Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1886 — THE KNOT TIED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE KNOT TIED.

The President and Miss Folsom Securely Bound in the Holy Bonds of Matrimony. A Quiet and Unostentatious Ceremony in the Blue Boom of the Executive Mansion. Profusion of Flowers, Elegant Toilets, and Sweet Music Bend Enchantment to the Scene. The wedding of rreaident Cleveland and Mia* Folsom took place at the Executive Mansion in Washington on the evening of the 2d inst. It •was w tnessed only by the members of the Cabinet, their wives, and twelve relatives or friends -of the contracting parties. Rev. Dr. Sunderland performed the ceremony in the bine room, amidst a mass of rare flowers. The bride’s dress was of ivory satin, garnished with India muslin. The President and his bride left in the privatj coach of Robert Garrett for the cottage of eci-Senator Davis at Deer Park, Maryland. A report of the wedding festivities is appended.

Arrival of the Bride. Miss Folsom arrived at Washington In the private car of President Roberts, of the Pennsylvania Road, at 5:3J a. m.. and was met at the depot by Miss Rose Cleveland, who conducted her to President Cleveland's carriage. Miss Folsom was followed by her mother and her cousin. Mr. Benjamin Folsom, who also got into the carriage, and they were all driven rapidly to the White House. There they were welcomed by the President and his sister, Mrs. Hoyt. Miss Folsom refreshed herself, changed her dress for one of lighter hue, and joined the others at breakfast. They were a very merry party. Miss Folsom spent the entire day in the private portion of the house with her mother, Miss Cleveland, Mrs. Hoyt, and Miss Nelson. Miss ■ Cleveland gave her some interesting information about the management of the domestic affairs of the executive mansion.

Getting Out the License. About 10 o’clock in the morning Col. Lamont got Into the White House carriage and was driven to the office of the Clerk of th 9 Supreme Court of the District, where, upon the payment of a Bland sl.ver dollar, he received the following permit: “To any minister of the gospel authorized to celebrate marriages in the District of Columbia, greeting: You are hereby licensed to solemnize the rites of marriuge between Frank Folsom, ■of Buffalo, N. Y., and Grover Cleveland, of Buffalo, N. Y., if you find no lawful impediment thereto; and, having so done, you are commanded to appear in the Clerk's office of the Supreme Court of said District, and certify the same. “Witness my hand and seal of this court this 2d day of June, 1886. R. R. Meigs,. Clerk. ” Beneath this is a blank form which, when filled out by the minister, will read as follows : “I, Byron Sunderland, minister of the First Presbyterian Church, hereby certify that, by authority of a license of the same tenor as the toregoing, I solemnized the marriage of the parties aforesaid on the 2d dav of June, 1886, rVt the 'White House, in the District of Columbia. “BYBON SriNDEBLAND.”

A Rehearsal. Og.the Colonel’s return to the White House he wns Closeted with the President for some time. The offices of the second floor were deserted by all but Chief Clerk Pruden, who was preparing bills for the President to sign, just as though it was not the wedding day. At 11:30 Dr. Sunderland appealed and askod to see Col. Lamont. “I have the form of the ceremony mode up in the rough,” he said, “and I have come up here to ferfect it. I have hardly had time to think since riday night. I have had so many newspaper Men after me that I have had to sit up until two •o’clock in the morning to be able to write anything.” The reverend doctor was in a most pleasantly ■excited condition, and almost completely out of breath. After waiting a moment he was ushered into the red parlor, whore he had a Conversation with the President. The rehearsal of the wedding took place at 12:30. It was informal, and was not held in the blue parlor. The President, Miss Folsom, and Dr. Sunderland sat down in Miss Cleveland’s little parlor up-stairs and quietly went over the services together. There were some changes made to suit the taste of the contracting parties. When the rehearsal was about over the President stepped out and called in his brother, the Rey. William Cleveland. Then the President said to Dr. Sunderland that he had not expected his brother to be present, but that he had arrived at the eleventh hour. It would please him greatly, therefore, if Dr. Sunderland could contrive some means by which hi* brother could participate in the services. Dr. Sunderland said that he did not know of any way in which the services could be split up, but he suggested that the Rev. Mr. Cleveland •deliver the benediction. It was arranged that way. The President at first was averse to having the form of the ceremony made public, but 3ie Was finally persuaded.

