Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1906 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Political and General Gossip of the National Capital. Prom our special correspondent: Miss Alice Roosevelt, daughter of the President of the United States, was married Saturday to representative Nicholas Longworth of Ohio at the White House by Bishop Batteries of the Episcopal Church. It was the first White House wedding since Frances Folsom was led to the altar in the same East Room by Grover Cleveland, then President of the United States. 111 But the country has grown even in the few years since Cleveland’s day, and the wedding was certainly the most notable social event that has ever occurred in this country. It was an event that had attracted the attention of all the courts of Europe and the bride was remembered in gifts from nearly all the monarchs and governments of the world. It is a rare thing that the French government, the Emperor of Germany and the King,,pf England have all combined to recognize a wedding outside of Europe. Yet not only they but the Empress of China and the Mikado of Japan were among the thousands who sent presents. Such an array of gifts has never been seen at any other wedding in America. Some of the marriages of multi-millionaires in New York may have equalled it in the intrinsic value of the gifts, but there has never before been such a general recognition of an event by foreign governments and rulers. There has certainly never been a wedding at which the Empress of China, the King of England and a party of Indian chiefs from the far west have combined as contributors. Yet this was so in the present case, for one of the comparatively few presents to the groom was a buffalo hide waist-coat from a party of Ponca Indians now here on business with the Interior Department. The garment is the finest possible specimen of Indian handiwork and coming from the skin of a practically extinct animal, it is almost priceless. The Indians in question chased Representative Longworth all over the Capital on Thursday to present the gift to him. But he fled from the notoriety, and they had to wind up at the White House and leave it with the President who looked it over with a practiced and appreciative eye and said it was really worth. It is funny the way the President can fit in with anything or anybody who calls at the White House from a bunch of punchers to a visiting Prince and leaves them all under the impression, and pretty nearly the correct impression, that he is their sort of people and is the real thing. t t t But to continue the wedding. The ceremony was performed in the East Room under a canopy off palms that had been moved back against the wall after a vehement protest from the bride elect that she “did not intend to be married in a tunnel.’’ The ceremony was as simple and brief as the circumstances warranted, and as soon as it was over the party separated and adjourned to the Green Room and the Blue Room where the Presidential party and about sixty guests sat down to a wedding breakfast while the other witnesses were entertained at a buffet luncheon. The gathering gradually broke up. The wedding breakfast lasted till well into the afternoon, and the other guests were going from half an hour after the ceremony till almost dark. It was this gradual dispersal that favored the plans of the bride and groom. t t + There bad been an infinity of Speculation as to where the young couple would spend their honeymoon. No announcement had been given out from the White House, and it had been generally agreed tflat they were going south and would put in a week- or more in Virginia and Florida before official duties called Mr. Longworth back to Washington. But there is a certain friendly interest on the part of the American public that sometimes oversteps the bounds of propriety, and it was realized that if the destination of the bridal couple were known that life would be made unendurable for them by curiosity seekers, camera fiends and a few newspaper correspondents who either do not know any better or who do not care. So it was allowed to leak out that they were going south. Immediately all the interested parties got busy and selected even the private car on which they were to travel. Some selected the “Republic” which was a new oar to make its first trip out of the shops. Others decided that

Senator Elkin’s private car had been placed at the disposal of the bride and groom. But there were half a dozen private cars loafing on the tracks about Washington and to make a choice was a little confusing. t t t What they did was not to leave Washington at all. That is to say they went merely to the outskirts where there was no need of a private car to carry them. A friend of the family, who was only to glad too put one of his houses at their disposal, suggested to them that they make use of his country place, and accordingly while the rest of the party were still in the White House, the newly married couple quitely stepped into an electric brougham at the back door and were whirled away to the outskirt of Washington where they will spend their honeymoon.