The Colorado statesman., 1905-02-11


girls"
But he still held my hand, and so
entirely had / been won that | would
gladly have stayed by him the rest
of the evening. 1t vas C. comfort,
when | was drawn reluctantly away,
to feel that my new friend was not
too busy with the men who were
eagerly crowding about him to remem-
ber to give the little clinging hand II
parting squeeze.
was allowed 40 more public ap-
pearances, and had only glimpses OF
my PRESIDENT no longer said "onr"
until the night OF the Inauguration
ball. don't know how it happened
that l was allowed to attend that
function; but go | did, and had the
unspeakable delight of hearing The
kind voice, which did not sound harsh
to my ears. say, why this is my lit
tie friend!" while the lank form bow
ed as if on hinges above my curls. in
Difference. as l thought, to the splen-
dors of my party dress.
Mrs. Lincoln wore low-necked.
short-sleeved gown, and seemed less
attractive perhaps because, standing
near her, so beautiful that she drew
all eyes, was Mrs. Stephen A. Dong
las. ] gazed at that lovely oval face
with deep devotion-she was the Inn
age of my favorite Madonna-and was
rewarded by a beaming smile of rec
ognition.
Another lady, who seemed to me 4
sort of fairy floating about the bali
room on her wave of crinoline crested
with tulle, and wearing by way Of a
crown wreath of full-blown roses,
was Nine. Bouligny
| remember vaguely my interest in
finding little girl like myself at this
grown-up function-the daughter Of
Mr.. Charles Francis Adams-and our
peering at each other curiously around
the white satin and amethysts of her
mother. But the real JOY Of the even.
ing lay in the fact that my president
remembered me; that was something
not to be forgotten.
A few weeks later my grandfather
came to visit us. and prevailed upon
my mother to let him take not only
myself, but my two little brothers to
one of the presidents levees. There
was great crowd. AS | was with my
aunt in the ladies' dressing room.
| escaped the worst of it, and Lioner
was so small-only ) years old-tIlat
grandfather could easily carry him,
but poor Oliver was half suffocated.
and might have been seriously injured
| if quick -witted man in the crowd had
not lifted him up above his head and
| given the word to hand him on TO the
ladies' dressing room. Standing near
| the door of that room, | watched bis
progress down the long hall over the
heads of the closely packed men. now
head first, now feet, but always smik
ing, however he was tossed about He
told me that in spite OF himself he
gave more than one epauletted and
Sold-laced general rousing kick, but
when his victim found who his assaii-
ant was he was greeted with a cheeTy,.
"Oh, it's you, is it?" and good-natnreti-
" passed along.
| despaired of seeing my president
that day. but after while l did 1t
seemed to me that he looked very
tired-child as | was, l noticed it
but he did not forget to smile on his
| little friend.
We children were passed behinL he
receiving line into the Blue Room.
where We found Mr.. Douglas. who
| tempted us to a frolic, calling my
beautiful Mrs. Douglas in to see us.
That delightful old gentleman. Ny
Francis p. Blair, who was an ole.
friend and had dubbed my younger
brother Puck" was there also. and
we enjoyed our new experience great
ly. Finally Lionel was tired, and spy
ing grandfather beyond the moving
line of people, he started to reach him
and, taking advantage of the first open
ing that offered in the closely packed
ranks, emerged on hands and knees
between the feet of the president.
whose long legs might easily have
seemed to so small boy those of the
Colossus of Rhodes. Mr. Lincoln. VINO
had been shaking hands for two long
hours. must have been very tired. bHt
he laughed, picked Lionel up and Sc.
him on his feet, crying, We'll, cone.
Puck!" while grandfather made haste
to the rescue, and. gathering the rest
of us together. took us safely home.
Shortly after this we left Washing
ton, and l never again saw my dear
president