Approaching the Auspicious Hour. About 6:30 o’clock Secretary Lamar came lumbering up the flagstone walk, and he was -followed a few momenta later by the wizenfaced Dr. Sunderland and wife. After that the guests began to arrive rapidly in the following ■o*Wer: Postmaster General Vilas and wife, Mr. William Bissell. Secret lry and Mrs. Endicott, Secretary Bayard, Secretary and Mrs. Whitney, and Secretary Manning and wife. Attorney General Garland did not put in an appearance. Various reasons are assigned for his absence, the mo3t plausible being his well-known antipathy to full dress. He made a solemn vow not very long ago ■that he would not appear in public in a dress suit. The carriages of the guests drew up on Pennsylvania avenue near the main entrance. The guests were shown into the state diningroom, where their wraps were removed. JFroin there they were ushered into the blue-room, where they were received by Miss Bose Cleveland, and where conversation was entered into for a few moments. The blue-room seemed to have received the ■principal attention of the decoratr-rs, and the work was well done. The display of flowers was >«imply magnificent. The room was a mass of exotic plants. There were now present in the blue-room: Mrs. Folsorp, mother of the bride; the Rev. Dr. William Cleveland, the President’s brother; Miss Cleveland and Mrs. Hoyt, the President’s ’Sisters ; Secretary of State Bayard, Secretary of the Treasury Manning and wife, Secretary of War Endicott and wife, Secretary Whitney and wife, Postmaster General Vilas and wife, Secre"tary Lamar, Private Secretary Lamont and wife, Benjamin Folsom of Buffalo, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers of Seneca Falls, Mrs. Cadmar and Miss Huddleston of Detroit, Mr. and Mrs. Harmon of Boston (relatives of the bride), Mr. and Mrs. Nelson of New York, Mr. W. S. Bissell of Buffalo, the President’s law partner, and the Bev. Dr. and Mrs. Byron Sunderland. Miss Rose Cleveland was looking very fresh, although she had been up since 4:30 in the <tnoming. She wore an exquisite dress of Nile green and cameo pink duchesse satin with silver ornaments, low corsage, garnished with Sink roses, short sleeves, demi-length gloves in ght tan. She carried a fan of pink curlew •feathers. Mrs. Folsom wore a dress of violet satin, with Samiture in white faille, with crystal violet rops in pendants everywhere. Mrs. Hoyt, the President’s sister, wore a dainty costume en traine of China crepe in robins'-egg bine, most effectively gamitured with rare old lace. Her flowers were La France •roses. Mrs. Manning’s dress was of white satin, flounced across the front with duohesse lace, trimmings finished with sea-pearls, square -neck, and elbow sleeves. Diamond ornaments. Mrs. Endicott wore satin with silver and white sapphire, draped in black Chantilly lace. Red pompon in hair and diamond ornaments. Mrs. Whitney wore a bodioe of ‘ .violet with white satin andtulle skirts trimmed with vio•lets. -Diamond ornaments. Mrs. Vilas’ dress was a light-bine silk with

