Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-28
KATE CHAsE'S MARRIAGE.
Her Life i'm Washington and
Her Efforts I'm Her fathers
nAhnIf

hausted by this time, yet tnlnk IL may
not be amiss TO give some OF my recollec-
tons of the lady who now absorbs so
much OF the attention OF the public. AS
a schoolgirl in Kentucky knew but
little of politics or politicians until the
war broke out, and my home in Louis
vile became the seat of bitter sectional
| hOstihties. Nv alma mater was seized
for a hospital and the scholars were ar
rayed in two belligerent parties. My
mother and | fed to sympathZlng
| Union friends in Washington. The
war was at its height and looked upon
those who ruled at Washington as the
representatives of the patriotism OF the
country. | was frequently shocked at
the Ieyitv with which | heard them
mentioned. In the same house with
me was the family OF an Ohio General.
One day the ladies were dressing Tor a
Cabinet reception, and WASH the room
with the young lady OF the family. She
said at goes against me to call AT the
house of the Secretary OF the treasury.
In Ohio Kate Chase is not visited, but,
of course. now that her father is IN the
Cabinet, we have to recognize her.
"What has Miss Kate done" l in
ouired. on" said she, have you new
or heard OF her disgrace?" | had not,
but the remarks made a lasting impress
sion. The next Sunday | went TO st.
Johns Church, and in coming out OF
the church Kate Chase was pointed out
TO me. | saw an angular figure, encased
in a tight-ftting black cloth polonalse.
The garment had been just long enough
ont of fashion to look singular, but L
was told that the young lady chung TO 1t
! because il showed Off her figure. The
only beauty about Kate Chase at that
time were her eyes and eyelashes. The
ewes were brown, or gray, and the eye
lashes dark and long. She understood
the use Of her eyes, for she was always
dropping them and dropping the lids so
that the eyelashes rested on hercheeEs.
At that time she was not artificial In her
makeup. She had another good point
| which she made the most oil, and that
was well-formed head. To show this
TO advantage she wore her hair, which
| WAS brown (the color is very different
now. in close bands, as Mrs. Hayes
still wears hers. The greatest defect in
Kate Chase's face is small, turned-up-
| nose.
Washington was full of gossip about
tie untamed girl who refused to be kept
down bv the cOnventlOnalitIes OF lie.
Then came the announcement OF her en-
parement To the Rhode Island million
aire. Her father had always been and
still was poor, and if Kate was fond OF
dress she had not been able to indulge
i'm any extravaganza. She now enjoyed
....,.s1t,1N - IONS tnr her
wedding Senator Sprague PAID twenty
thousand dollars fora tiara oil diamonds,
and 1t was on exhibition IN Tiffany
window after it was purchased. This
was the wedding present and was worn
with the point lace veil on the occasion
of her marriage. After this the modest
mansion which the Secretary OF the
Treasury had occupied was purchased
bv Sprague, and his vile had 1t re-
modelled and enlarged. Plain furniture
WAS replaced bv that which was costly
and sumptuOus. Dinners, balls and len
tartainments on the grandest scale were
given. The diamonds were worn on the
head at night and fastened in the bon
net bv dav. One ball was given by Mrs.
SpraGue when she had a temporary
ballroom built and the walls covered
with huted, rose-cOlOred satin and mir
rors. Champagne flowed like water at
her feasts. She now played the grand
a me. She snubbed President end
Airs. Lincoln, and took on all OF the fine
airs, or in the laconic language OF her
husband, nothing could equal the lnso-
lence OF hall a million, buta whole mil
lion. She organized horseback parties
and galloped up and down pennsylvania
avenue to display herself to the gaping
crowd. She hired rural dwelling, a
few miles from Washington, and she
and her companions would ride there
and dismount, have a dance and COLA
ton, and then troop back to the city.
She visited New York whenever fresh
novelty appeared in opera and theatre.
She would stop at fashionable hotel,
and alone with a chevalier would pass
DAYS and nights in a round OF amuSe-
ments. She LETT with her husband one
youny child and an infant while she
went TO Europe. Here she was meta
morphosed into an authenticated
blonde. Upon her return, after year
or two wears, absence, she was more re-
gal than ever in dress ard the
stvle of her entertainments. Ii appear
ed rs il she had gone 10 Europe to ac-
uuire some of the additional arts OF the
French woman VINO shines in political
salons. Upon her return she began
grooming ner father as candidate lor
the Presidency. She opened head
quarters i'm New York prior To the
meeting Of the convention, in 1865. ; he
feted and entertained every one she de-
sired 10 influence. She used her most
fascinating wiles and arts; she attempt
ed To be a female Warwick. She was
batfled and defeated in 1868, but at
tampted the same role four years alter
ward. In New York she had worked
upon politicians along; four years later
she included the press. Until that time
she had not sought 10 conclllate the
members of the third estate. On the
contrary. she had been lavish in snubs
to this inferior class OF mortals. Now
she wanted their assistance, and she
invited them 10 her house. The occa-
sion was a reception the night before
the departure OF the delegates and press
representatives 10 Cincinnati. Her
father had been struck with paralysis
tine wear before, but had partially recov-
cred. and stood beside his queenly
daughter as she so graciously received
her guests. She told every one that
her father had walked in from Edgewood
that evening. This was to prove that
his health and strength were not i'm
paired. He, with his mouth still drawn
from paralysis and his speech unsteady
exerted himself to prove by remem-
brring names and faces that his intellect
was vigorous. All! what efforts were
made that night to send good reports to
the Cincinnati Convention. \ few days
afterward the announcement came that
Horace Greeley was nominated. The
death of the Chief Justice shortly after
ward destroyed Mrs. Sprague : last am
bitiouS dream of presiding over the
White House. Her husbands failure
in business and the loss OF his seat in
the Senate left this restless woman with
out any of the objects which had en-
crossed her life. Again she went to
Europe: returned in year, but went