Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-11-21


edged TIE belle and favorite of the court.
Here lMr. Eaton died, and his large estate
passed into his wife's hands. She soon re-
turned to washington, where the rest Of
her family was living.
This story OF Mrs. Eat0n's trials Id pc.
liticsl life is the one given by Parton in
his life Of Jackson. While in the main it
10 correct it is only fair to say that Mrs,
Eaton in her later years declared that
some parts of it were untrue and others
One would naturally think that the ex-
element OF her earlier days, with their by
no means complimentary colorings. would
have rendered the widow DESTROYS Of y
quiet aud secluded old age. The result
proved the opposite. Being present at "a
bali with her grand children one evening,
after hor return to Washington, the latter
we're struck with the appearance Of an
Italian dancing master, Antonio gBuchig-
mani by name. Al their request he was
engaged as their instructor, aud he soon
won the affection of Emily,a child only
ten years old. who used every effort to in
duce her grandmother to permit him to
board in the house, but the reQu st was
very properly refused. One afternoon
Mrs. Eaton, on entering the house, found
his trunk in the hall. Emily had taken it
upon herself to give him permission to
move in: and. by her eiltrexties, she 50
overcalne the better judgment Of her
grand mother that he was allowed to re-
main as one of the family Mrs. Eaton
lent him money, gave him wardrobe
for 10 was poor and ragged did every
thing in her power to make him cOmfOr-
table and respectable. psi'% ',@
The Italian possessed all the cunning OF
his race, soon saw that Mrs. Eaton held
the money OF the estate. and that. to get
possession Of it, he must gain her confidence
and esteem. He fascinated her, fiattered
her and gradually gained her affections
until finally, ut the age Of sixty two, she
who had been the wife Of one Of the men
honored by the nation plighted her faith
to an unprincipled adventurer of twenty
one, who had sold images through the
streets, and who, but for her foolish liber-
aliuy, would have still been teaching pu-
pills in dancing wherever he might have
been fortunate enough to find them. Not
withstanding the remOnstrances OF her
friends she married him.
For four years their life was singularly
happy. He, however, was only perfecting
his plans. His wife's property, in her own
name, was only estimated at $50, 600.
Buchignani first begged of her house in
Washington worth SIS 900. ae then in.
troduced to her man whom he represen-
ted as his partner, asking her for so ,OO(
to begin business. She granted it. He
asked her for 5000 more. ana again still
another 5000. These reques; s were also
granted. In q few months he demanded
$40. 600 more, urging her to raise 1t from
funds belonging to her grandchildren and
placed in her hands. This she refused tC
do, and in ft of anger he left the coun
try and went to Europe: Then, through
the representation Of his ''partner," she
signed away not only the property Of hel
grandchildren, but every cent Of her OWE
estate. 5qoR ia'i -5f t'r"d ih&s q
On Buchignani's return he accomplish
ed the ruin Of the granddaughter Emily
her morbid affection rendering her ar
easy victim to his wlles. . He afterwards
Travelled with her through Europe for two
years, finally settling in Canada, where be
kept saloon. Emily bore him two chill
dren. alA9 l' rs D.s-N5 tA
Mrs. Eaton even in late years av0wed
her love for him, saying th:t she cared
nothing for the money he had squandered
and was only panied by his abandonment
During the last ten years she has lived
part of tho time in this city and part Of
the time in Washington. Her age weigh
ed lightly On her. and. she WAS always
ready to talk about her earlier life and de
fend herself and her defenders.
Mrs. Eaton knew during the last few
days of her illness that life was at an end
for her, and waited very quietly and calm.
ly for death. ut IS q beautiful world tt
leave" she said. looking out ut the sun
shine the day .efore she died. II am moi
afraid to die, but it is such q beautiful
worldi" In answer to n suggestion oil
something that should he dune on the
morrow, she said, 'Not Tomorrow: shall
be here only little while Tomorrow"
The nearest relative whom Mrs. Eaton
leaves is her daughter, the beautiful, Vir
ginia Timberlake. BOW the Duch~sse d,
Sampayo, Of Paris. ana, the mother -in-lav
of one Vt the Rothschilds.