Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-03
Pen and Ink Portraits.

From the mass of rubbish in the Diary" of Russell
the London Times correspondent extract the follow.
ing:
Leaving the hubbub and phizdrinks aud constant
splitting OF Wizards the reader is permitted to follow
Mr. Russell to the aIistOcratic secluson of the White
House. The servant who took the guests hat was slow
10 believe that the gentleman was invited lie was,
says the Diary particularly inquistve as TO my mime
and condition in life; and when he heard was not a
minister he seemed inclined to question my right to be
there at all for" said he, there but
bers of the Cabinet and their wives and daughters dining
here to-day" Eventually he relaxed, instructed me
how place my hat that would be exposed to no
indgnty and informed me that about to partici-
pate in prandia enjoyment of ordinary character
Mr. Jeaues having been thus conciated the reporter
was led to the reception-room.
"Mrs. Lincoln was already seated to receive her
guests She is of the middle age and height, of a
pumpness degencrating to the eabompoint natural to
her years; her features plain, her and mouth
of an ordinary type and her manners and appearance
homey siffened however, by the consciousness that
her position requires her to bc something more than
plain Mrs. Lincoln, the wife of the Illinois lawyer she
proiuse in the of the word sir" in every instance
which is almost Amcricansm confined to certain
classes, although it common in England.
Her dress shall not attempt to describe though 1t was
very gorgeous and highly coored She handled a fan
with much energy displaying round, welproporoned
arm, and adorned with some simple ewelry. Mrs.
STRUCK d5 uesfOuS OF making nefSeIl
agreeable and own was agreeably disappointed
the ecessonist ladies Washington had been amusing
themselves by anecdotes which could scarcely have been
founded on fact"
The portrait of the host is thus given in another
chapter:
"Soon afterwards there entered with shamblne. IT.
regular, almost unsteady gait, tall ank lean man. con-
sderaby over six feet height with stepping shoulders
long peAduous arms, terminating in hands of extraord
nary dimensions, which, however, far exceeded in
proportion by his feet Hewas dressed in an ilftting
wrnkle1 suit OF black which put one in mind of an u.
derakefs uniform at funeral; round his neck rope
of black silk was knotted in large bulb, with flying
ends projecting beyond the collar of his coat his turned
down shrt-collar disclosed a sinewy muscular yellow
neck and above that nesting ina great mass of black
hair, brlsng and compact like ruff of mourning pins
rose the strange quaint face and head covered with its
thach OF wild republican hair of President Lincoln
The impression produced by the size of his extremes
and by his tapping and wdepoecting ears may be re-
moved by the appearance Of kindness sagacity and
the awkward JohODie of his face the mouth is abso.
luey prodigous the lips, struggling and extending al
most from line Of black beard to the other are only
kept in order by two deep burrows from the nosr 20
the chin; the nose iiself-a prominent organ-stands
out from the face, with nquiring, anxious air as
though it smiling for some good thing in the wind
the eyes dark, aud deeply set penetrating but full
Of expression which almost amounts TO tenderness
and above them projects the shaggy brow running into
the small hard frontal space the development of which
scarcely be estimated accurately owing the rregu-
lar iocks OF thick hair carelessy brushed across it,"