The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-05-20
The Chases.
Washington Cor. Chicago Tribune.


Washington Cor. Chicago Tribune.l
Yesterday the country seat of the late
Chief-,Justice Chase was offered for sale,
at ''Edgewood," Just a little way out OF
the city As many articles OF furniture
and pictures were still in the house. many
people desrous Of obtaining souvenirs
braved the storm which made out-ot-door
prospects any thing but cheerful, and pur-
chased many things as mementoes of "auld
lang synen
The city residence of the Chief f-Jus4@
a substantial, double brick house, at the
corner of and Sixth street, was occupied.
after his death, by Senator and Mrs i.
Sprague, but since their departure for Eu-
rope the residence has fallen into the grasp
OF some enterprising individuals, who
have turned its historic rooms into suites
for the accommodation of boarders Think
OF it the aristocratic old Chase mansion
metamorphosed into boarding house.
| we'll remember the first occasion | en-
tered the house was during the progress
of some entertainment to which was in
vited while Nh Chase was Secretary of
| the Treasury, His white hair, courtly
bearing, fine intellectual head, and smile
which lighted up ana sottened all his tea
lures, made an indelible impression upon
my memory, but upon his graceful, queen
| ly daughter gazed with ill-concealed ad-
miration. At that time, trains of enor-
nous length We're worn by the ladies',
most OF whom managed them so awk-
wardly that they endangered not only
their own lives, but those with whom they
came in contact. In dancing that even
ing, Il gentleman's feet became entangled
In the clumslly carried train of some lady
so that he fell heavily to the floor with his
partner, severely bruising the one. and
cutting the head of the other. But Kate
Chase, robed in a shimmering white satin
| trimmed with tilmy lace, with a train
which laid on the hall floor above stairs,
rs her dainty feet touched the threshold of
the drawing room, was in no way incon-
yenienced by the yards of drapery which
followed in her wake as gracefully as the
| motions of a swan upon the bosom of some
clear lake
The only praiseworthy thing that Tos
tee, queen of the opera boutfe and its
French vulgarisms, has left us in remem-
brance is the eNquistely adroit manner in
which she managed her train, under all
circumstances obedient to her lightest
touch, But Tostee would stand far away
in the back ground, compared in this re-
~pect with rare Kate Chase. Her neck
WIS very long and slender, but so remark
ably symmetrical, and the manner in
which She turned her shapely head and
neck were fit studies for a painter and
sculptor combined 1t is remarkable,
upon close criticism. wherein exists the
beauty for which Mrs. Sprague is and al
ways has been remarkable. Her name
will become historic, rs belonging to the
most beautiful woman Of the age which
she graced, and yet from any acknowl-
edged standpoint OF perfection, she can
stand no test whatever. Her nose is
retr0USSc, her mouth rather large, her
physique essentially spirituelle, yet no one
however prciudiced, can look at her with
out feeling and acknowledging her beau
IT, She has not the talents, nor half the
brains, ui her half-sister Nettic - Mrs
tloyt vet she can tascinate and influence
Il thousand to her sisters one. and carry
her plans to Il wonderful maturity, with
out seeming to make an effort. Mrs. lloyt
draws and paint, remarkably and illustrat
ed several Years ago, in a charming man
ner, "Mother Goose, as mach to the de-
light Of grown people as to the little cur
ly-headed pratters in the nursery. She
also speaks French, German and Italian
tluently, j, musical, and plays Il game OF
chess | never heard Of amy intellectual
accomplishment in connection with Mrs.
Spragl;e | onl y knew that her dresses
were perfection in material and fit that
her face was u study; that the laces which
50 softly enclrcled her beautiful throat
We're the daiutiest ever worn by woman
that her gloves always looked as if freshly
put on her slender hands; that her eyes
We're tull of q peculiar light, kindled 10y
the knowledge Of her lovliness and its
power; that She was encircled by more
magnetism, more charm of presence, than
any other woman have ever met.
After she became the mother of several
little ones, her hautiness seemed very
much soltened, aud tcndcrer smile
PLAYED over her features, and her eyes
were melloWer in their expression, aud
more beautiful met one of ;he little
creatures in the Park one day, and ii
looked 50 dainty and exquisite that, not
noticing any one but il nurse accompany
ing ii, stopped down and kissed the
child, when, looking up met the radiant
smile of its mother as She gazed at me
with an almost grateful expression. Every
"Wednesday Mrs. Spraguc went with her
three children (she has live) to dancing
school, where She would patiently sit
throughout the two hours and Il half in
struction. Now, She is experimenting
the education Of her little family abroad,
for. Notwithstanding the EX- Senator Sc
we're losses, each of his children have
considerable fortunes settled upon them,
.I. -, ,,,l l,ii