Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-11
Tn. p.urb..r of Chief Justice Chase.

Tbs DAUGHTER of Chief Justice Cnass'
OLIVIA in the Pres.
In the gallery assigned the families oil
the Republican Senators sits Catharine
Chase Sprsgue-cold, stately and statu-
esoue as lily or bit OF marble IN hu-
man form. The heavily fringed waxen
lids fall over the sorrowful eyes-these
large, dark almond orbs, such as glorify
the Orient. There are faces all around,
but she seems as much alone as Cleo,
patra, in her barge floating down the
dusky Nile. A blue turban with GIN
gle birds wing for an ornament sits
iauntily on her auburn hair; not out oil
place. because youth, beauty and sweet
ness still lingsr in form and face. There
is not the slightest attempt at display
in her simple toilet-a dark dress, Be-
we're in its simplicity, a scarf OF scarlet
silk folded gracefully around her throat.
She has given no thought to her per-
,onal appearance, but has come evident
ly 10 observe the intellectual combat
which has drawn together 30 large per-
centage of the citizens OF washington;
The writer recalls the impeachment trial
of ANDY johnson when Society" ap-
peared in the Senate galleries and when
Cathariue Chase Sprague was the &C
knowledged queen. Her toilet ID recall.
ed for our readers, and it may be found
recorded in the files Of this paper, for
the writer was one OF the "Staf Cores
pondents" at the time, whose duty IT
was to make "pen pictures OF the day.
A partisan suit of royal purple velvet,
perfect in all its appointments. The de-
tail escapes our memory, but the pom
net never will. 1t was made In rams
to accompany the suit, and when placed
on her head it conveyed the idea OF a
single Marguerite. Imagine a purple
violet large enough to be placed on the
head, the leaves bent in bonnet shape.
At the time the writer felt that her eyes
rested upon the most graceful, distin-
guished and queenly woman that she
had ever seen in the capital or else
where on the face OF the globe. The
writer has no personal acquaintance
with Mrs. Sprague, but described her
then, as she does to-day, as she would
a picture or a poem. When 1t was pub
lished in the newspapers that she was
engaged during the Senate session send
ing notes to a Senator on the floor the
writer sat in the gallery, but saw no
notes given TO page or delivered on
the floor. Year after year the writer
has noted this accomplished woman sit
ting in the gallery from time to time,
apparently deeply interested in the de-
bates, without the slightest levity to the
smallest departure from the most rigid
decorum. In the later years she is rare
ly seen without one or more OF her chill
dren. History is full OF martyred wo-
men who have been used to crush OBJ
noxious men. When Catharine Chase
Sprague was the daughter OF the chief
Justice and the wife OF United States
Senator she appeared in the social heav.
ems with the calmness and precision OF
a fixed star. Sunshine friends have de-
serted her, but the star does not wan
der in its course. 1t is the same haugh-
ty Cathsriue despoiled of her throne, as
true q woman to-day as when surround
ed by her fawning flatterers. 1t is the
tiatterers OF the Tuilleries that have
changed, and not the Empress Eugene.