New-York tribune., 1871-01-19


suppose, to the fact that they were unaccus-
toned to approach brOwn-stone houses except
by the kitchen way. Having got INTO the
parlor, where :" all tho accessories ttat wealth
"and refinement cOnld suggest were heapeu
" with reckless profnsiOn worthy OF squah-
"dering Goth or predatory Hum" they were
thence escorted to the dining-ro0m, wilich
seems, like the parlor, to have been over
loaded, not to say choked, with its own mag
nifcence for mahogany furniture, with Duhi-
work. and marqueterie, "was az thlchiy
" strewed in the room as leaves IN Nailiim-
brosa.r In this curious place, surrounded by
pictures of 81 fish and other indications OIL Il
refined taste,n sat two ladies at dinner.
One was Mrs. Williams, lady OF whom we
are told very little, except that shc
is prepossessing in form. The other'
robed in white, was Mrs. Mansfield
Mrs. Mansfield is shaped like duchess
which is brilliant but vague Her skin Is
"as fair in fiber and hue AS the lily itsef.'
She has "sea -shell-like ears" The reporter
took her hand and found it to be smooth.
While she received her guests the reporter and
his friend stood whispering together aG the
door, dropping into poetry, discussing her ap-
pearance, and carrying on quite "A long aside
conversation on the subject OF Ireland, Oliyer
Cromwell, and jim Fisk. What tableau TINS
must have made! When they had finished,
MIR. Smith introduced The B'atberSkite, out
popped the inevitable notebook, and our
hero, after sucking the point of his pencil,
fell to business
1t is needless to say that the conversation
was conducted with exquisite tact and deli
cacy. The BldtherSkite began by asking Mrs.
Mansfield if jim Fisk gave her that house !;
and having thus gently broken the ice, he
made it his duty to inquire where she got all
her fine clothes, who found her in wine Ga
hint which she apparently did not take,
and whether she paid for her own food She
evidently meant that the reporter shonld pay
for his, for nothing could persuade her to in
vite him to dine. little lively conversation
about the character of Mr.. Fisk suggested the
next question, which seems to have been sprung
upon the lady suddenly, without the slightest
preparation "DIrs. Mansfield, don't you think
" MOntaand is u coarse person in her wayW
This is inimitablc. Just fancy the creature
putting this query, with lecr of idiOtic cum
ning and the calm conviction that he had said
a very neat thing, for which Mrs. Mansfield
would be ever!astingly grateful. He must
have been amazed at the reply: =" do not; l
"think she is very nice and pretty"
We need not follow the conversation to the
end. 1t is enough to say that the story of
the gllm-shoes, and Fisk in tears, and Stokes
triumphant was all rehcarsed and Mrs. Mans
field told how Fisk was such a coward that
he never walked the streets without a man to
guard him, and used to send to Sheriff OBricn
for " q gang of the boys" TO protect him at
balls and theaters. The interview closed with
q very appropriate remark from Mrs. Mans
field to the effect that she didn't need
" the assistance of reporters" ;" and The
BlatherSkite representative made his way
ont, and htfrcd to put his shame
on paper. OF course he did not learn "a single
interesting fact by his visit, and even the
most prurient curiosity could gather no salts
faction from his narrative. We should not
think of alluding to his exploit if we con-
sidered only its results; but the man who
could go on such an errand with evident sat-
isfaction. and come away from it without the
least suspicion that he was dirty dog, is
social phenomenon that ought to be inves-
tigated.