Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-01-20
A California Belle.

The California correspondent of the
Providence Journal gives the follow
ing account of a San Francisco lady /:
Mrs. Ellet, in her recent book on
Famous American Women makes
mention Of California lady, remarka-
bic for her ability to entertain twenty
gentlemen at once by her vivaciOus
conversational powers. If this were
the only or chiefly remarkable thing
about Miss Hitchcock, she would be
a far less remarkable parsonage than
she is. But she is character, and
such a character as this age can not
and need not duplicate the country
over. As Americans we have long
bOasted of the versatility of our eli
mate, soil, and people. Perhaps Miss
Hitchcock was n necessary national
production, that the world may be con-
WINGED of the etruthfulness of this boast
She is a public chamberlain actress
requiring far broader stage and larg-
er house than other actresses of the
time. She is an only daughter, an
only child, / believe, of q wealthy and
most respectable family, her father.
DIR. Hitchcock, having come to this
coast as an army surgeon during the
Mexican war. He is now a retired
physician, and among the most sub
stantial and worthy of San Francis
co. His accomplished daughter has
long been one of the bellies of this
city, without whom no social gather
ing Of the ton was complete if she was
in the country. When a child she
was rescued from a burning building
by some members of the Knicker-
booker Engine Company, No. 5, since
which time she has never forgotten
them-wearing cOnspicuOusly at all
times, and in all places, a neat gold 5
upon her dress, and at times making
the Company, of which she is a duly
elected member, costly presents, rang
ing from the cherished asp to the gold
fire-hOrn. She is eccentric
to an extent that would shock our New
England notions of propriety, show
ing her eeeentrieity now by present
ing the ''Fives" a barrel of brandy.
now stalking a thousand ON a favOrite
horse at the race, again by riding on
the eOweatcher over the entire length
OF the Napa Valley Railroad, to which
ride she challenged an engineer, and
still again by some of the nObIest
deeds Of philanthropy and charity
She has upwards of fifty thousand
dollars in her own right, and of course
is expected TO inherit the hundreds oi
thousands of her fathers estate. From
her own purse she supplies the wants
Of many needy objects of charity, be-
ing generous in the extreme and OF |
noble impulses. She vibrates between |
San Francisco and Paris, taking New j
York and London on her way, and as |
-Onishing the natives of each of these !
Iuiet ~ intermediate cities by what /
she does and what she does not do
She defies all rules and conventional |
ties of society, dresses and acts as she |
Dleases everywhere; selects the COM |
Dany from all classes at will, and vet !
the confidence and good /
will of all. She is conspicuous at the
grand balls of the Empress at the Tui-
cries, attends annually the Derby in
England, where, it is said, she amuses
herself by winning or losing a few
hundred pounds day at the hands of
he young sprigs of nobility. A few
lays since shestarted in neOmpany with
Ter parents overland for New York,
nd thence to Paris. Two days after
Ter marriage notice appeared as evil
lenee of the last of her eccentrieities;
he in quiet way, with the personal
of but two human beings
eside herself and the fortunate (?)
room, having suddenly experiment.
d in the role of bride. Another ad-
lirer was with her all the afternoon
t that day, until p. NJ, when she
Tent, as he supposed, to dinner. At
p. m. he met her again by appoint
lent, and went with her to the thea
ar, after which he accompanied her
nd the family as far as Sacramento,
n her overland journey, quite ignor- ,
Mt of the fact that from D. m, he .
ad been in company with Mrs. How g.
rd Colt instead of Miss Hitchcock
his is the same youth whom she da-
ID to drive down an embankmentO on 4
lie Cliff House road few years ago, :
hich he did at the small cost of ST.
y. Her husband is left behind, she !.
OF having seen him, il is said, since
ley left Saint James Free Church. :
ere this she has il formed
er loving pa and dearest ma of her =
te romantic experiment, and is now =
ljOying some other innocent amuse- :
ent. But while this heroine is thus =
centric and romantic in her COM = =
'sition, and thus reckless in her de- = :
eanor, as before remarked, there are =
her character many of the noblest ,
ats possessed by any. She speaks >,
II of no one, but has Kind word y
ID warm heart for all. Were u
at heart, those talents and hermeans q z
to her God, and her life -
strained by the religion of Jesus, ~
e would have almost unlimited ca ~
city for usefulness. ~