American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-06-22

Stevens L Mason was dead, Il victim t,
suppressed scarlet fever.
While Miss Mason was dischargine
the duties of first lady of the State
Lewis Cass was at West Point During
his vacation he used to come home, ant
naturally was thrown into the society
of the brilliant Emily. He was 81 ar
rant tlirt, however, more given to sip
ping sweets from many flowers than ex
hibiting constancy to one. Besides, he
was good deal younger than was Mis-:
Emily, and if he was smitten by hel
beauty and accomplishments he never
summoned up courage enough or au
dacity enough to propose TO self-pos
sessed lady, capable of filling the most
exalted position with ease and grace,
while he led a gay butterfly species OF
existence. The Mason and Cass fami
lies were united by the strongest ties OF
friendship, and their intercourse was OF
the most cordial character until the
former family was broken up by the
death of Governor Mason.
The breaking up of the Mason home
stead and the reverse which followed
obliged Miss Mason to look about for
means of support. Had she chosen she
might have entered score of brilliant
homes which would have been proud OF
her presence and her society. She was
a girl of proud, independent spirit,
and her warm Kentucky blood
indicated to her that the noblest
course for her to pursue was to MAIN
tain herself and those dependent upon
her by her own exertions. With the re-
mains of her property she purchased a
market-farm in Fairfax County, Va,
and commenced business like practi-
cal woman. She displayed energy and
commercial foresight, and soon enjoy
ed abundant prosperity. She supported
herself and her orphaned nieces in ele-
giant style, worked hard and acquired a
competence. AT the time the civil war
broke out, her home was one of the
most delightful in all Virginia, and Miss
Mason was enabled to devote a consid-
cradle portion of time to literature.
The war, however, destroyed her home,
scattered her fortune to the winds and
left her all but destitute She was now
a fully matured woman. over forty years
of age, strong, resolutes and energetic.
Driven from her home by the exigen-
cies of the strife, she went to Richmond
and became nurse in the hospitals, a
sort of Florence Nightingale among the
sick, the wounded and the dying SOL
diers. The Federal prisoners who came
under her ministrations of mercy re-
ceived her especial care, and there are
many men IN the North who, passing
through the ordeal of a sick and wound
ed captivity, remember with gratitude
her kindly attentions.
On the close of the war she devoted
herself to the education of Southern
orphans and published several works of
an educational character. She resided
at Washington for a while, and her
home on Pennsylvania Avenue was the
resort of some of the most brilliant men
and women in the capital. She occu-
pied position in one of the Govern
ment offices for a while, and everywhere
commanded respect and admiration by
her brilliant talents and her uncommon
conversationalpow Had she chosen,
she might have established little Hotel
Rambouillet of her own, and finally took
up her residence in Paris.
Many years before this Major Cass
had established himself in the French
capital, and became Frenchman in his
tastes and methods of life. He was the
grande seigaeur after the most approved
old French model. The two met, and
the concealed passion of early years, re-
kindled in the breast Of the old gentle
man, led him to offer Miss Mason his
hand and fortune-recallingt the tendresse
of Chateaubriand for Nine. Recamier,
when both were on the verge of the
grave-but the lady informed him that
she had resolved never to marry, and
the Major asked her to do him the hon
or of granting him her friendship.
Till his death, which occurred
rather suddenly, Miss Mason was his
companion in that friendship in which
French people in the decline of life
hhOW 81 Wei INV " aPPiOSA"eos oaio ohO
closed his eyes and took charge of his
remains. Under the terms of his will
his body was embalmed and brought to
Michigan, reaching Detroit last Friday.
Miss Mason was obliged to go to Balti-
more, TO visit some sick relatives, and
thus the interment was delayed till her
return. "A plain tomb, to cost not more
than $500, will mark the resting place
of Lewis Cass, the self-expatriated de-
scendant of Michigan's greatest son.
The Ne,os has already stated that the
will of Major Cass bequeaths to Miss
Mason $4,000, three diamond rings,
which the testator dearly priced, and
makes her the joint executor of the in
strument.
Such is the history over which, for
one of the parties, the grave closed yes
terday afternoon. Miss Mason, now
past 60 years of age. is lady of singu-
larry noble appearance, and it is safe to
predict that she has yet many years be-
fore her of life which has been full of
event, marked by deep humanizing eff
fort for iher fellow-beings, and by all
the virtues which adorn fully rounded
womanhood.
An Electric Bride.
Some experiments have been made at
Brussels in breaking horses by means of