River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-04-02
civ Of DismnntIcd Houses.

A Washington correspondent Of the
Cincinnati Commercial writes:
Washington is full Of dismantled
houses. Its historic abodes, rich in rem
iniscenses OF famous men and women,
may be counted by the hundreds. There
is no need to 60 back to another genera.
ton to note such. Since the beginning
Of the war it seems as if an entire gener-
alton had passed through the portals OF
houses that we know, passed on and out
Of sight forever. There is the famous
Sprague house, so long the abode Of Chief
Justice Chase. What reunions and fctes
it saw, through the war days and after
wards. Sumner, Stanton, Seward, Lin
coin and Chase used to dine and discourse
on the affairs Of State in that stately and
sombcr dining room. Thither Sumner
fastened to tell Chase Of his appointment
to Chief Justice. His exquisite daughter,
made Of spirit, fire, and dew" If ever
woman was, poured coffee at the head Of
the table AMI listened in silence. But when
Sumner arose to depart, she followed him
out into the hall to the front door; then
lifting her hand and shaking her slender
finger close TO his face, she exclaimed:
you have sold papa know it,"
"Ncver," said Mr.. Sumner, "shall ] for.
get the fame in her face, the tone Of her
voice, or the gesture Of that finger, as she
uttered those words.
What banquets she gave in that house.
There was a tet5 chdBipetre in June that
might have been revel in the garden Of
Cashmere; soiree dGnsante in winter,
where temporary ballroom covering the
enure garden was built and garnished-
where the flowers alone that decorated it
cost over $1,000. What morning recep-
tions she gave, standing amid her throngs
Of worshipers, the very embodiment #
ideal grace. Women criticised her fea.
lures; nevertheless, the fact remained
that she was more beautiful to behold
than any who gazed upon her.
If ever woman was born to embellish
public station that woman is Catherine
Chase Sprague. Nevertheless she is an
exile from il Ia wanderer to-day in Flu.
rope. The house in which she reigned SO
long as daughter and wife has passed into
the hands OF creditors, and is already a
boarding house. About every other
abode in Washington is boarding OF
dwellidg house, but this one even the
| demon Of necessity should have spared
such fate. 70 day boarders and dodgers
dwelling about the salon where that
queen Of grace once stood, point aloft and
tell you to behold the havoc she made
with these slender hands before she de-
parted. But in this capital there is no
woman left who can Till her place, or ap
proach her in her own type of personal
loveliness and grace. Perhaps it was be-
cause Of this fact that there have always
been So many women to criticiSe and so
few to praise her. They were perpetual.
ly finding fault with every thing about her
from the tip Of her nose to her lack Of
heart, and, above all, with her supreme
indifference to themselves. In her utter
devotion TO her children she proved that
she has II least mothers heart, which
no call Of fashion or prompting Of ambi-
tion ever tempted from its loving cares.
To any student and lover Of human ma.
ture she must, while she lives, be an OBJ
iect Of the deepest interest, not only be-
cause Of her superlative grace, the rare
spell of her face, her social tirmness, but
because Of the rare capacities and posi-.
biiities Of her npture.