The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-10-17
oh. BaIletin.
a WASHINGTON MANSION.
Narrative OF Disappointed AsDbi
ton ana Deserted Halls.

Washington Cor. Cincinnati Esquire.
II Is announced that the residence Of ex-
Attorney Genaral Willsms is in the mark
ct II a desiIa able tenant can befound for l..
/ .neyer passed near that elegant mansion
without rejecting on the vanity Of human
schemes having for their object the attain
ment Of exalted position. That house
seems TO be monument OF feminine ambi-
lion, az suggestive as the broken columns
we see In the cemeteries, commemorative
OF those who have been cat OF In their
prime. Dnring the sumner of 1873 the
wife OF the United states attorney general
remained all through the warm months in
Washington, although the congress was
net 10 session, and there was no special at' Z
traction here for on who 80 dearly loved
society ard lis triumph' and eNcitements.
She was planninga gteater triumph than
had yet gladicned her lie, at no time want
ing in incidents. Sac designed her husband
for the life proud position so recently made
vacant BY the death of Chief Justice Chase,
position which would enable her as his
wife 10 take so loug o. he lived an enviable
rank in Washington society. As step to-
ward the better enjoyment OF the honors
,he felt assured would be hers, she deter.
mined 10 b'iii mansion especially adapt
Ell Tor euteda.Hnen . 90 /. grand scale, in
which the difficulties experienced il the
usual style OF Washingtons dwellings on
such occasions would be obyiated. She
hoped to have her husband confirmed as
chief justice soon after the meeting OF con-
gress, and determined that her house
should be ready before the winter gave
ties began. 1t was ready, but the bouse-
warming was not as planned by The ambi-
tious woman, the occasion for thousands TO
congratulate her Oh the prospect of life
long reign in Washington society.
When she received therein, on New
Years day, the confirmation Of her hus.
band as chief justice was regarded as more
than doubtful, and in less than fortnight
alterward his name was withdrawn.
The disappointment, coming after the
long period during which her nervous or.
ganization had been greatly overstrained
BY both mental and physical exertion, as
well as the enforced endurnce Of public
and private discussions Of her past, which
spared no detail OF comment in the reel tai
overcame her, and during the months which
followed she rarely appeared In public, and
was nearly all the time confined to her
room by painful lines.
The following year she had one large re
ception by night in Der admirably planned
house. But II was stIl as the wife Of the
attorney general she received her guests.
ana with the consciousness that the loss OF
the position which a lady ones called in cX-
uitation at her own security with hus-
band elected TO the senate for the long
term a. that OF 49, creature Of the day" vas
a mere question OF time. The reception
was numerOuSIy attended, but there was
no crowd, 40 thoroughly i. the b ouse adapt
ell to secure comfortt0 guests, no matter
how great their number, To prevent the
usual difficulty occasioned by those srriy-
Ing being caught on the stairway leading
to the dressing.rooms by the descending
tide, hurryiLg toward the drawing room,
there is porte cOchere and handsome en-
trance at the back Of the house, through
which all are conducted when they arrive,
and shown at once up back stairway TO
the dressing rooms. In going 10 the Ga-
loon below, the grand stairway, which is in
the center Of the house, is used. This
faces the grand drawing room. opposite
which is.the library, separated by broad
hall, all so arranged that the whole
can he thrown into one magnificent de-
partment.
This was the last grand entertainment
over which Attorney General William. and
his wife presided. 1t occurred in January,
ISIj, and Lent put an end to the gay sea-
son on the 10Th Of February. Early in
March some mysterious letters kept Wash
ington society ina futter, and while what
ever the relation they and the subsequent
resignation of the attorney general bore
to each other as the cause and effect per.
haps may never be certainly known, it is
true thala few weeks later there was va.
cancy in the department Of justice. The
following winter the wife of the attorney
general did not remain in Washiutou, and
her house was not open save as lodging
for her husband. In the spring of 1876,
when the COMMITTEE on expenditures in
the war department" was making its re-
port, she reappeaid, and has occupied her
house frequently at intervals since, but has
lived most unsatisfactory life therein.
Her neighbors say that rarely has one been
seen going to The door where. crowds once
gathered. No back stairway has been need
ed to prevent guests elbowing each other.
She Is now, here, going to Europe, or has
gone, and will remain two years superin-
tending the education of her husbands
daughter and joining her studies. When
the girls education is finished she and her
step.mother, it is said, return here, andth
latter is determined to give the young lady
every advantage possible.