The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-24
AMERICAN SOCIETY.
Pen Pictures of the Court Circle of the
New Administration.

AMERICAN SOCIETY.
Pen Pictures of the Court Circle of the
New Administration.
WASHINGTON, March 10.
It makes considerable difference what
manner of woman Cabinet officers wife
is, especially in these gay days of Wash
ington society. There is certain
amount of social duty devolving upon
the wives of the Presidents advisers,
which brings them before the world and
from the seclusion which they may have
enjoyed previous to the elevation of their
husbands. 1t is just as incumbent upon
the wife to be everything to everybody
as it is for the husband. Seldom has it
been that in the selection of q Cabinet
the wives of the members enjoyed such
distinction apart from the reputation of
their husbands as do some of those of
the present administration.
Mrs. Blaine is fine looking lady, tall,
with good features, and hair we'll sprin.
kled with gray. She is pleasant in her
manners, a ready conversationalist, and
shrewd. Her long experience in public
life has made her valuable acquisition
to the administration, or, at least, 10 that
part of it represented by her husband.
She can keep secret and ward oft the
inquisitive One day, about month
ago, O. fellow with curious mind thought
to ascertain from Mrs. Blaine whether
the then Senator would become prime
minister under Garfield. "Isuppose you
will be delighted when the Senator goes
into the Cabinet?" said curiosity. I'm
Decd" replied Mrs. Blaine in apparent
astonishment, ~ have noticed consider
able comment in the newspapers on the
subject. Pray, tell me what you know
about it." The gentleman could have
been bought for a penny about that time.
On the 4th of March Mrs. Blaine, before
taking her seat upon the stand at the in
auguration ceremonies, walked to the
front with the air of queen and gazed
upon the vast crowd below. She was
recognized, and q shout went up that
showed she was as popular as her hus-
band. Mrs. Blaine possesses those pecu-
liar qualifications which make a wife
great comfort and aid to q public man.
Mrs. Window is fine, matronly lady,
who has never shown any disposition for
society and its frivolties. While she
always dresses in good taste: in either
black silk or satin, or some solid color,
there is nothing dashing to distinguish
her in crowded reception room. She
appears to best advantage in the home
circle.
The oldest fish in the Cabinet basket is
Samuel J. Kirkwood, the Secretary of the
Interior. He is plain man, and has an
agricultural appearance, but the one who
picks him up as fiat will be mistaken.
Little is known of his wife beyond the
fact that she is an estimable lady, who
partakes in measure the quiet manner
of her husband, and has limited circle
of aequaintances.
Secretary Lincoln's wife was Mary
Harlan, daughter of ex-senator Harlan,
woman of exquisite loyeliness. In her
younger days the suitors for her hand
were numbered by the score Her pres
ence in the charmed circle of the Cabi-
net will add to its brilliancy.
The fact that Mrs. MacVeagh is Simon
Cameron's daughter has given her rep
utation which has preceded her here.
She is tall, graceful Of figure, and, hav-
ing spent years in society with her father
when he was in the zenith of his politi.
cal glory and power, comes we'll prepared
for the new nonors which both her hus-
band and herself will receive. Those
who know her intimately say that she
possesses in marked degree many of
the characteristics which distinguish her
father, and that these traits are more
largely developed than in any of the rel
atives. Having been brought up in q
political atmosphere, she has acquired
the faculty of reading men and women
at glance, and I am told that hers has
been the directing mind in many of the
movements made by her husband. Mr..
MacVeagh intends to keep house here,
and his establishment will be among the
most noted at the capital.
Mrs. Hunt will be the belle of the
Cabinet beyond doubt She is beauti-
full blonde, agreeable in manner and cul-
tivated in taste. Mrs. Hunt is one ofthe
best educated ladies in Washington, and
withal a brilliant society woman. Her
circle of acquaintances is large, and she
entertains with true Southern liberality.
Postmaster James has lovely wife,
who will be an ornament to society here.
The Cabinet is not made up of rich
men by any means. Blaine is probably
fixed better than any of the rest, so far
as bank account is concerned. He has
fine residence, handsomely furnished,
on Fifteenth street. The rest of the
members live moderately, and it is
doubted whether they will branch out,
because the salary Of $4,000 per year
which each will receive will hardly war
rant extraordinary expenses. In the last
administration Secretary Sherman bore
the brunt of entertaining on behalf OF
the ministers, under the new regime this
falls to the lot of Mr.. Blaine.