The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-03-16

was the taking of the oath of Office.
After seeing the President-elect ride
up the avenue with his select escort,
we hurried through the back street to
reach the Capital, to be in position for
seeing this important event.
The sight of our robust, vigorous.
youthful President by the side of the
venerable Chief Justice, small, with
snowy-locks, crowned by black skull
cap, and shrouded in his long black
robes of Office, was very impressive.
When these two entered the stand
erected for this purpose, tkunderous
roar OF cheers arose, breaking out
again and again, waving handker-
chiefs, clapping of hands, while the
great throng surged and swayed in it's
efforts to get peep at this popular
choice of the people. The cheering
echoed and re-echoed, ceasing ONLY
when the President raised his Inns
from the book. Then the crowd knew
the oath had been taken that made
Theodore Roosevelt for four wears
more, the President of the United
States.
Then the cheering broke forth again,
only to cease while he made his brief
address, "Much has been given us.
and much will rightfully be expected
from u.s."
Few could hear him speak, for the
fierce wind tore the words from his
lips to scatter them over the world,
Just for moment there was con-
sternation in the hearts of many for
the dense crowd that had been kept
back by the circle of Staff Officers
outside the hollow square formed by
the battalion of cadets from West
Point and that of Midshipmen from
Annapolis, broke loose and darling
almost under the prancing horses
gathered close as they could get to the
troops in hopes of catching one of
those flying words from the lips of the
man they honored. Just for an
instant there seemed panic, but the
officers seeing that this rush arose
from love and not from evil purposes,
Withdrew their fiery steeds and let the
crowd remain little nearer to the
President than had been planned.
Every step from the Capitol to the
White House was an ovation for the
President.
1t was six O'Clock when he finally
left the reviewing stand in front of the
White House and the last of the
magnificent pageant had passed.
No wonder he was just a little late
to the ball, but this it is said, was not
his fault, but was caused by the
reception in his suite of rooms at the
Pension Office where his intimate
friends had gathered to do him honor.
There have been inaugural balls for
every President except Hayes since
Washington, and this is said to have
surpassed them all.
The scheme of decorations has
sometimes been more snowy in bunton
but L have never seen it more effective
or in better taste. In former years it
had the effect of large room fixed up
for the occasion, this time it had the
appearance OF a magnificent state
chamber tastefully trimmed with
smilax and flowers. This lent dignity
to it, and one forgot that it was
public building for the use of Pension
clerks.
This covered court yard of the PEN
sion Office is oblong in shape and of
splendid size for the accommodation
OF $4,000 or 10000 people.
Around the four sides runs a tier
OF three galleries upheld by pillars
painted gold, while forming an aisle
down the center of the room are huge
pillars reaching all the way from the
floor to the roof many feet above.
This was painted blue to represent
the sky. American pines formed
conventional dado, before which stood
pedestals of white topped off with
American eagles, a graceful festoon
of white between each pedestal forming
a complete border around the great
room.
The back ground of the first gallery |
was crimson, and this afforded a |
splendid back ground for the especially |
invited guests, diplomats, cabinet
officers and their families. The
brilliancy of the diamond tiaras, the
gem-encirclad Threats of these ladies,
the gold lace of the uniforms of the
men, flashed above the rail of this
gallery like row of viral electric
lights.
Under this gallery and behind the
gold pillars which entirely encircled
the room was perfect canopy of
smilay and vines from which de-
pended huge baskets of gay flowers
and ferns giving most beautiful
effect