The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1919-02-25
DELLA CHAPLIN ToRREY

| AT the inauguration Oh Willlam HOW
ard Taft as President of the United
States, on March 4, 1909, Della Chap
in Torrey was a diminntive yet COM
lpelling figure in the family group that
surrounded him. The alert little wo-
man, then "a years old. had put things
ito rights" in her stately old mansion
of Millbury, Mass, and was renewing
her youth with enthusiasm as who
witnessed the investure of her "nep
hew WILL" as chief executive of the
country
Hitherto obscure except among
neighbors in Millbury who had known
her for years as a grand old lady
she was welcomed with the warmest
affection in Washington and in day
was introduced informally to the
whole country as "Aunt Della" And
she did not mind it bit.
Back in-the quite home in Millbury
Aunt Della was visited so often by
her big nephew that secret service
men we're omipresent and the roads
from everywhere seemed to lead to
the old pillard mansion She revealed
in it all
Miss Torreys admiration for her
newphew was always apparent She
loved to speak CT him and she vigor
,ously defended his administration.
She recalled anecdotes of his boyhood
and dwelt lovingly upon the members
of his family. She thought he should
have had second term. But, after
all", she said shortly after he had
retired from the presidency, 81 think
he is happier now than at any time
in his life
What touched the lady Of
the old Torrey homestead more
thin anything else, perhaps, was the
faithfulness with which she was le-
membered by her big nephew. There
were delightful unexpected visits
from him and the gaps between were
filled with long, newsy letters, Aunt
Della" said she wondered how he,
found the time to do it all For time
after coming into the public eye,
Aunt Delias famous apple pies were
given more or less attention in the
press, but she denied that the famous
apple pie was what attracted her
nephew to visit her. why" she said
that boy. lhasn.'t. tasted d. an apple pie
Of my baking for over 40 years"
The old mansion in Millbury is fill
ed with memories of chat boy" and
Of his mother Oouise Maria Torrey)
whose sweet pictured face smiles
above the mantel in the living room
"She lived here with me IL years"
said Miss Torrey, land I have never
been quite happy since she left. She
was a lovely. lovely woman. Friends
have been kind and my time is we'll
taken up with correspondence and
reading, but there are times when
am lonely. All the old people are
lonely, you know. 1t cannot be other
wise when they have out lived their
generation. On the whole, however,
| have every reason to be grateful
Surely, a woman in her Goth year
should not complain if she cannot
hear so well nor move about so quick
ly as when she was young. On certain
days when | feel particularly well,
actually find myself doubling my age.
ago A few nights ago, went to to
prayer meeting and tried to sing. But
when could not raise a note from
this throat of mine, l said to myself
We'll, well, you certainly are old"
Miss Torrey was the last of her
family, She was born in Boston on
Sept 30 1925, but went to Millbury
to live when a child. Except for the
time spent in travel she passed most
Of her life in the Worcester County
town
Associated with the old mansion
were many sorrows for Aunt Della.
Eearly in 1868, the Rev. DR.. Samuel