Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-07-09
A @tatesman's Wife.
Interesting sketch of Mrs. Thomas
II. Benton.
From Appleton's Journal.


been called "the Warwick of til,
Democracy" Yet hers was bril-
liant life for nearly twenty years
brilliant it would have been from he
own great powers of mind alone.
In person she resembled so closely
Girard's portrait of Madame de Stael
that the family think 1t better than
portraits made from life of herself
Her health was always good till in
her early married life she received q
shock which entailed on her years Of
suffering, finally causing her death
a young girl, the daughter of an
ihh-keeper, in q village near Mrs
Benton's Virginia home, had been
betrayed, and, through sorrow and
shame, had lost Eer reason. In hei
frenzy she had destroyed her babe
Mrs. Benton, who knew her well
interposed in her behalf, and had hei
sent to the lunatic asylum in Staun-
ton. When she became calm and
docile, she was discharged as incur.
able, but harmless.
She was accustomed to wande,
about the neighborhood of Mrs. Ben.
tons residence, end to visit frequent.
ly the house. When the family came
from Washington, she would come
to receive the presents brought her
by the lady, and manifested the most
extravagant joy over them. She
would take home the pretty articles
OF dress, put them on, and tell every
body that she was expecting "him"
"he' was to return in the spring to
marry her; and 'see, dear Miss Bet
sey" had brought her these wedding
things.
The servants al Mrs. Benton's
called her "Old Sally; for she was
no longer pretty girl, but an anx.
ious, weather beaten, demented wo-
man-and the white ribbons and
iiowers, and bits of white finery,
were always kept for her. When
wandering through the woods and
orchards in spring, too, she would
cover herself with white blossoms,
and go on singing in high wild key.
She always carried q heavy staff
usually the bough of a young tree
but never offered harm to any one.
The only thing that moved her anger
was to hear any one say "he" was
not coming. This would bring her
back to madness.
Whenever "Miss Betsey," as she
always called Mrs. Benton, was at
home, Sally was fond of coming to
The house; was gentle, and pleased
to be noticed and humored in her sad
fancy of making herself beautiful fol
eyes that would never look on hel
again.
In the warm weather all the doors
Of the house stood open all day. On,
day Sally came in a stern mood
some, child or servant, having cross.
ed her--and, entering unperceived
passed through the rooms to the
chamber where Mrs. Benton was
lying on couch, resting after q walk
Sally regarded the lady attentiyely
as she slept. Full of love and graft,
tude to her kind friend, she would
have done anything to please her.
Some wild thought stirred in her
tangled brain as she gazed. She af-
terward described it as vision,
81 saw her." she said, sleeping
there, happy, in her fathers house
knew that when her baby was born
her father would cure her, and put
her out of doors; and then 'he' never
would come back to her. | was de.
termined to kill her before she could
wake up and be made miserable"
The wretched experience of the
poor woman had scared her brain
and she nerved herself for her dread
full task. Mr.. Benton WAS in an adj
joining room, and heard the strange
whispering, broken by wild sobs
He came in and saw the woman with
her heavy bough uplifted, and ready
to dash it with all her force upon tn,
head of his unconscious wife. Spring
ing forward, he was just i'm time t.
arrest it and avert the death-blow
The maniac struggled violently in
his grasp, az he strove to hurl hel
away.
Mrs Benton, suddenly awakened
saw the furious mad woman intenI
on her deadly purpose, the descend
Ing bough, and the desperate strug
gle that ensued. The fright almos
paralyzed her. The death of thu
infant born soon after. and sever,
illness that followed, prevented he
recovery from the fearful shock sh,
had undergone. Thus was her con,
stitution impaired, and the suffering
begun, which ended in complet,
breaking down OF the nervous sys
tenn.
The seven years Of invalid life tina
followed, brought out the unseliisl
and loving care of Mr.. Benton, ant
won from all who saw him mor
esteem than his greatest public ser
vices could command. The natur,
Of one had acted on the other durin,
their time of health; and, even wheI
health had departed, Mrs. Benton
noble principles, and the consisten
use she had made in full strength o
all her powers for good, still guidet
her husband. Her numerous ar;
sustained acts of charity may neve
be known; for she was always reti
cent, and, though oneerful, and quicl
of wit, shy OF revealing her deepe
Feelings. But the poor who came t
! f,er funeral-the men in high posi-
ton, who, standing by the dead, sal,
to her daughter, "But for her wa
a lost man. "What / am now ow
to her admonitions and encourage
ment'-the women. respected by al
who there confessed that she la
secretly helped them through tn
black hours when suicide or ope
Drawing Of dishonor seemed the onl
alternative left them-these, and til
l ta..Iixan Of hnr fniiLfI.l oaIl..o