The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1907-06-05
GL|MpSES OF
| MRS, M'K|NLEY,
Remarkable Devotion Of Former
President and His Wife.
EARLY ROMANCE IN HER LIFE.
Now che Wss Woosd BY charses Lei
~ esesss Che Ms4 Her Husband.
| Tewshlno illustration Of His Devo-
oIeo-Ajvays Pend OF Children.

rouehlno illustration Of His Deso-
eIso-Ajways Pend Of Children.
r. jats Mrs. william Mckinley 3
mogD thaA thirty years OF invalidism
had prevsntsd her from appearing In
Dublic 70 any extent even as mistress
q tho White House. The entire nation
Aeld her In affectionate and sympa-
Vhe<ic regard as the object OF the con-
etant sttsntion and loving solicitude
e hsr statesman husband. says tho
New York World. She was devoted to
president Mckinley. and when the
dark dayS came her hope and the am
b1tion for him mover wavered, and her
encouragement was never lacking.
She would have been sixty years old
bad she lived until June 8 next. As
IDA Saxton, the daughter Of prosper
Gus banker, she was reared In a home
Of ease and culture. After finishing
ber educ4t1on she spent much time in
the Stark County bank, her fathers
Institution, and on more than one occa-
sion she had entire charge Of the insti-
tuition. John D. Lang. an official OF
Cleveland mining company, recently
told an interesting story Of an early ro-
nance OF Ida Saxton.
Lang was bookkeeper In the Stark
County bank for ten years and taught
bookkeeping to Miss Saxton. He re-
called her fondness for dancing and
the early evidence she gave Of the ex-
tremely afksctionate nature that char
actefized her later life. Whenever she
would meet an urchin on the street she
would stop and kiss him. To the end
Of her life she showed her intense af-
lection for children. 1t was common
thing, even in the years since her hus-
bands death. for Mrs. Mckinley to
stop her carriage when driving along
tho street and call to her some pratt
thing child and kiss 1t or ask to en-
brace an attractive baby.
Mr.. Lang said that while Miss Sax
ION was still in her teens there ap-
peared In Canton fashionable young
MAN Charles Letter, son Of congress
man. He appeared to have no serious
purposes In life and no avocation.
Handsome and young, he wooed Miss
oaxton. Just when 1t looked as II his
suit would be successful her father in
tDrfered. He said young Letter didn't
work and this ho considered q serious
drawback. From that time Letter
never saw the girl unless she had a
ehaperon. Lang often acted as her
escort at parties.
0vA~,. NaSc~ NoUiuaov xryR0cn loyoI
talents were beginning TO attract at
tsntion, appeared on the scene He be-
came acquainted with the bankers
daughter, and all thoughts Of other
men passed from her mind When
Mckinley was suggested Tor prosecut-
mg attorney, Mr.. Saxton gave him
financial aid for tho campaign, and
Whsn his daughters hand was asked
1or the banker said to tho handsome
vound soldier-advocate, "You are the
only man I have ever known to whom
I would intrust my daughter"
They were married on Jan, 25, 1871,
ana went to live In the Mckinley cot
lASe on North Market street Here
Mn. McKinley's health broke down
under the burden Of grief that came
within very few years. A daughter,
Katie, was born to her on Christmas
day, 1871. A second daughter, Ida,
came on April l, 1873. but lived only
four months. Mrs. McKnley's mother
died a month before the second daugh-
tsr was born, and little Katie passed
away year and half later Then
NE broken hearted mother became an
Invalid.
When Mr.. Mckinley was In congress,
Dis wife made her home In Washing
tun, and on his campaign tours while
10 was congressman, governor and
president she journeyed with him
whenever II was possible. The devo-
tion Of the McKlnleys became a house
hold story In every corner Of the land.
Mrs. Mckinley was fond Of the
drama, and one Of the most Intimate
friends and house guests Of the Nc
Nnleys was the late Joseph Jefferson.
Flowers were passion with Mrs. Nc
Kinley. In her quiet home life, most
Of 1t passed In an invalid chair, she
spent many hours In crocheting slip
pers. More than 3,5OO pairs she made
and gave away to friends as keepsakes,
TO the needy and to bazaars during her
gentle, peaceful life, uneventful except
In the reflected glory Of her distin-
guished husbands career.
Mrs. Mckinley never failed to meet
her husband In a charming morning
gown. On one occasion when she pro-
dnced new one he remarked:
'sThat cream color Ii wonderfully be-
coming to you." He even knew cream
eeior from yellow.
~Are you sure you like it7' she said.
! my dear, never saw you look bet
~ In anything except that gown that
you wore to tho Presbyterian church
DGpper the year before we were mar
elod."
/ Than they joked for half hour In
t(mm1scent vein about that Presbyte-
Ran church supper. says the San Fran
disco Call Il seems that she Miss
0axton then-had assisted at the Ice
Gaam tahlss. and the major had OBJ
9o0oed TO her working 30 hard.
n VIII wait On the tables" he said,
ta1dnS two trays ont Of her hands.
And ok course he spilled them both,
and thA ios cream was pink, and II