Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-13

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noted Conkling- Sprague affair has been the
fact that nearly every one in Washington
has fully understood and talked about the
innumerablo details of this intrigue, while
the newspapers of the country have been en-
tirely silent. Occasionally small paragraphs
suggesting an inuendo have occasionally ap-
peared, but there has never been printed
anything like description of what was open
to everyone to see who lived in Washington.
There has never been between these two
any pretense of concealing the fact of their
being utterly absorbed in each other. Two
such prominent and we'll known people
could not evade the scrutiny of the hum
blest citizen. However -bloodedly either
might have sought to
VEIL THEIR 1NTR1GUEs,
the RESULT, naturally, would have been
failure through their great prominence in
the history of Washington affairs during the
last twenty years, but when both ignored and
defed public opinion and made not
the slightest pretense of conceal
ing their devotion to each other, in the face
of the notorious fact that each was separated
thereby from their lawful partners, thus the
tongue of gossip found ample food, so that
whenever one appeared in any public place
the most natural inquiry would maliciously
be made of, Where is the other?
IN THE TOLLS.
So dramatic and public defying were the
actions of Senator Conkling and Mrs.
Sprague that it became one of the addition
al incentives for scene lovers to visit the
Senate chamber, for, however dull the de-
bate, there was q never tagging in
terest in Witnessing great leader in debate
so in the tolls of o brilliant woman that he
openly paid his court to her from his desk
in the Senate chamber as she fondly watched
him from the private gallery set aside for
tho use of Senator's families. This
DAILY PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION
was at times of such an exaggerated charac-
ter as to almost surpass belief unless actually
Witnessed. AT times it seemed as if every
speech Conkling made was for Mrs
Sprague's benefit. The moment she entered
the gallery was almost invariably the sig
nal for Conkling to pose for her bene-
fit by at once entering by some pretext
into whatever might happen to be pending
before the Senate. It was over a year ago
that Mrs. Sprague's attendance upon the
proceedings of the Senate became SO marked.
From that time there has hardly been day
when she has not been found eagerly
WATCHING CoNKL1NG's EVERY MOVEMENT,
while they exchanged notes or ardent
glances with the carelessness of lovers so be.
side themselves with their passion for each
other as to scorn to employ any means to
conceal their extraordinary intimacy. The
average visitor who visits the galleries of
Congress 60 there to gossip and study
the personal paculiarities of proml-
nent people, so that it is safe to say that
several hundred people each day lazily and
maliciously followed every movement of the
foolish creatures who found life too short for
the affectionate intercourse of private hours
alone to satisfy them. During the last extra
session Mrs. Sprague's attendance on the
senate became
MORE NOTORIOUS
than it had ever before. Early and late
through interesting or stupidity and excruci
atingly dull days, she was always found in as
unfaggirg attendance as the official report
ers. When she was ready to retire,
Mr.. Conkling always accompanied her to
her carriage. During one of the first
all-night sessions of the prolonged debate
of this last extra extra session, Mrs. Sprague
sat in the front row of the private gallery
seats watching until o'clock in the morn
ing. This made such an uproar of
scANDALoUs GOSSIP
among the Senators and attendants of the
Senate that Mrs. Sprague the next night
flanked herself with two ladies, the perfect
pinks of responsibility, Mrs. Senator Blaine
and Mrs. Don Cameron.
They remained with her during the greater
part of the next session, and for a time the
gossips were choked down. Surely if Mrs.
Blaine and Mrs. Cameron could approve of
Mrs. Sprague's course, others need not be too
rigorous. When Mr.. Conkling made
HIS FIRST LONG SPEECH
in debate his private secretary retained seat in
the special gallery for Mrs. Sprague, and sat by
her side to protect her from the enormous
crowd that packed the galleries on that occa-
sion. When he had concluded and sur
rounded by q crowd of eager associates warm
in their congratulations, It was noted that Mrs.
Sprague seized card from the secretary and
scratched a line thereon in all the hot haste of
eager enthusiasm. The secretary caught
and disappeared. A moment after he was
seen approaching Senator Conkling, who
turned away from half a dozen Senators
who stood with out-stretched hands
and eagerly read this little note.
As he glanced over it a deep flush Of pleasure
passed over his face, while he put the note in
his pocket and looked a warm glance of thanks
to Mrs. Sprague who was eagerly watching him
from the gallery. This open acknowledgement
cf union of hearts was one Of the sensations
of a very interesting afternoon. The favorite
amusement Of spectators who were fond of
watching the Sprague- Conkling comedy was to
study the ostrich-like
ART OF coNcEALMENr
employed by the two in writing each ether
notes. Ridiculous as it may seem, it is never
theless a fact that there was hardly ever time
when Mrs. Sprague visited the gallery that the
two did not at once begin q correspondence, as
a means of emphasizing the open glanoes
which they were constantly exchanging. Mr..
Conkling would write Mrs. Sprague note, told
it up deliberately, md place it with blank
piece OF paper and small envelope inside of
large official envelope, when
coLoRED MESSENGER
would appear without even being summoned,
and the package would be handed him. Then
he would disappear. After while he would
be seen to enter the gallery and to hand the
large envelope to Mrs. Sprague Instantly all the
ladies about her would be on the ga viyc. Mrs.
sprague was never in hurry. 1t was her Gus
tom to place the envelope upon her lap and let
it remain there for some moments, as if it were
some trivial matter. Then, after proper time,
she would open the envelope, re adj the inclos-
ure and then the blank piece Of paper would
be used for
WRITING TIE ANSWER.
Then the colored messenger would again appear
and receive the reply. As the messenger left
the gallery it was Conkling's habit to rise and
60 to the doors leading out from the centre of
the Senate chamber, where he would stand with
his. hand behind him, apparently absorbed in
the proceedings of the Senate. Any close-ob
server would, however, notice the doors behind