The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-01-04
HIS DAY WITH M'KINLEY.
From the National Magazine:


From the National Magazine:
Countless anecdotes concerning the
late President Mckinley are being re-
lated sapwadays-tu rejecting some
thing Of the gentle kindly nature Of the
ma1. Anne Weston Whitney, of Bal
tiMore, contributes the following rem
iniscent account of a day President
Mckinley passed at the Nashville ex-
position.
Nashville was all excitement. It
was the day President Mckinley was
to visit the exposition, and the great
men of the state had assembled to do
him honor. Some met him at the
train while other waited to greet him
at the hotel where he was to stay. In
the hotel excitement showed itself
everywhere, from the bell boys to the
millionaires, but no one looked forward
to the arrival of the President with
keener interest than did little Charles,
who, with his mother, was staying at
the hotel.
Enough Charles was only six years
old, he was a favorite everywhere he
went. He had a sweet voice, could
play on the banjo, sing many of the
popular airs, and took lively interest
In all that went on about him. On
this OCCASION the thought Of seeing
President Mckinley, the President Of
the United States, quite took away his
appetite and his breakfast was left al
most untasted, that he might be sure
Of being on hand when the President
arrived,
And SO 1t happened that when Mr..
Mckinley did arrive, and was shaking
hands on all sides, he discovered a
small, keen specimen Of humanity look
ing at him and waiting his turn. AS
the President leaned down and took
the little extended hand Charles said,
with sparkling eyes:
"Tm a Cleveland boy, Mr.. Mckinley
but I'm very glad to see YOU
THE great men were for a time en-
tirely forgotten by the President, as he
talked with little Charles. Then, still
holding him by the hand he greeted
others who were waiting, every little
while leaning down to say something
to the little Cleveland boy who was so
glad to see him.
ut was not long before the little fell
low was missed by his mother, and
while she was looking for him, one of
the elevator boys informed her that he
was down talking with the President.
Fearing that he might be in the great
mans way, she went at once to the re-
cept1on room; but when she would have
! taken Charles away, the President
| asked If he and Mrs. Mckinley might
have him as their guest for the day.
| His mother gladly gave her consent,
| and when the carriages came for the
! people who were to go in the procession
| to the exposition grounds, little Char
les was given a. place in the carriage
| with Mr.. Mckinley, and when the pro-
| cession stopped from time to time, the
President would stand the little fellow
! on the seat between Mrs Mckinley and
himself and they would talk to him, or
| he would sing for them. At the ex-
| position grounds, when people crowded
round the President, he still kept
Charles beside him, and at meal time,
the great man and the little one sat
side by side.
when the day was over and Mr..
Mckinley gave his small-sized guest
! back into his mothers keeping, it was
doubtful If there ever was a happier
boy in all the land than little Charles.
Whatever his life may be he will never
forget the day he spent with President
Mckinley,
"And the great man; did he forget
the little one? No, for Mr.. Mckinley
loved the little people who called him
their President and when, some months
later, Charles mother was in Wash
ington, and attended one of the public
receptions at the White House, his face
| frightened as he saw her, and as he
shook her by the hand, he said:
How is my little friend Charles"s,'
President Mckinley seldom, if ever,
forgot names or faces-a rare gift.