long train strewn with daisies of silver, front of crystal and point lace and pearl trimming. Low neck and elbow sleeves. Mrs. Lamont wore an ivory-tinted satin dress, demi-train. with a panel of crystal and pearl on the left side of the skirt, square-necked corsage, edged with crystal and jet fringe, elbow sleeves, and a beautiful corsage bouquet of jacqueminot roses. Mrs. Rogers cousin of the bride, was dressed in a costume of delicate cameo pink, with brocaded front. Mrs. Cadman, a relative of the bride, wore a white satin dress en traine, with black lace drapevies and jacqueminot roses. Mrs. Harmon wore a satin dress of light orange. Miss Nelson wore a handsome costume of corncolored satin, with overdress of white antique lace, cut pompadour, with low corsage and elbow sleeves. Her flowers were jacqueminot roses. Miss Huddleston was dressed in pink silk with blue trimming. Mrs. Sunderland’s dress was gray satin trimmed with lace, long train, square neck, and elbow sleeves. It wanted ten minutes of seven o’clock when Miss Cleveland, Mrs. Folsom, and the wedding guests placed themselves in a circle about the blue-room, Mr. Bayard standing at the head of the line at the left, while Mr. Cleveland’s brother stood at the other end of the horseshoe. The Cabinet officers did not arrange themselves according to their rank, but stood in line just as chance placed them. Mr. Lamar was next to Mr. Bayard, and Mr. Whitney stood above Mr. Vilas. At oxactly 7 a messenger made a quiet signal to Colonel Lamont from the red parlor, and the Colonel repeated the signal to Dr. Sunderland, who immediately took his position in front of the great bank of flowers at the south end of the room. A second later the Marine Band, which was stationed in the ante-room, struck up Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March," while booming cannon from the arsenal swelled the chorus of sound. Then the movement from up-stairs began, and the bridal party appeared. All were anxious to watch the President’s bearing, and all agree that he was cool and composed, showing that same self-poise exhibited

by him on Inauguration day. He was in faultless evening dress, his coat fitting like a glove, instead of his usual turn-down collar, he wore a high stand-up one, with a white-lawn tie carefully knotted at his throat. A white rose was fastened to the lapel of his coat. Upon his arm leaned Miss Folsom, who fulfilled the role of the traditional beautiful bride. She never looked handsomer. Her rather tall, slim, graceful, well-rounded figure was displayed to its full advantage by her exquisite Parisian wedding dress. Its soft ivory color made a gentle contrast with the fresh soft pink of her cheeks. Her brown hair, curled loosely upon her gracefully poised head,, showed gleams of reddish lights through the soft tulle veil, which fell in a trailing mist over her dress. Her blue eyes sparkled with excitement. She walked well, with a graceful, dignified bearing. The bridal couple turned to the right as they entered the room from the long hall, marching in step with gay music from the distant anteroom, and faced the officiating clergyman. Mr. Whitney settled his glasses once or twice more firmly upon his face. Mr. Lamar stood with his hands behind him, and gazed with a look of dreamy rapture upon the bride, who, under the scrutinizing gaze of the small group, flushed and paled alternately. Mrs. Folsom fell back to the left to meet Miss Cleveland, and her friend Miss Nelson passed to the opposite side of the room from the Folsom relatives. Mrs. Hoyffistood by them. The Rev. Dr. Sunderland was never more sonorous and impressive than in his performance of the ceremony. The little man inflated himself aud made the most of every inch of his height, maintaining throughout great selfpossession and dignity. His thirty years of experience had prepared him for just such a wedding. He wasted no time.

