Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-11-19

American history. There is q certain
resemblance between somo phases of
her career and that of another re-
markabc woman who died not many
months ago Madame Bonaparte.
Both women lived abroad, and carried
there the prestige Of American wo-
manly beauty. Both were women of
strong personal influence, and scored
many social triumphs. Both had dur
ing portion Of their lives fortune
and brilliant position, and both ended
their days in comparative obscurity.
But there the parallel ends. They
wore their rue with difference. Mad.
amo Bonaparte, bitter, cynical and
grasping, preserved her reputation un.
tarnishcd Butts lived also life
barren Of love, and of all sweet and
tender emotions. In strong contrast
was the life of the woman who, though
worsted by adverse fortune, had no
special quarrel with fate, and lived her
life out to the end with certain sweet
and brave courage which no disaster
could crush. Her faults were those OF
q general nature, and her many Iowa
BILE qualities endcared her to all who
knew her. She died in the city where
sho was born, and where the greater
portion of her long Tito was passed.
Better known to past than to the
present generation, still many are ia.
miliar with the slender and still grace
fol figure Of woman whose face re.
tanned TO the last traces of great beauty
Her beauty as a girl and matron is a
matter OF tradition. Those who have
seen her lately will recall face, lined
and tromulous with age, but still re.
tanning spirited clear cut outline, and
soitened and shadowcd by clustering
masses Of grey hair. With all she
kept the viyacity and the charm of
manner which must have been n strong
attraction in her days of conquest. For
she bad her conquests. Perhaps no
woman ever more completely had her
own way. The personal "reminiscences
given below are from Mrs. Eaton's
own lips, during the last year OF her
life, when she recalled wildly, and ap-
parently without effort, the events and
the people OF her past life. A name cf
yesterday might escape her, but her
life in Spain and the Washlnton of
fifty years ago were very present re-
alities. OF the exact date of her birth
there is no written record She her.
self always insisted that she was two
weeks old on the day that Gen. Wash.
ington died
Mrs. O'Neill was woman of more
than usual strength of character, and
remarkably efficient in the practical
affairs OF life. Daniel Webster said no
had never seen a woman so well pre-.
served and so beautiful at her age.
Gen. Jackson entertained great es-
TEEN for her, and during his Presi
dency, when etiquette forbade that be
should call on anyone, a favorite re-
taxation with him from the cares Of
office was to stroll across the "old
fields" near Washington to tho cottage
whore Mrs. O'Neill lived in retirement
and chat with her son. Mrs. jackson
also, during her residence in Washing
ton in 1925, became much attached TO
Mrs. O'Ncill and her daughter, and to
this fact was doubtless due something
of the zeal with which IN later years
Gen. jackson espoused Mrs. Eaton's
cause. A portrait Of her mother, which
Mrs. Eaton has treasured, shows the
grave, scdate face Of an elderly woman
in cap and neckchicf, with quiet brow
and mouth, indicative OF more repose
and poise, and less animation than her
more brilliant daughter
Margaret ONeill was the first child.
There were two sons, both OF whom
died away from home, and two other
daughters. Mary married Philip
Grimes Randolph, who was appointed
Consul to France under Gen. jackson,
and Georgiana married the Rev. French
S. Evans, now of this city.
One OF Mrs. Eatons early recollec.
tions, as related by herself, is of the
capture OF Washington and the battle
of Bladcnsbnrg. The family were at
that time living in Georgetown, two
doors from the house of Mr. Monroe,
who had promised to give them warn.
ing in event Of danger in time to make
their escape good. For days Mr..
O'Neill kept carriage and horses in
ready for flight. 1t was necessary to
keep them hidden, as all horses were
pressed into the service.
"Whcn the battle of Bladensburg
came, relates Mrs. Eaton, "Mr. Monroe
sent us word, as he had promised that
be would do. We fled, leaving dinner
on tho table. Some forty families
went in procession to Montgomery,
mostly women and children, with Just
men enough for escort | remember
how the dust blew, and how we cried,
and with the tears streaming down
our grimy faces what sorry set OF
people we were by the time we reached
Montgomery Gen. Daniel Parker,
Attorney General, was our guido and
escort. We took with us what we
could well carry, and when we reached
Montgomery took refuge in double
log house, the two houses communi-
eating by hallway. From there We
watched the fires in Washington--tho
pnhlin buildings and the rope-walk
burning down. The people wcrc very
much excited All sorts OF absurditics
were committed The woman of tho
house was frantic. continually moving
the furniture from one end OF the es-
tablishment to the other, and back
again. My mother said, My dear
woman, what in the world are you
doing cannot | help your" %, she
said, tho British are coming, and must
get this furniture moved We stood
there watching tho flames, and wond.
crng what might be the fate Of our
own houses. My mother said If all
our property was gone she did not
want to soc my father again she could
not bear to 500 him q ruined man. We
went back to Washington and found
our own homo unmolested. Gen. Ross
was the most human Of British officers.
After the White House was burned and
tho pictures destroyed, he declared
there should bc no further destruction
ofpropcrty; that they had been kindly
received, and so thcy should behave
kindly in return. We were not dis.
turbcd, except by strollers; but the
terror of war was upon us; spies in
women's clothes had haunted tho town
while we were away, and We still shud.
dcrcd at the sight Of red-coat"
Gen. Ccckhnrn seems 10 have merited
and received the principal share OF
blamo and dislike. Mrs. Eaton TO
membcred how tho British officers in
A r..