The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-08
The M'Ki0IeyS' Beautiful
Home Life.
u ERHAPs the most delightfui side


is that concerning which the pub
lie is least informed-the life within
his domestic circle. The testimony of
those who have had opportunity to OBJ
serve it is all to one effect-that it is
hne, sweet life, full of gentleness and
beauty
When William Mckinley was a
young man, just beginning his study
/ OF the law he went to Canton to visit
his sister. and there he met Miss Ida
/ Saxton, the daughter OF James Saxton.
| Wen-to-do banker. In 1871 they were
married, and in the little frame cottage
on Market street was where their
honeymoon commenced In that house
too, their two children were born, and
from the parlOr of that modest little
| mousse they were buried. The funeral
services over the remains of each of
| the little ones were held at the same
| church. a short distance away, that
had been opened to worship for the
| hrst time three years before on the
| evening that William Mckinley and
! Ida Saxton were married.
After the birth of their last child
| Mrs. Mckinley was told that she might
| never be able to walk again. She was
| young then, and hope was Duoyant
but the doctors prophecies were true.
tor over quarter of a century Mrs.
mckinley has never walked unsup-
! ported.
Il always forget" she once said
| minds me OF It. My husbands arm
has so taken the place of my foot that
l have never been deprived of any
enjoyment in life because of my lame
ness"
For an invalid she has a remarkable
| constitution and wonderful will power
she travels with the president wher-
ever he goes, if only for a days jour
ney- She never allows her illness to
| close the doors of her home to social
! life. She keeps young people with her
! constantly and allows them the same
Joyous entertaining they would 90 at
/ their homes
She detests what is artificial in
women and disli<es what is unrefined
She cares for children more than for
| women or men, and the poorest woman
with the prettiest baby is sure OF
! receiving more attention from the first
lady of the land than is given to q
diplomat.
Every child in Canton is taken TO
/ see Mrs Mckinley as soon as the presi-
dents town house opens. Mrs. Nc
| kinley used to say there was once a
| time when she knew every child in the
| CITY That was before Mr.. Mckinley
was governor. and she kept in close
| touch with the newcomers. She con-
! fessed with a sigh recently that she
| dld not know the children by name in
| canton now, ana that this was a
gTlevous disappointment to her.
| I dislike to hurt their feelings" she
| said by asking their names"
| No child asked her name, however.
she was 'Auntie Mckinney to all the
| chucren in Canton, or. really in the
state of Ohio, if one should judge from
| the troops of youngsters that are
| brought to her home in one day
The remarkable physiognomical re-
! semblauce between Mr.. and Mrs Nc
/ Kinley has been universally noted AMI
/ IT is held to be another eXemI Iificatio1
| or the tendency for husband and wife
20 grow nearer TO each other in ap-
pearance. Those who know Mrs Ne
klnley declare that from the beg;nn n
4 OF their married life she has been
/ Just wrapped up in him., TO use an
old-time homely expression. In many
/ OF ms tours she accompaniei him trav-
] cling thousands of miles When de-
1 tanned at home her loving thoughts
! went with him, encouraging him in
his struggles and cheering him IN his
triumphs. Nor is he lacking on his
part. When absent from home he
would send her at least three letters
/ q day, one before breakfast another
at noon, and a third at night This Is
4 a custom that he observed from the
/ beginning of his political career II is
/ no wonder that their friends declare
/ they grew more and more alike n like
ness more of the soul than of flesh and
olood-her soul going out to her nus
Ddnu, ana his soul responding to hers
William Mckinley met Ida Saxton
1rst while going TO church-he hound
Tor the Methodist meeting house, where
| ne superintended a Sunday school
I she bound for the Presbyterian church
/ where she had charge Of a class in n
/ similar school.
| She seemed fran and spiritueiIe.'
Atr- mckinley said long afterward !
and with my mind bent or religions
| thoughts she fell harmoniuus!y into nv
mood She did not seem quite earthly /
TO me. ! remember. And in that I |
was right; for God gave her more .han !
| the usual allowance of spiritual ex- !
/ ceilence and beauty. She suggested !
! then the line: The grass stoops nor
she treads on il so light We met Of
zen arterward, and that first impress
| sion remained 1 have il yet 1 shall |
always have it,
soon after the death of their second
calld, IN 1873, it became evident that |
lessly shattered.
on have married a girl who win |
lie a crdg to you, my dear the wife !
Sala enc day as they sat Together in /
their unpretentiOUs home.
You can never be a drag. nv Ida - !
the husband said. "COmpanionship is |
net c""enCent on strength A GOOD 1
womans influence is always helpful. /
a ar'd TiIen most SO when she is weak /
ana cllnglng. You lift me up. no mat !
ter how feebly life puIsates in you.' |
ana ne kissed away her tears
W nm IN lSfc, conditions became ra- l
t''aD'-. u the success of Mr. Mckinley
III LC-itlc". he consulted with ais wife (
as 70 the advisability of pIunging into /
cue 81 cgsle Tor a seat in congress
II, ne is reported to have said to 4
her, you would suffer by the circuu- /
stances surrounding me in the competi- |
lloh Tor public station, l will devote /
my ambition to success in private life; |
LoI you are more to me than all others. |
ana could not willingly engage in life
WORK that would distress YOU
Ny husband" she replied, Il wish |
70 ieaNe You free to do whatever to /
you seems Oest. Your ambitions are /
NINE, whatever they may be: and I |
nave no fear but that your choice of |
~! ne VIII leave you as You are in the !
tAtIss mat make you dear to me-"
lie threw himself in the DoliticaI
iSnt' was nominated for congress. and |
IN october Of the Centennial wear. was
elected by d majority exceeding 5000
votes. ''V''