The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-06
WILLIAM Mckinney AT HOME


IT HERE was another Mckinley, and
this one I approach With rever-
1 ent feelings Of emotion I stand
before him uncovered and feel
unworthy. It is almost a holy place TO
stand. It is the Mckinley that was in
closed within the four walls Of his do
nestle life. It was a side OF the man
that he did not seek TO hide, nor yet 70
parade. There have been UnseIfsh devo-
tees at shrines. but in all the pages Of
history. biography. and romance there IS
nothing more beautiful than the simple
worship Of this great man for the gods
OF his Preside.
When he took the beautiful young
woman TO be his lawful welded wife. to
love and to cherish. in sickness. in
health, for richer. for poorer, and prom
ised to cIeave only unto her until death
parted them. he took no light VOW II
must have sunk deep down into his
heart of hearts II must have besn
craven on his soul. fer no man ever
more literally kept q troth OF more
faithfully executed a promise. II he had
never been President and If nothing
had been kEown of him but his faithful
ness to this fraiI woman whose life re
shared the world would have been bet
ter for his living. For years she was an
invalid and he cared Tor her. I have
wondered sometimes if that gentleness
and consideration for others was not the
reflection OF his great and beautiful de-
votion TO her.
There were many times when her life
hung by a thread. but always guarded in
a sIeepIess vigilance by him There
were depressing times Of Illness when
she CROPPED IN the very valley OF death
Upon one occasion, as an intimate friend
informs me. Mrs. Mckinley had a sud
den and serious recurrence of her NAL
ady. Major Mckinley was d Congress
man. and in Washington. She was in
Canton The telegram that gave him
The news of her Illness started him on
the way to her bedside within the hour
He was met at the little cottage in Can
ton by the family physician. who told
him as gently and as tenderIy as he
could that Mrs Mckinley had been in
sensible for hours and would never raj
y; that the resourcefuIness Of medical
science was unavaiIing: that she could
not be reused TO consciousness. I was
10 o'clock and the major after some
furthe- conversation with the doctor.
dismissed him for the night. The rest
of the family retired and he was left
alone with his wife Then ne began to
chafe her hands. 10 smooth her fore
head, 10 caress her face with loving
touch. He whispered her name He
pleaded for her return. He begged her
to stay Ida. it is / I have come home
TO nurse you back TO health There
was no response. yet this lover was not
discoul aged. The grim conqueror had
: foeman that was worthy.
Long after midnight they battled. The
man relaxed no effort and on the still ar
Of the night went his pleading cry,
ida, it is /" There were others awake
in the house, but none thought Of in
vadiBg that sacred privacy hey wiped
away their tears and listened for a sign
of hope. But again it came. Ida. it is
/" Persuading. pleading. eDt-cat!ng-
and the tears flowed on The gray dawn
Of a cherries spring morning broke at
last and found him lowering over her.
uudismsyed and resoIUte. The vocabu-
larry Of endearments had been exhausted
again and again. but not the hope Of
the confident cavalier who fought His
efforts were redoubIed, he bent low and
must have told the spirit itself TO stay,
for she moved. opened her eyes and
frightened her grasp Of the hand that
held her own. I knew you would
come" she whispered. and fell into d
sweet, natural sleep
When the doctor called at . o'clock the
major met his questioning look Of deep
soIicirude with a radiant smile. Co
in and see for yourself how she is"
The gray spring morning somehow
gIowed with the beauty Of sunshine that
breaks suddenly behind the black clouds.
as If borrowing light from other
skies
All his life she was first in his mind
] re1aem Der on one occasion he took her
with him on q short speaking "trip. He
vert TO a rei@N~o-ing State that held