short while, simply witnessing the
ceremony, and trying to fix in my
mind the gowns and who wore them.
The supper was served IN large mar
quette tent Oh the lawn, and by the by
some very funny things have been said
about it, though it was served superbly
by Pittsburg caterer. One of the
first courses was a boullIon served in
silver cups. Sitting in the telegraph
office later, / was amused to see q
countryman come in, dressed evidently
for the first time in an evening suit.
Fills boots creaked painfully and the
unusual bread, expanse Of white shirt
front made him i'll at ease.
"Helo, Simpson," said one of the
operators, II say what did you get TO,
supper down at that fine weddine2"
"Waal, we had lots of. fine things,
1--we begun OF tomato soup in little
silver jugs.
Whereupon the countenances of the
respective correspondents were study,
nnd / am not sure but that some very
independent paper may have given tht
thing out in this way. 1t was almos
imp ossihleto make ones way along the
main street during the wedding. Ever,
young man from each farm within q
miles must have brought his best CIR
in to get q peep at the festivities
Every space along the main street was
lined with dust-coveted buggies, horse!
with harness that had seen better. day
tied to the various hitching posts witt
Btaunoh rope; Hiram and Amanda
drove up in their store clothes, ant
as the New York correspondent put ii
with their hair oiled to glisten fol
the occasidn. :" Along the curb Of th,
wooden sidewalk sat women with SLEEPY
, babes In their arms with the cold nigh
dew dropping down upon their littl,
heads. / fancy the village doctor ha
,, since been busy. You asked me IL til,
! bride is pretty. Her face is beautiful
Beth; large, expressive dark eyes ant
i chestnut hair, but her unfortunate Grip
pied condition renders her most awk
) ward when she walks In lieu Of |
crutch she uses tall crook with larg,
8 gold knob at the top, upon which sh
leans. Her great gift, though, is he
voice and it would seem that she hat
been endowed with this as cofpensa
! ton Tor the painful .deform,ty witt
which she has to confront life.
"a yre f1 txsan rtp a N