Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-04-13
WOMEN OF WASHINGTON.

sermon on next Sabbath, at II a. IN.
WOMEN OF WASHINGTON.
Mothers and Ddughters-TEe Ladies
of the American COlrt-INrs. Presi-
dent Grants Delight.
MRS. GRANT.
Crowds thronged her house on !
street as soon as she was established
there, and it was known that she
would receive on Saturdays. From
the first, her manner of receiving has
been unpretending, by no means un-
graceful. She has never assumed any
thing, and indeed her ndire way of
alluding to her past life during her
first winter here was something re-
freshing after the grand airs that had
been shown by another lady from
small town in Illinois. On a certain
clustering afternoon during Lent, in
1868, two ladies called on Mrs. Grant
and found her alone. One of them
congratulated her on not being
obliged to undergo the fatigue of
standing two or three hours to receive
a crowd of persons. "Oh, indeed, !"
she replied, enjoy it. like to have
number of people call. Perhaps
another winter when / am more used
to it, 1 shall not care so much about
it; but this mode of life is new to me,
you know" On another occasion, at
an insufferably jammed evening re-
ceptiOn in the same l street house, she
overheard some one exclaim: "Oh,
this horrid crOwdI" and instantly
turning to the speaker, she said, earn,
estly: Don't say horrid, say delight
full" She has not become weary of
large receptions. She thoroughly en-
joys them, and manages, somehow,
to make hers so agreeable that the
same persons attend them week after
week.
But it is in her family relations that
Mrs. Grant shines. Her greatest ene-
my could find no fault with her there.
She is a good daughter, a proud and
devoted wife, and an affectiOnate
mother. A lady who visits at the
White House intimately says: ut is
necessary to see General and Mrs.
Grant in their own house in order to
know them. Their domestic life is
really beautiful. The General, when
with his family, is an altogether DIFF
ferent man. He is lively, has plenty
to say, and is often very humorous in
his remarks.
MRS. SHERMAN.
The 1 street house, vacated by the
Grants, became the property, as every
one knows, of the Shermans, aud the
receptions held there are much the
same now as those of other days. Mrs.
Sherman is woman of the descrip-
ton usually styled ''motherly.n She
has a pleasant face and is ready in
conversation. She is not tall, but
stout, and she wears her front hair in
large curls smOothed down ON her
forehead, and seems glad to see those
who call on her. She is a devOut
member of the Roman Catholic
Church, and is we'll known as an ex-
ceedingly charitable woman.
MINNIE SHERMAN.
But the L street house has the adj
vantage now, in that there is a young
lady daughter to assist in making the
entertainments agreeable. Miss Min
ME Sherman enjoys society very
much indeed. Albeit she has the
credit of being somewhat impassive.
She is pleasing in her appearance, and
is mere of the blonde than of the
brunette order. Her face is by some
called, "coldly intellectual, /" by Others
"statuesque." But her quiet manner
is more TO be attributed to her having
been an invalid for some time than to
any intentional reserve. She was so
unfortunate as to be thrown from her
horse while riding some two or three
years ago, and she was so seriously in
jured that for a long time there was
no hope of her recovery. 1t is not
quite year since she was first able to
90 into society, and she found it so
pleasant then that at the first of this
winter she declared her intention to
accept every invitation sent, even at
the rate of four or five an evening.
A story has gone the rounds that
she declined dancing with the Prince,
on the score of q previous engagement;
but that is not true, for she did dance
with him. With regard to the loeket
Prince Arthur sent her, it was sent as
a delicate mode of returning General /.
Sherman's generosity in presenting
II. r. H. with q very handsome rifle. [
1t contains his own picture but not l
his mothers
There is never any dancing at the /
Sherman receptions. Mrs. Sherman /,
very. decidedly of round |
dances, and never permits her daugh- /
ter to dance them.
MRS. FISH.
No one has done more toward the |
entertainment of society this winter 4
than Mrs. Fish. She began in De- /
cember to have evening receptions, /
and has continued them up to the /
present time, and is likely to keep (
them up till Lent begins. Mrs. Fish
had the advantage on coming here, of
a long experience of Washington sOci-
ETY. when her husband was Senator
several years ago. She has left a
most delightful impression on the
minds of all who knew her then, and
that impression is not only deepened,
but extended, by her course this win
ter. Every one has something pleas
ant to say about her. She is so en-
tirely what lady of her age and posi-
ton should be. She is very hand
some woman, dignified and reserved,
but never naughty.
MRS. BELKNAP.
The wife of the Secretary of War,
Mrs. Belknap, is young, handsome
and attractive in every way. A story
went the rounds at the time of Gener-
al Belknap's appointment, which
gives an excuse for referring particu-
larly to her past life. 1t was said that
she became acquainted with her hus-
band through her brother, who was
I'm the Confederate army, being taken
prisoner by General Belknap's COM
mand. She, it was said, went to see
her brother, and the rest of the
romance is inferred. 1t is so far true
that her brother was taken prisoner
and carried to General Belknap's
headquarters. The General having
known a married sister of the young
man in Keokuk, Iowa, showed him
much kindness. 1t was not until a
year afterward that he met Miss Clara
whom he has since mar
red.
She is very tall, but perfectly grace
+ul; is a clear brunette; has brill {
liant color, and very bright dark eyes. {
She dresses very handsome and al
ways tastefully.
MRS. CRESwELL-
Mrs. Creswell has won the hearts of
he young people by having dances at
her evening receptions. She is an
unable lady, and looks so. She is
Iuite pale and thin, and does not ap-
Iear strong, yet she discharges her