Mrs. McKinley as a Widow

A YEAR’S widowhood finds Mrs. William McKinley at Canton in better health than before. At the time of the tragedy at Buffalo she had entirely recovered from the effects of her sickness in California the previous spring, and the President was looking forward, according to the correspondent of the New York Sun, to her taking a more active part in the social life of Washington. Then came the blow that almost crushed her. Her improved physical condition enabled her to survive the trying ordeal, and although her grief is as keen as ever, she is now better able to control her emotions. She occupies the old home, the one where she and her husband began their married life; where their children were born and taken from them; the home which had grown from a modest little cottage to a commodious, but not conspicuous, home in anticipation of their retirement to private life.
     A feature of her widowhood is that she never enters the house of any of her old friends or relatives. Even the request of her sister, who now occupies the old Saxton home, has been denied, as she fears to revive old memories.
     In her business affairs she takes an earnest interest, going into details and endeavoring to have them executed as her late husband would have directed.
     In her daily life there is scarcely any variety. At 10:30 o’clock the carriage, an ordinary surrey, such as the President used, is ordered, and Mrs. McKinley and whoever may be with her at the time enter and are driven direct to the cemetery, where the President’s vault is guarded by a detachment of troops.
     Mrs. McKinley and her companions enter the vault and arrange the flowers that are always kept upon and around the casket, adding some fresh ones nearly every day. They then drive through the cemetery to the McKinley family lot. Only on a very few days during the entire year has this program not been observed.