Upon his retirement, Cleveland sought a quiet life in the university town where he was actively associated with the college. He maintained an interest in various financial enterprises and, for the first time in his busy life, indulged in his favourite pastimes of hunting and fishing with a group of old friends and acquaintances among whom was Joseph Jefferson, the actor. Those who doubt the charm and humour of Mr. Cleveland’s conversations should read his fishing and duck-hunting stories. Most of all he enjoyed his young family, two sons being born within a few years of his retirement. He was an interested and sympathetic adviser in Mrs. Cleveland’s many activities, especially her promotion of kindergartens.
Many civic honours came to him. He died at his home in Princeton June 24, 1908, and was buried in the Princeton Cemetery.
CHAPTER X
FIRST ADMINISTRATION OF WILLIAM
MCKINLEY
March 4, 1897, to March 4, 1901
FEW inaugurations have witnessed such a happy combination of good weather, universal enthusiasm, and unusually large throngs of visitors as attended the first inauguration of William McKinley.
President Cleveland drove to the Ebbitt House, where Mr. McKinley was staying, and then together the incoming and the outgoing Presidents rode to the Capitol accompanied by two members of the Senatorial Committee.
Mrs. McKinley left the hotel about ten minutes before eleven o’clock. She walked to the carriage leaning on the arm of Secretary Porter, who had left the President-elect at the White House and had then returned hastily to the hotel for the purpose of seeing to the comfort of Mrs. McKinley. On the other side was Chairman Bell, of the inauguration committee, and between the two stalwart men, the lady who was to be first in the land was tenderly sheltered from the crowd which pressed upon them from every side.
Mrs. McKinley looked pale but happy. With her were her sister, Mrs. Mary Barber, little Kate Barber, and the President’s mother, who refused to be separated from these members of her family. Several officers of the regular army were in attendance to escort them.
After the ceremonies in the Senate Chamber, the President-elect was sworn in by Chief Justice Fuller on the East Portico, where thousands of people had gathered. In the bright light, his face, when he stood bareheaded to take the oath of office, was clear to all.