Entering the Holy Estate. Dr. Sunderland than said, very solemnly and distinctly: “Forasmuch as we aro assembled to observe the holy rites of marriage, it is needful that we should seek the blessing of the great God, our Father, whose institution it is, and therefore I beseech you now to follow me With reverent hearts in prayer to Him : “Almighty and Everlasting God, the Father of our spirits, the framer of our bodies, the giver of every pood and perfect gift—Thou who const see the end frpm the beginning, who knowest wlmt is best for us Thy children, and hast appointed the holy rite of marriage to be sacredly observed throughout all generations, regard now, we beseech Thee, Thy servant, our Chief Magistrate ; endow him plenteously with Thy grace, and fill him with wisdom to walk in Thy ordinances. Be very nigh to him in the midst of many cares and grave responsibilities. Day by day may Thy law direct him and Thy strength uphold him, and be Theu forever his sun and shield. Be Thou graciously pleased to look down upon this Thy daughter, even as Thou didst favor the chosen Rebecca and many noble women that have adorned the world. May she indeed be a precious boon of good to her husband, to cheer and help him continually, a woman gifted with the beauty of the Lorcl and shedding the sweet influence of a Christian life upon the nation in whose sight she is to dwell. Wilt thou approve what we Thy servants come to do in Thy name by thine authority and under the laws of the land in which we live, and graciously assist them, this man and this woman, who are here to be united in the bonds of holy wedlock according to the institution of Thy words. Mercifully be pleased, Almighty God, to vouchsafe to each of them Thy grace that they may well and truly weigh the unfailing vows which they are now about to make to each other in the presence of thts company and bafore Thee, and that they may be enabled hereafter at all times so to live together as to rejoice in the solemnization of this union with joy unspeakable and full of glory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.” Turning then to the company, Dr. Sunderland said: “Marriage is honorable among all men in that a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they twain shall be one flesh. It was constituted by our Creator in the first paradise. It was confessed by patriarch and priest, prophet And apostle. It was confirmed by the teaching and adorned with the presence of the Redeemer, and has been honored by the faithful keeping of all good men and women since the world began. It is. not therefore to be undertaken lightly or unadvisedly, but soberly, discreetly, and in the fear of God. Intothi holy estate this man and this woman come now to enter. If any now can show just cause why they may not be lawfully united in marriage, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.” Addressing himself to the bride and groom, Dr. Sunderland then said: “If you desire to be united in marriage you will signify the same by joining your right hands.” The bride and groom then joined hands, and of the latter Dr. Sunderland asked: “Grover, do you take this woman whom you hold by the hand to be your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of wedlock? Do you promise to love her, cherish, comfort, and keep her in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, and, forsaking all others, keep you only unto her so long so you both shall live ?* The Groom (firmly)—l do. Dr. Sunderland—Frank, do you take this man whom you hold by the hand to be yonr lawful wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of wedlook? Do you promise to love him, honor, comfort, and keep him in aiekness ana In health, in joy

and in sorrow, and, forsaking all others, keep you only unto him so long as you both shall live? The bride answered, in a low but clear voice, “Ido.” Dr. Sunderland—ln token of the same let the wedding ring be passed. Mr. Cleveland put the plain gold band on the bride's extended finger, and with increased solemnity Dr. Sunderland said.: “Forasmuch as Grover and Frank have here agreed and covenanted to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of wedlock, and have confirmed the same by giving and taking a wedding ring; now, therefore, in the presence of this company, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, I pronounce and declare that they are husband and wife, and what God hath joined together let no man put asunder." The Rev. Dr. Cleveland then pronounced the benediction: “God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you, the Lord mercifully fill you with all spiritual blessings, and grant that you may so live together in this world that In the world to come you may have life everlasting. Amen."

The Bridegroom’s Kiss. President Cleveland bent over and kissed hi* bride full on the lips. The other gentlemen present were not accorded 'the privilege of saluting the bride, who confined her favors to the ladies ; otherwise, however, there was nothing to mar the harmony of the occasion. Congratulations. Mr. Whitney made a graceful speech to MrsCleveland, and Mr. Lamar showered compli. ments upon her. He said that he had never in his life seen any one who so completely satisfied his ideal of a mistress of the White House. “You will not only rule as a queen in the White House,” he said, “but you will also he a queen in all our hearts.” This, with a low bow which Mr. Lauiar alone knows how to make, was considered the banner compliment of the evening. Mrs. Folsom, the bride's mother, who had shown deep emotion during the ceremony, was the first to tender her congratulations.’ Miss Cleveland followed her, and then the Rev. Mr.

Cleveland and other relatives and friends in turn. While these congratulations were going on the Marine Band performed the bridal chorus and march from “Lohengrin.” Meanwhile the chimes throughout the city weie making pleasant music, and Presidential salutes were fired by batteries cf artillery near the river. The chime of bells of tho Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church rang out Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. President Cleveland and his bride led the way into the East Room, the adornments of which were in keeping with its majestic proportions, and its ample space and brilliant illumination gave an excellent opportunity for a display of the ladies' toilets. The room presented a mass of exotic plants.

