Top Ten Demonstrations of Love
The inventor, the celebrity and the royal highness couldn’t resist the draw of making a grand gesture to the love of their life
- By Abigail Tucker
- Smithsonian.com, February 10, 2012
(The Granger Collection, New York)
President William McKinley’s wife, Ida, was once a high-spirited socialite, but the deaths of her two young daughters and epileptic seizures left her frail and withdrawn. As McKinley’s political career blossomed, “Ida spent most of her waking hours in a small Victorian rocking chair that she had had since childhood,” crocheting slippers and waiting for her husband to come home, according to the White House Historical Association.
But when McKinley took office in 1897, he didn’t hide Ida from view. Instead, defying the protocol of the day, he insisted that his wife be seated beside him at state dinners, so he could help if a seizure struck, or cover her face with a hankerchief to ward off an impending attack.
And when President McKinley was fatally shot in 1901, his thoughts were of fragile Ida, whispering to his secretary: “My wife—be careful…how you tell her.”
Comments (10)
Lucy and Desi divorced because Desi was a heavy drinker and a womanizer.
Posted by cindy on April 22,2012 | 05:16 PM
I always thought Richard Denning was really hot looking. Lucy made a mistake.
Posted by Becky on April 15,2012 | 01:05 AM
Ellis, that is the mutton-leg sleeves Ida is wearing, very fashionable around the turn of the 20th century; check out the Gibson girls for more of that weird little haute couture aberration.
Posted by Caroline Abreu on February 25,2012 | 11:36 PM
Ida's dress has leg o' mutton sleeves. Her left arm is extended across her lap.
Posted by Erin on February 25,2012 | 10:42 AM
Re: the question about the photo of Pres. McKinley and his wife
ellis, look at the photo again carefully. Ida's hands are in her lap. Her sleeves have big puffs on the upper part of her arm, then the sleeve is tight down to her wrist.
Posted by Karen H. on February 25,2012 | 09:02 AM
"When the network proposed a television pilot, Lucy refused—unless her actual husband, Cuban pop band leader Desi Arnaz, was cast as her TV spouse, allowing the couple to spend more time together."
You didn't finish the story - some of your younger readers might not realize that sometimes couples can spend too much time together, as Lucy and Desi apparently did, since they divorced in 1960.
Posted by Karen H. on February 25,2012 | 08:55 AM
They didn't divorce, but they didn't live happily ever after. Wallis wanted to marry the King. When Edward didn't become king, she wanted out. They had very public fights over the rest of their very public lives. It didn't help that Edward was a Nazi sympathizer.
Posted by rainbow on February 19,2012 | 12:48 PM
Am I [not] seeing things, or what? Why does Ida appear not to have arms or hands in that photograph? lsj
Posted by ellis jard on February 17,2012 | 09:51 PM
And then they divorced.
Posted by Nathan on February 14,2012 | 01:01 PM
I am so glad I read these top ten.I,m sure you could find dozens more.McKinley,s story brought tears to my eye,s.Thank you.
Posted by Mary Haas on February 11,2012 | 06:19 AM