"This is the sentry who stands at the
beginning of the reception lino in the
doorway, he continued. "Suppose
that you arc a crank, how far do you
think you would get in an assault upon
the president before you are grabbed
and disarmed and thrown out into the
street to be carried off to tho nearest
police station? Not verv far. I d-upss.
I tell you the president is as closely
fortified in the White House as if it
were the strongest castle that ever ex
isted. Lincoln was not murdered in
the executive mansion ; it was at the
theatre he was attacked. Garfield was
assassinated at the railway station.
Oh, no, believe me, the president is
safe enough in his own dwelling.
"The minute we see a person whose
appearance does not satisfy us entirely
we ask him what his business is. Un
less his reply is satisfactory we pursue
the inauiry. A man called hire the
olher day to see the president, with a
tn box under his arm. I pressed him
closely about his errand and ho finally
said he had a new kind of religion in
the box to show to President Harrison.
That settled, him.
"I had a very funny experience one
with a crook at a party, though it was
not here.
"It was at one of the great houses in
Washington. 1 noticed in the cloak
room a person of suspicious demeanor.
Some time I spent m watching her,
until she perceived that she was excit
ing my attention and then very
promptly took her departure. I fol
lowed her into the street and, laying
my hand upon her shoulder, said: 'I
want you.'
4"ou wouldn't arrest a lady f she
said.
