The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-01-08
Four Journalists Wives.

Four distinguished editors of great
New York daily newspapers have en-
joyed "a worldwide celebrity. Three
James Gordon Bennett of the Herald,
Horace Greedy of the Tribune, and
Henry j. Raymond of the Times--be-
came founders of the journals that are
to day monuments Of their industry and
intellectual ability. OF the fourth,
Charles A. Dana, it may be said that he
was the founder of the Sun, for the
Sun, as it is to-day, must certainly be
regarded as his creation. 1t would be
interesting to know how much of the
inspiration of active life they gather
from their wives, who were or are
women of more than average intelli-
gence and culture. Whoever sees the
present James Gordon Bennett, that re-
members his mother, must perceive the
great likeness existing between the two.
A tall, finely formed woman, of COM
manding presence, with the same hue of
complexion and hair and remarkable
eyes that are distinguishing feature in
her son. "Watch eyes," they are called,
because of perceptible white ring
surrounding the pupil. Long ago
some of the brightest letters that
appeared in the columns of the
New York Herald over the signature
of B. c. H., the initials of her
name-Halriet Cream Bennett-trans-
posed, written from abroad by her,
were read with pleasure and avidity.
They were clever letters, betraying the
keen wit and ability of the writer Mrs.
Greeley was a small woman, whose
sallow complexion and attenuated
figure betrayed the delicate health from
which she suffered for years. An orig
inal thinker, and one whose mental
stores could always be relied upon to
produce something Of value whenever
she could be prevailed upon to open to
her friends the door guarding them. To
those who enjoyed familiar friendship
with her. or who frequented her Satur-
day night receptions, nothing need be
said to prove the large mental capacity
with which sho was endowed. One of
her peculiarities was the penetration of
her gaze. This made friend who
knew her we'll to say, "She just looks
at you and knows all about it. You
might as we'll tell her first as last, for
you can't keep anything from her." AS
Miss Mary Cheyne she was a successful
teacher, and, perhaps, while engaged in
that vocation her habits of close observa-
ton may have been contracted in the
discharge of her duties toward her ju-
venile charges. Mrs. Raymond, nee
Emeline Viewer, resembled Mrs. Gree:
ley in stature. Small and slight,
the first look at her small plain face
gave little indication of the force and
culture which were really hers. A
woman Of mind, who read extensively,
she was an accomplished and charming
conversationalist who speedily caused
her listener to forget or never to think
at all of her lack Of beauty of feature.
In the relation of wife and mother she
was all that was admirable, and as a
frequent contributor to the pages of the
n. Y. Times the readers of that paper
had ample opportunity to judge Of the
mental capacity which she possessed in
no ordinary degree. Mrs. Chas A.
Dana, the only survivor of these four
brilliant women, who were the home in
spiration of great American editors, is
now in the prime of life. Of medium
height, slender and graceful, her face, a
perfect oval, is lit by the large, luminous
dark eyes peculiar to the brunette, of
which she is charming type Intel
lectual, graceful and slender, she is one
of the most pleasing women to be met
with to-day In any society. The Tai
leyrand, it is said, had frequent cause to
feel ashamed of his wife's ignorance, al
though he was proud of her beauty.
Surely the men who may be called the
fathers of journalism in America were
more fortunate i'll their choice of com
panions and helpers than was the illus
trious French statesman. Trib-
une.