Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-11

hogany. A dwarf bureau with a mirror is
in one corner. The pressure OF a button
in the wall produces a wash stand OF
nickle. at which hot and cold water may
be had.
Between these two rooms are the tete-a-
tete sections, done~in green and mahogany.
They are convertible into state rooms with
an upper and lower berth each. In one
of the sections two seats face one another.
with a window between. The whole of the
other section is occupied by a semi-circular
divan-
The observation room ana the parlor are
equipped with tiny reading lamps, electric
bulbs, which fit into the wall when not in
use.
Should the newly made wife desire to
boss the cook. she has but to walk into
the forward corner beyond the parlor.
Crowded into this space are a pantry and a
cooks galley. each about three by ten
feet. The white capped chef has just
about room enough to turn around in
amidst his pots and pans.
-H-
Former white House weddings.
Although there have been only four White
House weddings in the last fifty years,
there is no topic more interesting to the
daily visitors to this historic mansion.
Tourists, especially women, are delighted
when they can hear Pop" Pendle, the
venerable usher. who is 81 years old and
who has been on duty at the White House
for more than forty years, relate the de-
tails of Nellie Grants wedding. They are
shown the exact position of the bridal
party, and most of the women regard it
as a special privilege to be permitted to
sit on the divan which marks the spot in
the east room where Miss Grant stood
during the ceremony.
Much interest still is manifest in Mr.
Pendle's narration of the incidents attend
ing the marriage of President Cleveland to
Miss Frances Folsom This took place in
the blue parlor and was a comparatively
private function. Miss Folsom was the
daughter of an old friend of President
Cleveland and many years younger than
he, but the marriage has proved in every
respect to be happy one. The officiating
clergyman was Rev. Byron Sunderland,
whom President Cleveland had known dur
ing his early manhood and at whose church
the Cleveland family worshiped while in
Washington. Miss Folsom came to Wash
ington and with her mother took apart
ments at one of the prominent hotels a
day or two prior to the wedding after
which the couple spent their honeymoon at
Deer Park.
The latest wedding In the White House
was that of a niece OF Mrs. Mckinley, who
was a daughter of General Hastings and
who married an officer of the United States
army. This ceremony was also performed
in the blue room. in the presence of i'm
mediate relatives OF the young people
How President Rutherford B. Hayes and
Mrs. Hayes celebrated their silver wedding
in the White House is related by the late
Benjamin Perley Poore in his Washington
"reminiscences in interesting detail. This
was the first celebration of the kind<Shat
had occurred there.
The members of the cabinet and their
families were the Official -.,ersonages In
vited to the celebratjeh and with them
were a few old friends from Ohio A dele
cation of the regiment which Mr. Hayes
commanded, the Twenty-third Ohio Volun-
teer infantry, brought a beautiful silver
Offering.
The Marine band. precisely at o'clock
struck up Mendelssohn's Wedding March,"
and President Hayes, with his wife on his
arm. came down the stairs. followed by
members OF the family and the special
guests, two by two. The procession passed
through the inner vestibule into the east
ROOM where the president and Mrs. Hayes
stationed themselves. with their backs to
the hag-draped window. There they re-
manned until the invited guests had paid
their congratulations. Mrs Mitchell, the
daughter OF the presidents sister Mrs
Plat stood beside Mrs, Hayes and clasped
her hand, as she did when a child. during
the marriage ceremony twenty-five years
before
The president and Mrs Hayes led the
way into the state dining room, which had
been deliberately decked for the occasion
with cut flowers and plants The table
was adorned with pyramids of confection-
cry. fancy French dishes and ices Ia molds
The bill of fare included every dehoaey in
the way OF edibles. but no beverage except
coffee. Several guns doomed out a salute
to the new years at midnight and then the
company dispersed.
Besides Mr.. Cleveland the only presi-
dent TO be married during his term of ONCE
was President Tyler. who took as his sec
ond wife Miss Julia Gardner of New York,
but they were not married IN the White
House
The first wedding In the White House
was that OF Miss Maria Monroe the young
est daughter OF President Monroe who
was married IN March, 1870. 70 Samuel L.
Gouverneur of New York The ceremony
was held In the famous east room There
was another early marriage In the east
room. that Of Miss Elizabeth Tyler TO
William Waller OF Virginia