Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-14
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY
THE REIGN OF DOLLY MADIsor


 The reign of Dolly Madison as mis- tress of the White House, although many have come and gone since then who made the Executive Mansion bril- liant by their presence and affability, was the most satisfactory that this country has ever had in thoroughly carrying out her part of officialdom. She is still known as the Charming Dolly Madison" because she left her character indelibly stamped upon the Presidents home.
 James Madison married a fair young widow, Mrs. Dolly Todd. She was merry intellectual, and generous. Dur ing her reign, people went to the White House not only because it was the Presidents home, but because it was socially the most delightful place in the world.
 Even in the days when Thomas Jef- ferson was president. Dolly Madison spent a great deal of time at the White House as the unofficial hostess of the mansion. For some fifty years alto gether, Mrs. Madison was one of the most popular women in Washington. Even after her retirement from the po- sition as first lady of the land" all distinguished men who visited Wash ington would go first to the White House and later directly to the house where Mrs. Madison had taken up her abode.
 One visitor to the White House in President Jefferson's s term tells how Dolly Madison conducted her through the mansion with all the ease of a real mistress of the place taking her from room to room, not excepting the chamber of MT. Jefferson and his l secretary, in which apartment, in her usual sprightly and droll manner she opened the Presidents wardrobe and showed his odd but useful contrivance for hanging up jackets and brooches on a machine-like turnstile.
 An eminent writer of the da yin | discoursing on a New York reception at the White House, says: Her Ma jesty's (Mrs. Madison's) appearance was truly regal-dressed in a robe ot | pink satin trimmed elaborately with white ermine, a white velvet and satin turban, with holding ostrich plumeS and a crescent in front, gold chair and clasps around the waist and wrists lis here the woman who adorns the dress and not the dress that beauti. fies the woman. I cannot conceive a female better calculated to dignify 
 ciety than Mrs. Madison-amiable il private life and affable in public. sh, is admired and esteemed by the ricl and and beloved by the poor
 During the time of her residence at the White House, Mrs. Madison many times proved herself a real hero ine but never more heroic than at tn time in 1914, when the British attack ed and burned the White House. Un der such a condition Dolly Madison di- not lose her head. At the last momen as her husband with several member of the cabinet, was hurrying from tn White House, Mrs. Madison seized carving knife and cut the portrait o Washington from the frame. After tn war it was again placed upon the wa. of the East room
 After the burning of the Whit House President and Mrs. Madiso lived for a time in the mansion the known as the Octagon House. not ia from the White House grounds, an , there, for time, Sweet Dolly" hel her court. This house is still one C the landmarks of Washington.
 CTomorrow-The Massacre of Cherr Vauey)