Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-08-29
Mrs. Kate Chase sprague.

UkTSs AA&to &hss'S Nt'--~.
Writing to the Courier-Journal, a
New York correspondent gives this
sketch of Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague and
her summer resort at Narraganset; The
house contains eighty rooms and is mag
nifcently furnished, and is, OF course,
filled with choice works of art. Mrs.
Sprague has all which ought to make life
desirable-wealth, beauty, grace and ac-
complishments-yet / doubt not the May
morning on which her father was found
unconscious in his room, with no hope OF
his recovery possible, has darkened her
life forever, and though time may ale
viate her grief at the loss of the father,
TO whom she was so devoted, yet nothing
can ever cure the pain from the mortal
wound her ambition has received. Mrs.
Sprague is thoroughly ambitious. 1t
has not been because of mere personal
vanity that she has perfected herself as
a woman of the world and queen of
society. 1t was not the desire to facinate
and delight merely for the sake of hom-
age it brought that induced her to study
every graceful poise, and school herself
in courtly language and brilliant repair
tee. She for years prepared herself,
using all the advantages of wealth to
cultivate her really remarkable talents
for a social ruler, in the fond expectation
of being one day the presiding lady at
the White House. Mr.. Chase was cred
tied with an overwhelming desire to be
the chief magistrate, yet | believe that
this was less due to his own ambition
than to his elder daughters. A gentle
man who acted as one of Mr.. Chase's
agents during the campaign prior to the
nomination of Seymour in 1868 has told
me how throughout Mrs. Sprague was
taken into consultation, how high were
her hopes, and how constantly her father
spoke of her in connection with his sue
cess or failure. When he thought sue
cess certain, as he did until the very day
Seymour received the nomination, he re-
joiced most of all for the joy it would
give Mrs. Sprague, and when the GER
tainty of failure was made known to
him, his first words were, "Does Mrs.
Sprague know" When told she did,
"And how does she bear it?" he inquir-
ed. He seemed more relieved to find
that the bad news did not overwhelm
her. When Mrs. Sprague was told, she
manifested wonderful self-control, but ev-
IDENTIFY the blow was severe. She said
little, but that little, albeit it was calmly
spoken, showed the violence of the shock
she had received. With her father, Mrs.
Sprague's ambition to be the lady of the
White House must necessarily have died.
She cannot hope to have her husband
place her there. Not even her powerful
personal influence and talent for diplo-
macy, added to his unbounded wealth,
can procure the Presidency Cor Senator
Sprague. | doubt if Mrs. Sprague
passes much time in Washington hereaf-
ter. For nearly three years after the
disappointment wrought by Seymour's
nomination she was there but seldom ;
and even when her days of mourning
for her fathers death are over, it is
scarcely probable she will care to resume
her old life in the city where she had
hopen to be the chief lady. She is a
wonderful woman. There are few wo.
men of whom history tells us who. united
with SO much beauty and grace, have
had so powerful mind and SO much
genius for ruling.