Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-08
CHAPTER VI.


GOSSIP PITY YEARS Ago
CHAPTER VI.
What q beautiful! world" These were the
last words OF Mrs. Margaret Eaton, uttered at
the age OF nearly ninety years as she ap-
preached the threshold that divides the things
OF time from those OF eternity. The world had
been beautiful TO her. II appeared beautiful to
her stIll, In her solitary chamber OF death, at
her boarding house, where nothing remained to
soothe her age or cheer her loneliness save the
once had been hers.
1t is certain that no woman in the United
States has ever exercised the same influence
upon the leaders OF great parties as she did. No
woman ever had more powerful or devoted
fr1ends or more relentless enemies, or ever
succeeded so long and well In fighting battle
against society In which her ONa sex were ar
Tayed against her 70 unit. IN the courts OF
Europe women have often controlled the action
OF the governing power for veal or for woe
notably In France. But all tlese women
possessed some CT arm which was the S.
cret OF their power. The favnrite5 OF the
"Merry hoDarch'S" court owed all 10 their wit
and personal beauty: the Pompadours and the
MaintenOnS were Indebted for success mainly
to their skill In intrigue. But Mrs Eaton was
remarkable neither for Intelligence, beauty or
Wit in any very high degree Her perceptve
faculties were keen and lively. and she Vas
ready enough at repartee or for more pro-
tracted warfare. She had a roguish kind OF
beauty, which was homely II judged by classic
models. but which had an Undesirable witch
cry about IL; then there was girii5hnesS aud
artlessness about her manner anu a dis position
so open, frank AID conflding, and I life was so
exuberaDt in her. that men were tTre5st0ly
attracted TO her and became her friends She
was OF Irish descent, and possessed all the at
tactive qualities which are peculiar to the
women OF that race. She would not have made
heroine for 1.-The poet Or novelist" Her
health was entirely too robust for that. There
was No turning the mind inwardly upon itself
for reflection but living and being In the
world outside, Ia the world o; thing3-not OF
thoughts and OF sentiments Her maSsy black
hair, the color and sa1cy expression or her
eyes, ana the cleaTnesS aud freshness OF her
complexion, showing the delicate traeery OF
the Veins OF blue, were all or the Irish type;
and so. too. was her wholesome love Of enjoy
ment or life and pleasure. Peggy O'Neil was
not different from thousands OF other Irisa
girls. she was more than anything else the
creature Of circumstance; for a long time tle
lCOI OF IoI tuIe, then It's victim.
her SAD END.
The story has already been tod o. her m lr-
riage with Undertake. her husbands death.
her marriage With General Eaton, and her In
tereSting relation 20 what called itself Wash
1ngtoD society" In those days: and tia poI.ti-
Cal results which followed this social storm
have been touched up0O IT, remains 10 con-
clude the history or MIS-. Eaton-tnd SAL One
1t Is
The brilliant life Ia Spain (whern her husband
was United States LnInlsteT) Came ID en1.
General Eaton and his wife returned TO the
United States, and IN a few years thereafter the
General died. His widow was lett with an am
pie support She had three daughters. ali OF
whom were married. and for herself, there
seemed the promise OF a serene OLD age. which
would compensate In TepOSe for The storms tat
had tossed her youth aud her more vigorous
W0I2auh0od. But fate Wiil2a otherwise. The
sad history OF her subsequent lie Is given by
Washington correspondent or the RosFon
LsTGid, " 10 wrote the day after Mrs Et5on'S
at Sf.~3a
9th street between E and streets ) b Noven-
Der. 1879. The narrative referred 10 Is as fol
lows:
'lncluGed In the property left her by Gen.
Eaton was store with nail Ia the upper
story, used generally a dancing hail. aud one
DAY ore Cf her grandchildren Drought home
with him an Italian dancing master named
Bucignini. from whom they desired TO take les
sons. would Size rent him the hall?" was the
burden OF Ills eTTand, and ''coud she permit the
rent to te paid 10 tuiti0n?n She could aud
would SO Maestro Bucignini wa Installed as
tenant, aud began 20 earn MS humble income.
