The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-08
PRESIDENTS WIDOWS.

PRESIDENTS WIDOWS.
 The death of Mrs. Mckinley ends a
 life that beginning in sunshine passed
 through blight to tragedy. She was a
 sunny natured girl when she married
 Major Mckinley Brought up by par
 ents in easy circumstances who with
 thought of the vicissltudes of American
 life determined that each of their chil-
 dren should be capable of self-support,
 Mrs. Mckinley was once behind the
 counter of her fathers bank in the lit-
 tie Ohio city of Canton, and there
 probably win be among those present
 at the funeral of a grief-stricken wid-
 ow many who remember her as the
 fair-faced, bright-eyed girl at the tell
 CTS window. Her marriage with Mai.
 Mckinley was a union of which all
 Canton approved, for both parties were
 popular, and if there was admiration of
 the bride, there was local pride in the
 groom, who had won his way up from
 the ranks. Yet the welded life that be-
 gan so happily was destined to be early clouded with misfortune. Children came
 and went; sickness came and did not go. The greater part of Mrs McKinley's life was passed either in the shadow or with the shadow impending, but she had one great comfort and stay, the unvarying love and devotion of her husband. The same affection that had been bestowed on the young and beau tiful bride was given to the invalid wife and with a tenderness that was altogether manly, It was Mrs. McKin- ley's sad destiny to taste the very dregs of her bitter cup at the moment that should have been to her the proud est of her life, for she was an eye witness of the tragedy at Buffalo. For a few days before the assassination of the President the cloud seemed to have passed altogether from her mind, and, as one of her old netghbors at Canton said, she was once more the Ida Sax ton of yore. Since her husbands Heath Mrs. Mckinley has been the object of national sympathy and solicltude as the widow who held the affection of all the people.
 The tragic circumstances of her widowhood brought to Mrs. Mckinley degree of public regard to be expected of the widow of a murdered President, but which in her instance was height- ened by the pathos of her lot before the awful event that bereft her of a husband who was always her comfort CT Mrs, Lincoln was a woman of l strong character and robust vitality, and as such made no individual appeal for tender consideration. Possibly, too, popular sentiment with regard to the | presidential office has undergone a 1 change since 1865, for when Mrs. Lin eoln made an application for a pension | congress was with great difficulty in- 1uced to grant 1t, not because it did not respect her, but because 1t stood 'or long time in fear of constituting ] precedent of establishing civil | pension list. Mrs Lincoln lived to be almost forgotten by the public, and on he occasion of her last return from Europe, to be roughly jostled by po- iceman to make way for Sarah Bern lardt. Mrs. Garfield when she became widow found public opinion that vas generous and regardful, She still ives, and sees her eldest son one of the hosen councillors of the President, and l, man of national good repute.
 In the older days the President out f office drifted back into the mass of is fellow citizens, attracting such att ention as was more than local by the orce of his individual character. His vife or his widow was exposed to the | anne possibilities of changing public pinion. Often the widows of presidents a assed long years in domestic comfort, hough but little remen bered outside he home circle. Mrs. William Henry Harrison survived her husband almost
 quarter of century and in her ex- rene old age gave her blessing to her General Benjamin Harrison, 'ho was destined to be ranked among he distinguished successors of her usband. Mrs Polk outlived her hus- and practically half a century, and CT home in Nashville was guarded by he affection of its citizens. During the Il ivil war both sides respected SnI rotected the widow of president. The aughest soldier was silent as he pass l the house. and the stately demeanor the lady herself would have awed ny rudeness attempted iu her pres ace When past ninety years of age ITS, Polk was still capable of receiving allers with that charm of manner -hich during her life in the White ouse had softened asperities her hus- and's politics provoked.
 Probably no wife of 6 President has ad greater social popularity than Mrs. Iadison and when she became a idow this popularity was intensified ' sympathy She long survived her | 1sition as lady of the White house, nd died in 1S49, outliving her husband lirteen years. She was always Dol