The members of the common council
passed through and shook hands, but by
this time the hand shaking had become
too much for the fatigued president and
further greeting of this kind was aband
oned for a time'
The president and wife therefore
moved to the edge of the platform and
the people passed through in front. For
an hour and a half the crowd rushed
through by threes and fours. Sweat
poured off the president’s brow in great
drops, but he kindly nodded to all. Mrs. ,
Cleveland remained seated and smiled at
the people as they passed. Mr. Cleve
land stood with his right arm resting on
the chair occupied by bio wife and with
the other wiped the proapiration from
his heated forehead. At his right stood
Col. Vilas, who appeared to watch the
weary face of the president uneasily.
The persislaney with which several
old ladies endeavored to get a shake of
the hands of the president and his wife
was amusing. One old lady in particn
lar was especially p resistant in her ef
forts. She stretched out her hands
toward Mrs. Cleveland repeatedly, but
was finally hurried on by the crowd be
hind and as a last resort dropped a small
blue ribbon at Mrs. Cleveland's feet as a
token of regard, and passed on happy.
Once Mrs. Cleveland noticed that the
dresses of the possing ladies caught on
the end of the carpet on the platform and
stooping over remedied (he obstruction.
Mrs. Cleveland was the object of the ad
miring glances of every lady who passed,
and all turned their heads and gazed un
til they were hurried on out of sight.
