Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-05-01


wore to the Presbyterian Church sup
per the year before we We're married."
Then they joked for half hour In
reminiscent vein about that Presby-
terrain church supper. 1t seems that
she, Miss Saxton then. had assisted Mt
the ice cream tables, and the Major
had objected to her working so hard.
Il will wait on the tables he said,
taking two trays out of her hands.
And of course he spilled them both,
and the ice cream was pink and 1t
made long pink stains down the front
of Miss Saxton's cream-colored gown.
"You were very charming about it.
William. Iremember admitting you be-
cause you did not try to replace the
gown MS an American whom met
abroad did on like OCCASION
1T has never been replaced until
now. my dear. This substitute is a sue
cess. trust you will send the, bill to
me, as ruined the original
.As for the wearer-I think you are
looking a tritie younger this morning
than you did at the ice cream festival,
but otherwise see no difference"
By this time the allotted half-hour
was up and the President retired to his
Office for stretch of some three hours
hard work.
The morning work in the White
House seems to move on the better ey-
cry day for that short chat in Mrs. Nc
Kinley's room. When she is not well
enough for 1t great solemnity hangs
over Presidential shoulders and ex-
tends oyer the whole household. 1t
reaches past the Cabinet to the clerks
and on to bellboys and even to stable
men and gardeners.
These times are happily infrequent
For the most part Mrs. Mckinley is
able to supervise her home. to do her
own shopping and discharge many So
cial duties.
The morning chat is more often given
to Mr.. McKinley's affairs than to any
thing else. He gives hera sketch of the
past twenty-four hours in his official
world and she listens eagerly.
During the Presidents busy forenoon
excursions or visits with the little folks
who are often gathered in the big
house, or reads and knits If the wealth
er is too bad for driving and If there
be dearth of little folks.
Mr.. and Mrs. Mckinley lunch togeth-
er. Alltlie mornings doings are talked
over and the afternoons plans discuss
ed. Sometimes the President has the
happy news that he will have n little
spare time, and he deferentially asks If
he may have the pleasure of her COM
pany for II drive. Once in q while he
proposes an evening Mt the theater and
that 1t always delightful, for she is very
fond Of the theater. She likes comedy
best. "There is enough trouble in the
world without seeing sad plays and
reading sad books" she, says.
Some of the afternoons are passed
with her friends. She likes tea-table
chat as well as women who know moth
ing of the big affairs of state.
During this busy season she is
obliged to depend more than usual up
on tea-table amusement. for there is
very little time to be spared by hus-
band in Mr.. McKinley's position. She
does not permit herself to make de-
mands upon his time; she knows that
he would respond to those, demands
even though he had to remain at his
desk twenty-four hours at n stretch to
make up for it. She recalls the time
when he had left for Canton on import
ant business, and hearing of her sudden
illness returned straight to washing
ton. Remembering this she guards her
own health like dragon, knowing
how much 1t means to his success that
there shall be no anxiety.