The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-27
urMORIES OF MRS. M'KINLEY
IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
,r,rTIFUL RECOLLECTIONs OF A
GENTLE LIFE.

,boract tie ist1c-TnOugn Tor
-, sick and SorrOwing-Simple
t1ome Life of the President and
,tis wife-Tender and Never Fail
,.,~ nevotion of the Husband-Her
rcur That He Would Be Assassi-
otcd-BeIief That Her Presence
x.-orId save Him-The Lonely Life
at canton.
BY ABBY G. BAKER.
= Was during the Spanish war,
,,.hen one morning, some person
,rought to President Mckinley at the
s.ocntive mansion "the youngest VOL
,,,teer." lad of thirteen, who had en-
.ored the service and who wished to
nov his respects to the chief execu-
1--we Mr.. Mckinley was busy-and
when was he not busy during those
ewing days?-but not too much so to
rive the little fellow the heartiest well
Come and to inquire after his welfare.
where did you come from and what
ore YOU going to do?" he asked.
81 belong to the Twelfth Michigan,
and I am going out to fight the Span
iards with the rest of the soldiers"
the boy replied quickly. Then. as the
laugh at his answer subsidized, he add
Cd. Il am a member of the same or
ganization in Detroit, Mr.. President,
10 which your secretary OF war be-
longs.
And, pray what one is that?" said
the President, laughing again.
"The News Boys and Boot Black
ers' Protective Association, sir. Sec
rotary Alger helped to get it up for
us boys and then Joined it," and his
voice indicated the pride he felt in
claiming so distinguished an associ-
ate.
He Withdrew after a little further
conversation and the President went
downstairs to lunch, where he COM
menced to tell Mrs. Mckinley about
the young volunteer. she was greatly
interested.
why did you not bring him down
here? | want to see him."
A messenger was dispatched to find
him, which was not hard to do, as he
had not yet left the house, but when
he heard that the first lady of the land
had sent for him he was quite over
powered with the honor. He had come
I'm from Camp Alger that morning, his
face ana ndHuS were tlOllC LOO NlCdhs
his clothing dusty, his hat and shoes
shabby, but the messenger took him to
the basement, where he scrubbed his
face until it shone, and then he pre-
scented himself to Mrs. Mckinley, who
was waiting for him at the lunch ta-
BILE.
He was dreadfully embarrassed but
she drew a chair near her own, and
seating him there, piled plate high
with the best the table afforded. The
food disappeared with surprising ra-
pidity. and when his little stomach was
full she began gently plying him with
questions. Under her gracious influence
he forgot his embarrassment. Almost
without knowing that he was doing so,
he told her the story of the hardships
of his short life, of the death of his
father and of the widowed mother he
was trying to care for. Before he had
finished the tears We're running down
the face of his sympathetic listener.
and when he left her she sent with him
a generous hamper packed to its ut
most capacity with the good things OF
the White House larder
This was but one of the many little
deeds of kindness which characterized
Mrs. McKinley's stay in the executive
mansion. The sight of a child unfail-
ingly appealed to her. At the Easter
Monday egg rolling, If the weather was
not too inclement, she sat- with sew
eral ladies of the cabinet and other in
vited guests, on the south portico of
the mansion watching the merry ur-
chins roll their eggs over the beautiful
lawn. On one of these occasions she
espied two wee maidens, one in white
frock the other in a blue, standing
close to the fence which separates the
house from the lawn, pressing their
small. eager faces through the palings
in order to gain a closer view of the
party on the porch. Calling Mr.. Mitch
ell, one of the courteous doorkeepers
of the place, she directed him to go
and fetch them to her. Very shyly
they climbed the long, winding stone
steps and timidly approached her. but
her cordial welcome soon put them at
their ease. A few moments later she
saw another little girl running over the
grass in bright red dress:
ooh, go and get her for me, too MT;
MITCHELL" she cried. land then II
have a patriotic trio
patriotic trio they certainly were
as they stood before her in their gowns
of red, white and blue, and very lucky
little girls also, who doubtless will
proudly relate the story of that bliss
full afternoon to their grandchildren
For, after keeping them on the porch
for an hour or so, she took them in
side had tea with them, and finally,
when she sent them to their homes, in
the Presidents carriage, each happy
child Rugged in her arms a great box
Of bon-bons.
Mrs. McKinley's kindness was not
limited to the children. Her invalid
ism prevented any active participation
I'm charitable undertakings. but both
she and the President were always
thoughtful for the sick or unfortunate.
They were fond of flowers and the his
1Oric mansion was always turned into
floral fairyland on the nights of their
official social functions. But these
Gods smiles"--as the Germans some
times POLITICALLY term the f1owers-had
not fulfilled their mission when they
had shone in such splendor for the
brilliant assemblages there. Not by
any means. The morning afterward.
at Mrs. McKinley's order, they were
taken down, carefully packed and sent
10 the various hospitals throughout the
city. There their sweet fragrance and
bright colors were most welcome, but
me knowledge of the kindly thought
which prompted the distinguished Civ
eis TO send them made the long hours
more bright for the weary sufferers
lhan even the flowers themselves could
10 The White House Conservatives
We're source of much pleasure to
MRS. Mckinley. From it's beds she
.al a bouquet placed each morning on
we residents desk and in every room
vi me house. At one time the garden
propegated a new variety of the
,ntNsanthemum. a big white beauty.
Iulch he called 'the Mrs. Mckinley
Hiysanthemum." This pleased her
very much nd che f,arvaptlry