The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1906-07-11
In a Charity Home.
Letltia Tyler sempls. Former Mis-
tress of the White House End
ing Her Days in Charity
Home.
Pittsburg Dispatch.-

Il
IF half a century from now Mrs.
Theodore Roosevelt should be
found ending her days in an hum
bic home for indignent ladies the
case would be merely q parallel
for one that has just been disclosed
in Washington.
A former mistress of the White
House. one who was a central
figure in brilliant Washington
festivities of -bellum dsys. has
now exchanged the glories of the
first home in the land for room
in building devoted to charity.
AIthoughzit has been 65 years
since Letitia Tyler ruled over the
White House and received the
guests of the nsticn. when the
death of her mother left the Presi-
dents house without a hostess, she
is we'll remembered.
No girl SO young had ever been
placed in such a responsible posi-.
ton and none up to that time.
save perhaps Dolly Madison. won
SO great host Of friends in go short
a time.
Most of those who recall those
days in the early forties supposed
the daughter of President Tyler
had long since been gathered to
her farmers. but she is still living.
A husbands name has hid her
relationship to the former Presi-
dent. Not many have stopped to
think that Mrs. Letitia Semple,
blind, resident of the Louise
Home in the capitol. was Letitia
Tyler.
1t is a long span of life that has
been granted to the Virginia girl,
who at 10 was bride and two
years later ruled the White House
Since her days Polk. Taylor.
Fillmore. Buohannon, Lincoln,
Johnsor, Grant, Hayes, Garfield,
Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, Mo
Kinley and Roosevelt have sat in
the chair hsr father occupied. and
since then there have been twenty
mistresses of the White house.
Mrs Sernple has not lost all
that beauty which made her a fa.
nous belle. The figure has still
the erectness of the true daughter
of the South, her manner is digni-
fed. queenly almost, her hair is
thick, and falls in ourls around an
aristocratic face. Only one look
at this quiet lady. whose eyes have
not seen the light of day for many
a decade. is needei to see that she
is woman with a history.
The Louise Home represents
the judicious charity of the philan-
thropist W. W. Corooran. who
gave it and named it in honor of
his daughter, Louise, who died
when young.
In the strict sense of the word it
is not charitable institution, for
the founder designed it to be the
home of ladies of refinement on
whom reverses have fallen, and
felt that the imposition of some
charge would save the pride of
those whose past could never per
NIT them to eat he bread of abso-
lutte gift.
All who live there are advanced
in years, but they have all the
comforts that luxury could ask for
The grounds are large and perfect
! ly kept, the rooms are finely ap-
pointed, and the residents are treat
ed as honored guests.
Letitia Tyler was trained for a
public life. Even in her youth
her father was man who seemed
destined to go far in the service OF
the nation. aud his children re.
ceived from their mother training
that would fit them to adorn any
Isphere. Letitia gave herself es.
pecially to music. and her singing
was one of the chief joys of her
fathers life.
The famous campaign for "Tippe
canoe and Tyler, too." made Will
liam Henry Harrison President of
the United States
The grim old Indian fighter was
not long spared to fill the high
flee. In month after his innsu-
guration he died and Tyler became
the Chief Executive.
This brought into the place of
fret lady of the land and invalid.
Mrs. Tyler never attempted to as.