The New York herald., 1877-07-09
ROMANTIC LIFE HISTORIES.
Queens of Society with Nine Hun
dred Year.
STORY OF A PHOTOGRAPH.
A Treasury Girl Who Married
a Governor.

three casses-he eddy butterflies, the busy bees and
the woman's rights women The first are pretty and
silly the second plain and useful; the third manh'sh
and odious The first long, trailing dresses and
smile at you whiio waltzing; the second wear aprons
and give you apple dumplings; the third want your
manly prerogatives, your coat your money and your
vote Had Miss Mason made study OF the female ee-
mont in government employ In Washington she could
have found ana added another and more Interesting
class to her list This fourth class Is represented by
the womanIy woman-tne most delicate mechanism OF
Gods hand and the power OF whose endurance, the
special heritage OF such natures, is marvellous They
have met bravoy grevous losses and passed patiently
through bitter sorrows We find them here, with
raro tact adapting themselves to their duties
cheerfuy and trying teach their hands the fashion
Of work they never had learned before. Born In
luxury, reared In anluencc pelted and coured in
prosperity and in high social position, they have
known literally nothing of the value OF labor, and
when came. which are so common In this
country where fortunes unstable water these
pets OF prosperity either hc INTO the ranks OF the
womanly women, or, II they lack the necessary quail
lies OF bravery and independence sink to be helpless
dependents, burden to friends and misery to them
selves.
WOMEN FORTUNES.
We all recall such people, even If we go through
the world with our eyes bali shut, to whom the jar
and fret Of the rushing, scrambing world is nothing
short OF pandemonCm. II you recall one such person
it probably woman. If you count ten perhaps
OF them IS man. but man or woman cursed with
this highly wrought oversenstve nature needs to be
shut within the walls of protecting love for all time,
guarded and cared for by the womanly women who
are leaving
Footprints. that perhaps another
Some forlorn and shipwrecked brother
-eein tai
Among the distinguished women OF fallen fortunes
now holding situations in the departments al WASH
ington perhaps most conspicuous in this respect,
is the granddaughter OF President OF the United
Btates.
WILCOX.
Mrs Mary Z. Wilcox is the daughter OF Andrew
Jackson Donaldson. who was the adopted of An
drew Jackson. She is the only person living who
born in me White House, which her mother pre-
sided for eight years, during tho administration of
President Jackson IRON 1929 TO 1881 Mr.. Donaldson
was the nephew OF Mrs Jackson, and adopted by
them at The age OF Two years He fled the once OF
private secretary to the President and Mary born
IN the Presidents second term, which was remark
able for the famous nallhcaton excitement
Mrs. Donaldson was distiu guished for the mag
nifcence OF dinners, which per-
haps only equalsd by those OF Mrs. Madison, and
the day OF Mary's birth was made memorable by a
dinner to which toe Cabinet and many other dstin-
yuished visitors invited. Before the guests left
tbe house the subject OF this sketch born. The
occasion OF her baptism made important affair,
and both houses Of Congress invited to be pres
enl The stood the window OF the East Room,
whore Nellie Grant since married
DISTINGUISHED GoDFArHERs.
President Jackson and Vice President Van Buren,
were her godtathersL
When Mr.. Jackson retired from ofnce the close of
his administration and was succeeded by Martin Van
Buren, Mr.. Donaldson received the appointment Of
Minister TO Germany and Immediately removed there
with his family consisting of bis wife, twho
sfterward killed at Chlckamauga) and his daughter
Mary, remarkable even IN her childhood for the
cheerfulness and vivacity OF spirits which
have characterized her through life and kept
her youthful, while smoothing many rough
places in her later lie and gliding many
dark clouds with streaks OF sunshine Eer faihcr's
residence in Berlin for eight years gave the oppor-
tunty OF acquiring the education and mplishmenis
which have been OF much actual vauc her since.
and with her than ordinary talents she soon
became distingu ished as a scholar, and with rare
aptitude for the languages she exceed as a inguist
having completely mastered Spanish, Italian, French,
German, Latin and Greek, all the modern languages
OF which she speaks ss 1uently as her own tongue.
Upon returning to her native country she had arrived
1t the years OF early womanhood, and reaching her
home In the Hermitage, at Nashviile-as Andrew
Jackson's home was known--she was called to the sad
duty Of watching the dying hours of The soldier and
statesman. As the death dews gathered on his brow
and the eyes grew aim her voice soothed his last
moments, and her head received his dying blessing
MARRIAGE WILCOX.
In the latter part OF the year 1850 after Mr. Fillmore
was inaugurated into the Office of President made va
was married TO John A WILCOX OF Mississippi, who
had made a brilliant military record IN the Mexican
war Arrangements made by Mr. Fillmore to
have the ceremony performed in the White House. as
she was that tlme residing In this city. hut
NJ the last moment her father. who diskcd display,
objected and The marriage took place quietly IN her
own homo. Mr. Wilcox was a native ol the South,
and at the beginning OF the war with Mexico enlisted
ss private. but was soon promoted for bravery on
the leld and when JEFF Davis resigned the command
OF his regiment account of misunderstanding with
General Wool Captain Wilcox appointed to
the command. After the annexation of Texas de-
sared peace restored CooacI Wilcox settled per-
msneptly IN that state and represented IL in Congress
Tor two consecutive terms After the breaking out OF
sostihtes between the North and south he was elected
70 the Confederate Senate from Texas and died at
Richmond IN 1854
LEFr PksNILESs WIDOW
In 1856 Mr. Donaldson was before the public as can
ddate for Vice President the Know Nothing ticket
with hiilard Fillmore, and We hear OF him
until the beginning OF the civil war, he resided
quietly in tho old homestead, the Hermitage, near
Nashville. Early in the war Jen Davis, suspocting
him OF treason, had him arrested and court mar
tailed Mary wilcox hastened to the COMMANDER,
General Van Dorn and pssded Tor her father, claim
ins sacrifice Of her husband and three brothers
the service and he released the prisoner. The eman-
epatoa proclamation Of President Lincoln by giving
freedom 10 their slaves, carried away their large
seaIth and loft xrz WILCOX, at the close OF the war;
siaow With two children and entirely penncss Her
saves the great astaehn which existed among
sbem for their former master, Andrew Jackson re-
fused TO leave her, and her cook, woman
vhom Andrew jackson bad In a
sosss racs aud nad gwen 10 the then
youthful Mary resolved 10 with her mistress and
hNudr