Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-09-13
EEES. KATE sIsRxGgE.

Island, describes Mrs. Sprague thus:
Kate Chase was not pretty girl. She
babe fair to be handsome woman,
which she is. But twenty years ago
she was tall, gangliug, pale faced, with
fine expressive eyes and serpeutine
movement, not unlike that of Modjeska,
though, OF course, less graceful. 1t Is
not true that she has always been vi
cions 1t is not true that she duped
rich fool into a one sided marriage.
1t is true. and only true, that, in q
single affair at Columbus, she caused her
father infinite anxiety and trouble, aud
that, during the last two or three years,
her connection with Mr.. Conkling has
been the occasion Of deal Of ugly talk
at " ashington. She is ambitious, rest
less, fond OF admiration and used to ii;
. power in her day, and not willing, with
the close OF it, to sink into obscurity.
make bold to give it as my opinion
that there have never been any criminal
relations between her and MIR. CUnk-
liEg, although Mr.. Conkling, out Of a
base, oycrweening love Of himself would
rather have it appear so than confess
himself so great tool Us TO nave gone
such lengths and wrought such ruin,
and got nothing more tEan mouthtul
Of kieses. | know that this view of the
case is exposed 10 some rdicule. The
liccntious spirit of the time can see
nothing but its own image behind the
curtain that couceals the presence of a
man and a woman. "Whcn in doubt"
says this spirit, 'cail it adultery" Yet
nothing is commUner than the reverse,
even where the proof seems clearest.
II this particular business it is worth
10 ones while TO consider Governor
SrragQe. lie is, and has long been
mere sol. All that lis wife says Of him
is within the mark; 1t is perhaps true
that II hr had Shot Mr. Coukling dead,
tao jury il New England could have
been found TO convict him. But, as he
did not, he sinks out OF account as a
poor creature, who III treated his wife
and lett her pretty much 10 hor own de-
vices.
She is what she is--an OK belle. de-
thsUncd queen; still Dung, still fond Of
pleasure, not Yet resigned to the loss OF
position aud prestige, aud conscious of
augmented charms. Alone in capital
v .ilch has never been over squrauish
or very rigid in It's social limitations,
Nr. COuki.ng cones her way. Mr..
Gonkliug, The friend of her father, the
Jupiter Tonaus Of her party; the most
brilliant, and apparently, the most dash
iGg among the political leaders OF the
day; an arts; ia sccuic effects, pro
tcsslonal, if not rrotrssed ladykiller
She Is only a woman, after AL, with a.
woman s limited knowledge and narrow
sphere at movement, and she thinks
she sees in this pro8cred intimacy di-
version irom her domestic grief and a
revival Of at least part OF her former
self. One step leads to another; intima-
cy ripc;s into familiarity; familiarity
into indiscrclion; indiscretion into rcck-
less disregard OF appearances aud pab
lie opinion al this may happen, often
has happened, without The literal viola
ton of the commandment which women
are most tSught to consider and respect.
Mrs. Sprague is cold and discerning,
a woman of The world. She may have
been infatuated 10y Mr.. Couklings
SNOWY talents. She may have been Ell
raptured by Mr.. Con!ilings preference.
But she must have known that her pow
or lay i'll resistance, in reserving some
ding to herself, in drawing the line
somewhere. All women, more or less,
know that little, and it is prepos,erous
to believe that this self poised, aspiring
woman the mother Of many children,
aud with passions quite as lukewarm as
belong TO her condition and her class
would give herself completely away, her
hold npon her lover included, and IN all
these years show no sign of it III her
Eianncrs aud her aspect 20 the rest of
the world.
For my part, don't believe it. |
believe her TO be a vain, and TO have 81.
ways been daring, imprudent woman,
not wanton, and | must say that the
provocation she has had from her has
band, and the course which Mr.. Couk-
ling has pursued, together with the
wretched plight III which l know her
now To be, fill me with sympathy
never expected to feel for her. She is
the daughter of one Of the greatest men
this country ever produced, woman in
distress, abused and brow beaten by her
husband, betrayed and deserted by her
lover, and that is enough for me.
surgical OPERATION. y yesterday
morning DR.. w. +. Fundeuberg, the
well known oculist and aurist OF this
city, removed the right eye from Chris
toph Eisel, aged 20, from Mt. Savage
The operation was performed with his
usual skill aud success. The patient re-
turned home on the afternoon train,
much pleased with the operation. Three
years ago the sight OF the eye was en-
lirely lost from All injury received whilst
getting ont fire clay; lately it became
painful and was beginning to affect the
good eye, hence the necessity OF The OPP
Grafton. - Cumberland Times.
The Louisville Conrier-Journnl re-
marks that Prof Conkling says that it
was the greatest effort of his life" to
keep from demolishing Sprague with
his umbrella when that person called .
u I'll