The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-12-03
MRS. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
ARDBOH,


ACst NAu AAgotAEy WORK.
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial. ""
IRDIANApoLIs, Nov. 80, 1866.
MRS. 'ABnY SAGE MCFARLAND
Resided In this city more than a wear.
Upon her arrival, she presented letters
OF Introduction to the Hon, Albert q,
Porter, OF the distinguished law firm
OF Harrison, Flshbaok & Porter and
engaged his services 10 procure q d.
vorce from Mcfarland, her husband,
The letters were from eminent citizens
OF New York, both ladies and gentle.
men, and were entitled 10 q respectful
consideration, which was greatly In
creased by Mrs. McFarland's dIgnlfied
and modest demeanor. She stated her
case In as few words as possible,
making only such complaint as would
insure the success OF her righteous
cause. Evidently nnnerved by the
necessity for the step, II was remarked
thar she manifested neither anger nor
vIndictIveneSa toward her husband.
Indeed, until Mrs. CRlhoun's spirited
evidence was given In court, Mrs. Mo.
Farland's attorney even had no Idea of
the extent OF her wrongs. That noble,
talented woman, Mrs. Calhoun, OF the
Tribune, came West expressly 10 lestI-
fy In Mrs. McFarland'a behalf and
those who had the good fortune 10 hear
her will not soon forget her glowing
face and impressive manner, aS abe
detailed act after act Of petty tyranny
and abuse most foul on the part OF
Mcfarland towards the young vile he
had promised 10 love and cherish,
But anticipate. Mrs. Mcfarland,
In her Interview with Mr.. Porter, in-
formed him that she was engaged Ia
literary pursuits, and about eOmpillnga
history OF the United State for schools,
would. like the privilege OF access 10
the State Library, which he took pleas.
ure In obtaining her by II line 10 the
State Librarian.
Her next step was TO procure lOdg-
ings In quiet family OF the highest re-.
spectablllty. Here she enjoyed the so.
ciety OF Mrs. Matthews, mother OF Vice
President Colfax, who, by the way, WAS
a previous acquaintance aud devoted
friend. She then opened u bank AC-
count with Mr.. Haughey, through
whom remittances from different pub.
fishers were regularly received. They
did not amount to much, say from ten
to twenty-five dollars ut u time, but
were all she had 10 depend upon for
support and the prospective lawyers
fee. Some Idea OF her Industry NAV be
CLEANED from the fact that she was q
constant contributor to the Indepen.
dent, RiUerSide, and other Journals, bs.
sides writing occasionally for the New
York Tribune and the Atlantic Month.
Ly. She was employed, also, as book
critic by the Round Table until that
periodical was merged into the New
York Citizen, and found the work very
pleasant and lucrative.
She was the author OF those excel.
lent papers, Westward TO the Indies
and Eastward 10 the Indles,' which ap.
peared in The Tribune at the time of the
completion Of the Pacific Railroad.
She wrote THE Hamlets OF the Stage
which at once established her reputa.
ton rs Q writer. Her efforts had hIth-
erto been confined to FAIRY Stories for
Children and Tales from Shakespeare
and the Old English Poets,' but they
were marked by an exubeTance OF fan
cy, delicacy and method, fully devel-
oped inj The Hamlsts OF the Stage.'
Taking that paper, all In all, for brill
ltancy, scholarship. and u certain ease,
may say courtliness, OF expression, II
Is the very best Of the year. 1t WAS
truly said, the woman who can write
that we'll, has the world before hor
where 10 choose Being a woman,
alasl no letter OF the law onn free her
from persecution and misery.
II cannot be said that Mrs. McFar-
land lived In perfect secluslon. She
was regular In her attendance ut the
Unitarian Church, OF which she is u
member, and could have been seen,
frequently. accompanied BY her little
aon, In her daily walks. .'
In appearance Mrs. Mcfarland is
what would be called IN interesting
woman. Her face bears the marks OF
sorrow. There Is something In her un.
even, hurried step which expresses
trlbulAtion, and she enllstS sympathy
without uttering word. Before sor>
row came upon her she must have been
very beautiful. She hasa tall, graceful
| figure; her features are fine and com.
plexion exquisitely fair. Blue eyes,
from which tenderness has departed,
look ont with sorfowfnl expression
from under low, smooth brow, shaded
by riits OF hair OF the marvellous tint
between gold and brown. There Ia
strong will, and talent, and feeling In
the face, but in repose Lhe'Ilps are cold
and compressed as with bitter memo
ry. One can not behold II without
yearning TO Lift the shadows which
darken her face. -slEy
II Mrs. MoFArland's appearance ls re-.
markable, that OF her inseperAble COM
paniou and son Danny, IL positively
startling. he does not resemble her
save In complexion and baIr, which is
OF o deeper llnge, like FURNISHED gold
exactly, and IL stands out In mist
from bis head, as II each particular fine
spun hair were charged with electricity;
aud he has such strangely knowing
expressions; and his little form Ia so
delicate and wlerd-like, and his siugu-
lar devotion 10 his mother, nearly al.
ways grasping her hand tightly as II TO
make up Tor the broken promise Of her
youth, all combine 10 attract attention,
He Is not, like other children, fond Of
play, but nestles In her arms, or At her
feet, looking at her. AS she reads, hour
after hour, for his amusement. When
she does not read, she lnvents stories
for his diversion. In fact, she was In
duced 10 write by friend who sug.
gested that her stories would amuse the
public. She has two sons, the other
one being with his father
Without Courting or avoiding socis-
~, Mrs. Mcfarland became known TO
u small but select circle OF friends, many
OF whom are tendeFly attached 10 her.
/ She is regarded ~ q brave, pure and
accomplished woman, whose only mis-.
take was forbeafance or long-suffeling,
but any one familiar with the history
OF divorces Is aware that a proud, SON
satIve nature will submit to any
amount OF petty and enormous cruel
Ties before seeking redress by the law.
It appeared In evidence that she was
subjected to every species ofsdegrada-
ton, that dlssipaled, 'tyrannlcal man
could devise. What made her case
hopeless for a long time, was Mr.. Me-
Farland's studios regarded for her In
PUBLIC. Their nearest neighbor could
not believe he was 'such man; he WAS
30 kind always. and atfectionate.' Il
was an suuspeakabl relief, when his
true character was revealed 10 the
world. ~"
Mrs. McFarlaud's case was tried be-
fore Judge Woolen, OF Morgan county.
Her witnesses were her father, Mr..
Sage, OF Charlestown, Massachusetts,
aud Mrs. Calhoun, before mentioned.