Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/239

Rh And another person who was happy was the wife, patient, suffering, but still the faithful life companion, the one best loved by him who was now the chief ruler over seventy-five millions of people.

The inauguration was followed by a grand ball and by other social events. Then the government settled down to business once more, and the President called a special session of Congress to consider several matters of importance.

Yet in those days, no matter how busy he was, he never forgot his old mother, who had returned to her home in Canton, Ohio. Every day there came to the Canton post-office a letter from "William at Washington," as she always expressed herself when speaking of him. These messages continued until he was called to her deathbed. She had been a widow for several years, and the parting between mother and son was a sad one. She had been to him all that a good, true, religious mother can be to any son. And he had the satisfaction of knowing that as her son he had done his duty to its fullest by her.

Returning to Washington after this sad