In the Dining-Boom. After a brief season of promenading and conversation, during which the congratulations were renewed, the company procoeded to the dining-room of the mansion", where a collation was served. There was no formal order observed ; the gnests sat at tho small tables, oi slowly promenaded the room as they discussed the menu. The souvenirs of satin boxes containing pieces of the bridal cake, each one bearing the hand-painted monogram of “C. F.,” were greatly admired. The decorations of the dining-room were also of an elaborate character. While the collation was being served the bride slipped away to her room and changed her bridal robes for a heavy traveling dress of gray silk, after which she returned and was joined by the President, who in the meanwhile had changed his dress suit for a traveling costume. At 8:30, President and Mrs. Cleveland bade their friends good-by and left the White House through a private exit from the red-room into the south grounds. In a closed carriage they were driven away, amid showers of rice that were thrown after them, and cries of “Godspeed* came from the rear porch. The bridal party having left the White House, the guests made merry for a short time. By ten o'clock all the guests had taken their departure. The President anrl his bride were driven to tho depot, where they took the train for Deer Park, Md., for a week’s honeymoon.

The Courtship. Major Oscar Folsom, tho father of the bride, was the law partner of President Cleveland and his enthusiastic supporter in his canvasses for Sheriff and Mayor of Buffalo. Ho was killed in 1875 by being thrown from a buggy when Miss Frank was only 11 years old, and the little girl was left in churge of the father’s law partner as guardian. In his position as her father’s most intimate friend and executor the President has been acquainted with Miss Folsom from childhood. Both she and her mother have learned to respect and admire his manly qualities as well as those fine and delicate qualities of mind and heart that charm a woman, and on his part the. President has found in the daughter the characteristics which made him almost reverence her father. She has inherited all the brilliant qualities of her father, who was for years the leading orator and jury lawyer of Western New York. After the death of her father, Miss Frank went to live with Grandfather Folsom, of Folsomdale,where she lived until going on her trip to Europe. During her residence there Mr. Cleveland wai a frequent visitor to the house, and it is said proposed mavriago, and was accepted before the inauguration. In these few words can the Btory of the courtship be told. It is not a thing of yesterday, and the marriage which consummates it has been the dream of the President’s life ever since Miss Folsom began to bud into womanhoodThe lady of the White House is looked upon by all feminine eyes. Every social act of hers is watched, and if she be a person of originality and sets any new customs in the manner of her dress or mode of arranging entertainments she is appreciated, and her ways copied. The bride is eminently fitted for the position.

The Folsom Family. Oscar Folsom, her father, comes from an old and honorable family. The first of the name came from England in 1638 in the ship Diligent, of Ipswich. This was John Folsom, or Foulsham, as the name was then spelled. It is derived from the town of Foulsham, in Norfolk County, England, near Hfngbam John came with a colony from Hingham and founded the town of Hingham, Mass. The family name was gradually changed until, in 1059, it was written Folsom by all the member* in the United States. Many distinguished Folsoms are chronicled in the family genealogy, notably Gen. Nathaniel Fplsom, a Brigadier in the Colonial army. In 1774 be was chosen to the first general Congress, which met in Philadelphia. He served during the siege of Boston as a Brigadier. In 1775 he was commissioned Major General. In 1777 and 1779 he was again a member of Congress. He died in 1790, aged 64. Cleveland Leader: Grover’* example, or the fine spring weather, or better times, or something, has promoted quite a bqpm in the-matrl. menial market all over the* dbilfitry. Well, American girls are very wise. Louisville Courier-JoumaU -'lt 1* believed that had President Arthur been possesshd’ of so able a Private Secretary as Colonel Daniel Lamont, the great fisherman would not have left the White House a widower.