The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-10-08
WILSON TO
MARRY MRS. CALF
Engagement Announced We'd
nesday Night at the White
House.
FRIEND OF THE FAMILY.
Mrs. Calf is Especially Intimate With
Miss Margaret Wilson and Miss
Bones--Marriage i'm December.


Wilsonu, President of the United
States, announced tonight his en-
gagement to Mrs. Norman Gait of
Washington. The date of the wed. d..
ding has not been fixed. but il prob
ably will take place in December at
the home of the bride-elect.
The brief announcement from the
White House made by Secretar,
Tumulty came as surprise to Of
! ficial Washington, but to a number
| of intimate friends it has long been
| expected. From this circle came to-
night the story of friendship whose
elimination was viewed as a happy
| turn in the troubled and lonely life
| OF the nations Chief Executive.
1t was Miss Margaret Wilson and
her cousin, Miss Helen Woodrow
Bones, who drew Mrs. Gait into the
White House circle. They met ne1
first in the early autumn of last
year and were so much attracted by
her that they sought her out more
ship between them rapidly ripeneu
into an affectionate intimacy. Mrs.
, Gait spent a month this summer at
Cornish as the guest of the Press
dents eldest daughter 1t was
through this intimacy of his daugh-
ter and cousin that the President
had an opportunity to meet and
know her.
One of the most interesting facts
about the engagement, indeed, as
told by friends. is that the Presi-
dents daughters chose Mrs. Gait for
their admiration and friendship be-
fore their father did.
Mrs. Gait is the widow OF we'll
known business man OF Washington,
who died eight years ago, leaving a
jewelry business that still bears his
name. She has lived IN Washington
since her marriage in 1896. She is
about 3S years old and was Miss
Edith Boiling, born in Wytheville,
Va. where her girlhood was spent
and where her father, William II.
Boiling, was prominent lawyer.
In the circle of people who have
known Mrs. Gait for many wears she
has been regarded as an unusual
beauty. She is not quite as tall as
Mr.. Wilson and has dark hair and
dark eyes. Her tastes are said to be
strikingly similar to those of the
President with a deep interest in
literature and charity work.
Friends of the President expressed
their pleasure over the announce
ment tonight not only because of Mr..
Wilson's personal happiness but be-
cause they felt this new companion
snip would give him support and
comfort in his home life-a vital
need during the hours of strain over
the nations problems. With the
marriages of his daughters and the
death OF Mrs. Wilson more than a
year ago, the Presidents life had be-
come one of solitude. His ABSORPTION
In ofhcial labors began to tell on him
physically, and when a few months
ago he began to take renewed in
terest in personal affairs his friends
and members of their families vel
coined the distinct change which il
brought about in his health and
spirits.
Tonight Mrs. Gait was a dinner
guest at the White House. At the
moment when Secretary Tumulty
stood in the executive Offices an
nouncing the engagement to a large
number OF Washington corrospon-
dents who had been summoned, the
President and Mrs. Gait were spend
ing the evening with DR.. Cary r.
Grayson and Miss Bones in the
White House parlors.
The news was given ont in brief
/ statement which read:
! The announcement was made to-
! day OF the engagement of Mrs Nor
man Gait of this city and President
Woodrow Wilson"
No word as to plans for the we'd
ding was said to he available as yet,
but 1t generally is presumed that
| Mrs. Gait. who is of democrati.
tastes. will prefer a private wedding
In her own house instead of in the
White HOnse. Grover Cleveland wa,
the last President to be married in
~