The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1915-10-07
WEDDING Of
PRESIDENT
ANNOUNCED
BRIDE.ELECT MRS. NORMAN
GAIT, WASHINGTON CITY
BORN At WYTHEVILE, VA.
Is Daughter of William H. Boiling,
Prominent Lawyer-News OF the
Approaching Wedding Takes
Capital by Surprise.

WASHINGTON, D. c., OCT. 7.
WOODROW WILSON, PRESl-
DENT OF UNITED STATES, AN
NoUNCED TONIGHT HIS EN-
GAGEMENT TO MRS. NORMAN
GAIT, OF WASHINGTON. THE
DATE OF THE WEDDING HAS
NOT BEEN FIXED, BUT WILL
PROBABLY TAKE PLACE IN
DECEMBER, AT THE HOME OF
THE BRIDE-ELECT
The brief announcement from the
White House made by Secretary Tu-
multy came as surprise to onclal
Washington, but to number OF IN
innate friends it has long been ex-
pected. From this circle came to-
night the story of friendship whose
elimination was viewed as happy
turn in the troubled and lonely life OF
the Nations chief executive.
| Dranw Into White House Circle.
It was Miss Margaret Wilson and
her cousin, Miss Helen Woodrow
Bones, who drew Mrs. Gait into the
White House circle. They met her
first in the early autumn of last year
and were so much attracted by her
that they sought her out more and
more frequently and the friendship
between them rapidly ripened into an
affectionate intimacy. Mrs. Gait
spent month this summer at Corn
ish as the house guest Of the Presi-
dents Oldest daughter. 1t was
through this intimacy of his daugh-
ter and cousin that the President had
an opportunity to meet and know her
i One of the most interesting facts
about the engagement, indeed, as told
by friends, is that the Presidents
daughters chose Mrs. Gait for theil
admiration and their friendship be-
fore their father did.
i Bride-Elect From Wytheyille.
Mrs. Gait is the widow of we'll
known business man of Washington
who died eight years ago, leaving
jewelry business that still bears hi'
name. She has lived in Washington
since her marriage in 1896. She /!
about 3S years old and was Mis-
Edith Boiling, born in Wytheville, Va
where her girlhood was spent an'
where her father, William H. Boiling
was prominent lawyer.
In the circle of people who hav
g known Mrs. Gait for many years sh
$ has been regarded as an unusua
e beauty. She is not quite as tall a
! Mr.. Wilson and has dark hair an
eyes. Her tastes are said to b
e strikingly similar to those of tn
+ President, with a deep interest /
I Literature and charity worR.
: Friends Pleased.
Friends of the President expresse
their pleasure over the announc'
/ ment tonight, not only because of Nj
s wilson's personal happiness, but bt
y cause they felt this new companion
Y ship would give him support an
IS comfort in his home life-a vital nee
during the hours of strain over th
n nations problems. With the ma
riage of his daughters and the deaf
he of Mrs. Wilson more than year ag
a the Presidents life had become or
of solitude. His absorption in offici
N labors began to tell on him physica
ly and when few months ago he b.
l. gan to take a renewed interest
n. personal affairs, his friends and mer
d, bers of the family welcomed the di
n tinct change which 1t brought abo
in his health and spirits.
es Tonight Mrs. Gait was a dinn
i'll guest at the White House. At Il
en- moment when Secretary Tumul
es stood in the executive Offices a
Il nouncing the engagement to lar
ce number of washington correspon
ents who had been summoned, t
IS President and Mrs. Gait were sper
ing the evening with DR.. Cary
Grayson and Miss Bones in the VIII
at House parlors.
to The Announcement.
of The news was given out in a br
of statement which read:
"The announcement was made