The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-01
Recent Visit of President
to The Hermitage.
TOUCHED SOUTHERN HEARTS
Is Graciously Received By the Gener-
ais Granddaughter, Who Is In
Vited to White House.


part of President Roosvelt'S recent visit
to Nashville and the old home of
general Jaskson. near the city will be
more kindly remembered here than the
attitude of Mr.. Roosevelt toward Mrs.
Rachael Jaskson Lawrence the surviv-
ing child of the generals adopted son,
and who will be recalled by many
residents of st. Louis as hostess of
Tennessee's building at the fair, a re-
production of the Hermitage.
No visitor to Nashville ever re-
ceived more cordial welcome than
President Roosevelt, and certainly no
guest ever responded more graciously
to the efforts directed at making his
stay pleasant. He shook hands with
Jim Fahey, the begrimmed engineer
who pulled his train into the Hermit
tage. peremtorily ordered the chauffeur
driving his car to halt till the old
uniformed confederate veterans form
ing his escort could 90 before instead
of behind the auto at the Hermitage,
and won the hearts of the Vanderbilt
students by allowing them to under
stand that he had heard something of
the details of their great football
game at Annapolis with the Naval
Academy. Right heartily did he enter
into the spirit of every incident but
his attitude toward Mrs. Lawrence
was charming. 1t won him as many
we'll wishes as any other one thing
on his entire Southern trip.
you must come back to your White
House. madam, where the people will
be proud to greet you. Mrs. Roosevelt
and | wish you to come to our home,
and we will receive you as the most
honored of our guests" he said, grace
fully, during his round of the historic
home. just after a careful examination
of the miniature of Mrs. Jackson which
has been worn about the little woman's
neck since the old general placed it
there more than fifty years ago.
Mrs. Lawrence, the Little Rachael
the Hermitage, November. l, 1882,
and two months later made her first
trip to the White House, going by
coach. with her parents. During much
of the time intervening until Jack
son left the executive mansion. in
1887, her days We're spent at the
White House, and the presidents in
vitation to her to return to the dis
tinguished scenes of her childhood was
a source of unusual pleasure to her.
Since her Widowhood, many years
ago Mrs. Lawrence has lived in re-
tirement largely, excepting the time of
her to vista st. Louis, devoting herself
to her children and her home, which
is situated about a mile from the
Hermitage. The news of the presi-
dents coming to the old home was
received by her with much interest,
and when the president arrived she
was the first person presented. When
he heard the name, Mr.. Roosevelt
bent very low over her hand, exclaim-
ing with evident feeling: Il am honor
% ed to have the opportunity of meeting
Mrs. Lawrence, of whom / have read
much to whom l offer my profound
respect.
Mrs. Lawrence responded gracefully
'Iou are welcome, sir, to my grand
fathers house"
When she presented the old-fashioned
album gift of Van Buren, in 1894,
and in which, among other thing was
inscribed a tender sentiment from
General jackson, the names of Van
Buren,. Buchanan and other distin-
guished men of their day, the presi-
dent called for pen and wrote: ut
is privilege to have the chance of
writing in this historic little volume.
Theodore Roosevelt, October %, 1907"
Mrs. Lawrence's particular tribute to
his presence came in the Hermitage
dining room, and it came as a sur
prise to practically all present, even
those charged with the success of the
occasion. As she handed him a cup of
coffee. she drew out a heavy solid
silver spoon. marked "a. j." in the
simple script used on all the Jack
son plate.
THAT spoon,' said the quaint little
woman SIS one of the set bought by
General Jackson in 1892, in Phia-
delphia and constantly used by him
both in the White House and in the
Hermitage. There are only few OF
them left and l desire you to accept
it sir, from me. 1t is genuine and one
of the few relics that | now have to
bestow"
Mr.. Roosevelt was highly pleased