The children became attached 10 him He vas
SO afiable SO patieLt so good. lie had seen
better days. He was the son OF count or
count bllDself. He had & long iiue % ancestry
stretching back 20 the tea D1ye5. CRANK
mother. mother and children all beca ae inter
ested IL him. IL was not long before be- became
member OF the family, and dinei d. the family
table. He was an Italian E0beinaa VINO al
Deem obligedto teach dancing FOR living. AID.
even II he were not. why should Peyyy O'SeU
turn up her nose at him. when sil1 Was only tin,
daughter or an Irish tavern kaapeT; It al events
she don't. IL was not long before BucIsniaI
paid aSsiCuous court 10 irpr AMI the lady is
tened. She was Old enough TO be MS lnotner
but that, perhaps. was not 50 Dad December
and Mag have united before and S.Rca ali The
world has nor made much noise about t.
This was only October and May. and yes thert.
was great ado over IL Every body said SIZE
ought 10 have known better-Th5n they sa9.
how IL turned OUT.
Mrs. Eaton aud Mr.. Bucgntnl wrre N lrried
and Ia little While were forgotten again. S5e.J
cy step lac got po- session o. her property. De
treated her with the utmr5t COR esq. Tk
Children who were al first the mos, iGtea, !
were, one By one. Won back to the old-t,n.
appreciation OF his Character and goddess II.
Was Oily aud shre~d His WIFE III sone read
oash-sztooO she says Il was. It lay In the
GrameIcy Park Bank CT New York Mr. RIcjy
mini was tired Of Washington tired Of seeing the
curious point at him aud stare at h.n. aad
ness there Mrs. Eaton drew ont ner s26 900
and gave IL TO him. He invested ;C In a valuable
cigar store, and soon lost It. Then he began
TO work for her lots and houses. which SO
Ear she had managed TO keep as her
own separate estate. She refused TO give
~ up TO him and he deserted her She
without him. He replied that he would not
come back and De distrusted- He did not want
Ler property, but If he Was not to De trusted
VIE IL lie Was not III To hold The relations OF
Husoanu. Ihe Villain conquered. lie vas told
70 come back and he could have all In Ies3
tnen TWO years, after first dsarining suspicion
nc hau COh'Sittu IL all mo money and one
morning disappeared. Nc. alone no Seyer. us
had taAeI with him his %ife's gral1..iii,,-h-r-
s s,.n vile and ths mother o. Two Infant chill
LIZ II ,ancnother and her granddaugh-
I'D .T o Ta9pfn' We're both bereaved wrOnged
and H. ned on the same day, and b. one
hin,r same villain This Was che cruelest
roorr ~ all For year the nov aged lady
10 d es In g dream. she could hardly believe
- At she had been so dupei and Cheated. Her
.hoHey aid property were nearly all gone. her
family was doubly disgraced, and she had moth
ing but revenge 70 live Tor.
Two Years later Mr.. ulignln, returned to the
tLited States from his European trio with hi5
mistress, and Mrs. Eaton was informed III it by
The detectives, who We're ON the watch. SIZE
went 70 New York aud had him arrested and
put in prison. he begged 70 Dc released; begged
Only 10 ste her. There was Only one condition
On which she would consent de shlCI9 lia In
jail until divorce could be obtained, and, when
be married the gil he ha1 seduced. then sue
would withdraw the prosecution ana let him 20
free. This was agreed to aud done. Tne de-
serted husband had obrai1e,i a divorce long be-
fore. Somewhat Is Ham follows SteerforId 10
force him 20 make al honest woman % Little
Emily, 20 did poor Mrs Eaton follow her Ita,iau
husband 20 wiring from him jus les for hcr guilty
grauGchil6. That done, ste returned to a ruined
home, ard crJuched down beside cherries
hearth For many yearS-a dozen. ] think
since the last event recordod-Mrs Eaton las
lived Ia the capital OK tie nation almost I'M