The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-16
V III.
How Mrs. Fleming Played the Queen.

The reader must not suppose intend him to
think that Mrs. Flemings whole time was spent
in her boudoir, and in hearing Plato Classic
read the Medea. In her own way she also
moved in society. Not naturally of social
habit, she had much secluded herself upon the
death of her husband giving up entirely the
city mansion, and living in comparative soil
tude at the Hall. STILL she had never entirely
severed the bonds between society and herself;
she had always visited and received the visits
of a chosen circle of friends whom she esteemed
for qualities, the genuineness of which she had
proven. Either with them in the city, or haviI.g
them about her at the Hall, she kept up an in
timacy which was at once pleasurable and ben
ehclal to her. Nevertheless, though peculiarly
qualified for society, shining at no time with
greater splendor than when the centre of bril-
liant circle Of friends and admirers though
evidently taking delight in company when with
it, and willingly adding the charm of fine con-
versational powers to the superbness of her per
sonal presence, Mrs. Fleming inwardly would
have preferred solitude absolute and perfect.
The cell and the pallet, the serge robe and the
stone pavement, the dry crust and the cruise of
water, had more charms for her sombre fancy
than the utmost pleasures to be derived from
intercourse with congregated humanity Wheth-
er it was from natural bent, or a consequence
of some after torsion, Mrs. Fleming was of an
introvertive disposition, and lived best in
world of her own thoughts, too completely peo-
pied for her to need the additional stimulus of
social intercourse. Why then did she not fol-
low her bent, the reader will ask; and the an
swer is conveyed in a single word
Jasper.
For him, her pole-star, she acted. For him,
with far-reachng plans, she kept up her relations
with society," even in his childhood for him she
had been wont to gather around her. during his
vacations, the fairest and best of the land, in
gay and brillian coterie. For him, during the
year after he left college, had Jasper's mother
formally entered society again, and entered it
not as Queen Dowager, but as Queen Regnant,
just as Madame Victoria goes back from Sc
cluded Balmoral to Buckingham Palace and
crushing drawing Rooms" 1t might have
appeared strange to some to see this stately
woman acting the part of chaperon to her hand
some son, but in reality she was very competent
to it, and she did it in such a way that none but
her intimates would have guessed she was act
ing for other than herself. Her social advan-
tages were many and superior Mr.. Fleming,
when he married her. was not only a man of
immense wealth, but also of high position. He
had taken sufficient interest in political matters
to give him quite prominent share in the at
fairs of the nation, and to secure him all the
social advantages he cared to reap His wife
was Just the woman to avail herself of this posi-
ton, and to conquer where she stood. The
brilliant triumphals of Mrs. Fleming were
among the traditions of the Federal City, of the
Metropolis, and of the watering places. Her
beauty was acknowledged to be equalled by
nothing SO nearly as by her accomplishments,