* * * * *

To no one but myself did it seem odd that a plain Englishman should be
invited to perform the function of best man at the wedding of the
daughter of the President of the United States of America at the White
House. The matter was never even noticed either in the press or in
conversation. The only citizen to whom I suggested the anomaly merely
said, "Well, why not?"

My long-time fellow worker and one of my best of friends, Francis B.
Sayre, was to be married on November 25, 1913, to Miss Jessie Wilson.
Her father, who, when first I had had the honour of his acquaintance,
happened to be the President of Princeton University, was now the
President of the United States. So we had all the fun of a White House
wedding. Not less than fifty of our fishermen friends from Labrador
and North Newfoundland were invited, and some members of our staff
were present.

We started the wedding procession upstairs, and came down to the
fanfare of uniformed trumpeters. Our awkwardness in keeping step,
though we had rehearsed the whole business several times, only
relieved the tension that must exist at so important an event in life.

Trying to dodge the reporters added heaps of fun, which I am sure that
they shared, for they generally got the better of us; though the
thrill of escape from the White House and Washington, so that the
honeymoon rendezvous should not be known, was practically a victory
for the wedding party. As it would never be safe to use the tactics
again, I am permitted after the lapse of many years to give them away.
As soon as dark fell, and while the guests were still revelling, the
bride and groom were hustled into a secret elevator in the thickness
of the wall, whisked up to the robing chambers, and completely
disguised. Meanwhile a suitable camouflage of automobiles had arrived
ostentatiously at the main entrance, to carry and escort the
illustrious couple in fitting pomp to the great station. From the
landing the couple were dropped direct to the basement to a
prearranged oubliette. The password was the sound of the wheels of an
ordinary cab at the kitchen entrance. The moments of suspense were not
long. At the sound of the crush on the gravel a silent door was
opened, two completely muffled figures crept out, and the conspirators
drove slowly along round a few corners where a swift automobile lay
panting to add _liberte_ to _egalite_ and _fraternite_.

CHAPTER X