Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-02-23
WEDDING BELLS
IN WHITE HOUSE
Alice Roosevelt Becomes the
Bride Of Representative
longWorth
A THOUSAND WITNESS IT.
One of Most Brilliant Companies
Ever Assembled There Ceremony
Performed BY Bishop Satterlee Of
the Episcopal Church.

Washington, D. c., Feb. 1S.-With
a plain circlet Of virgin gold, in the
historic east room of the White house,
at thirteen minutes after IL O'Clock
yesterday, Alice Lee Roosevelt, eld-
est daughter of the president of the
United States, and Nicholas Long.
worth, the representative in congress
from the First district of Ohio, were
united in marriage.
The ceremony--one of the most i'm.
pressive ever performed in the execu,
tive mansion-was according to the
liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal
church, of which the bride was q
member. 1t was solemnized by the Rt
Rev. Henry Satterlee, bishop of Wash
ington, and was attended by all the
solemn state of a grand official func.
ton and by the devotional beauty OF
a cathedral service.
No ceremony of similar kind ever
was witnessed by a more distinguished
assemblage. There were present as
guests not only the most eminent
representatives of the American gov.
eminent, but the personal commits
sioners of the kings and potentates
of the powers of the civilized woriu,
constituting an assemblage not only
one of the largest, but the most dis.
tinguished that ever was gathered at
one time in, the White house.
A halo of hundred years of ro-
mantle White house history hung
over the bridal couple. Miss Roose-
welt was the twelfth bride, according
to accepted authorities, to plight nel
troth within its classic walls, and the
identical spot where she joined
hands with the husband of her choice
"for better, for worse" is hallowed in
the memory Of another White house
bride, Nellie Grant, who thirty-two
years ago in that same spot became
the wife Of an Englshman, Algernon
c. F. Sartoris. Tender, indeed, must
have been the recollections of Mrs.
Sartoris of that day now long ago,
FOR she was one of the witnesses of
Miss Roosevelts wedding.
While the bride, herself and the
president and Mrs. Roosevelt had de.
sired that the ceremony of the mar.
riage should be as quiet and simple
as possible, it was impracticable to
limit the function, as was intended at
first, to the immediate relatives of
the bride and bridegroom. It became
necessary to include among the guests
invited certain official classes and per.
sonal friends of Miss Roosevelt and
Mr.. Longworth, and, in all, the peo-
pie hidden to the ceremony numbered
a thousand.
The ceremony took place promptly
at IL o'clock. Following the ushers
came President Roosevelt and the
bride of Mr.. Longworth, her hand
resting lightly within the arm Of her
father. AS the procession moved
through the main corridor and into
the east room the Marine band or
chestra rendered effectively the grand
march from Wagner's "Tannhauser."
Miss Roosevelt never appeared to
better advantage. Perfectly self-pos-
sessed and thoroughly appreciative of
the situation, she graciously recog-
nized and bowed to personal friends
who lined the way to the altar.
AS the ushers reached the platform
they separated and the president and
bride passed through the two lines.
Mr. Longworth stepped forward and
received Miss Roosevelt from the arm
of the president and together the
bride and bridegroom assembled the
two steps Of the platform. Miss Ethel
Roosevelt relieved the bride of her
bouquet and held it throughout the
ceremony.
AS Miss Roosevelt and Mr.. Long
worth faced Bishop Satterlee hush
fell over the assemblage. Every one
of the thousand present wished to
catch every syllable of the ceremony
which was to follow. In distinct
resonant voice the bishop began the
beautiful marriage service of the
Episcopal church.. The responses of
bride and bridegroom were audible
distinctly throughout the great apart
ment. Particularly clear were those
Of the bride, whose voice was as
natural and distinct as in ordinary
conversation. While her face was a
shade paler than usual, her self-pcs.
session was perfect and she went
through the ceremony without mpsy-
tom Of nervousness.
When the venerable Bishop Satter-
lee asked the question prescribed in
the ritual, "Who giveth this woman
to be married to this MANI" President
Roosevelt assembled the platform and
bowed to the distinguished prelate.
Taking then his daughters hand he
placed it in that of the bridegroom.
Having performed this function, the
president resumed his place at the
right of Mrs. Roosevelt.
The best man, Mr.. Perkins, then
produced from a pocket of his waist
coat the gold circlet with which the
couple was welded and handed it to
Mr.. Longworth. When he had placed
it on the fourth finger of his brides
left hand, the bishop pronounced that
they were man and wife"
At the conclusion Of the service,
which occupied less than ten minutes,
Mr.. and Mrs. Longworth held an in
formal reception OF the guests attend
ant upon the ceremony.