The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1881-07-21
OLD NEWPORT sellEs.

Old UeWbOWu Oel1eS.
In the Newport Of . generation ago
there were still many relics Of the lgay
French days. The headquarters OF
Rochsmbeau, where the count received
and entertained Washington when he
came to Newport just . hundred years
ago, In 1851, were ut the Vernon HOuee,
nj the corner Of Clarke and Mary
streets. 1t was . handsome mansion,
and in the days when the Easy Chair
knew il, the window-panes were
scratched with the names Of beAux
and bellies, vanished with R0chani-
beau, Washington and De Tiernay,
with BirOn, the ViOsmenils, De Vau.
han, DE Chastellux, De Chal,anes, De
Chsmpceretz, aud BOzOn De Talley-
rand; the fascinating sem group OF are1 ,e
charmed Newport beauties knew only
that they came and went. There Is q
fine glimpse of Washington in one OF
the French memoirs, as he walked
bare-headed, with ROchambeau at his
side, from the wharf to his head4uar-
tiers, between the lines Of soldiers OF
both armies drawn up three deep. IL
regarded him." says the Frenchman.
:" with the attention the sight Of great
men alwayi inspires. We half expect
to find in their features the genius
which distinguishes them above their
fellows. Washington Is adapted more
than any other man TO produce this
inpressioa-iall, noble, well-prOpOr-
toned, will, an open, sweet and calm
expression, and an entirely modest air,
he impresses and interests French ami
Americans, and even his enemies"
Do the loiterers ON cottage piazzas
at Newport to-day know how full of
ghosts Is the air around them do
they smile at the quaint old bellies and
their stately minuets Of n CENTURY ago ?
Would tie litlie-t Of the lovely figures
Of this evening, floating ON the air, eN-
change tine turn with the incoinl,ari-
ble WALTER for grave bow from WASH
iiigton IA IA partner? For he too has
danced In Newport. In honor of his
visit the citizens gave u hall ut the AS
se,I,bly Room i'm Church street, and ne
was requested To open the festivities.
In later days, when the Prince de
Joinville, on his way to ~. Helena for
the dust of Napoleon, stopped at New
York, and went To a private hall, there
was great fiiItter Of excited curiosity
as to the first partner whom he would
select after the hosts daughter. II is
singular that the lady whom he asked
became afterward the wife Of French
gentleman, an adherent of the Du-
cheese de Berri. Tradition cl,erishes
the name of WashingtOn's partner at
the Newport hall. He solicited the
honor of the hand Of the beautiful Miss
Champlih with high-bred, respectful
courtesy which the Incompatible
walter of to-day might well emulate,
and he asked his partner to name the
dance. The lovely Champlin selected
=" A Successful Campaign "a dance
i'm favor-and as the hero led out his
partner upon the floor, the French Of
ficers, with graceful gailantry, took
the instruments from the musicians
and played, while Washington and the
Cl,aInplin bowed and stepped and
cOurtcsied i'm the minuet. She had
beautiful eyes, said the Prince de Brog
lie, sweet mouth, a perfectly-shaped
face, fine figure. pretty foot, and an air
altogether attractive. She was dressed
and coifed with taste; that is To say"
adds the true Partisan, ga Ia Fran
casie :" and she spoke the Princes
language.
a unarter of century ago the grand
son OF flat lannon's beauty was living
i'm her fathers bouse where Washing
ton took ten on the evening of the hall
II has been the home of five successive
generations. and ON one of the win
windows were they
all-was still IeribIe. scratched with a
diamond the name of BETSY Ualjiur.
ton. The name of another Of the bellies
from that of the famous library found
ed by Abraham Redwood. His
daughter was exceedingly beautiful, ("
and tradition declares. without fear of
denial. that sailors. stepping ashore
from long sea-voyages, lifted their hats
rs she passed. and caze,l ms if they had
seen Am angel. Rows Of a generation
before that which the Easy Chair recalls
remembered "A grave old lady mixing
wine and eggs AM, sugar I'm a nan. then
staDpinp into the paddock where the
COW WAS grazing. and returning with
a flaming syIIabub. II was the beau
tifuI Redwood. the friend Of the
Cbamplin and of the daughters of
William ElIery. who signed the Dec
larntion of ndepen,lence. one of whom
wss the mother of DIR. Charming. and
the erandmother of the wife of Wash.
ingt0n Allston. There were other
hea,,ties whose names survive. The
Misses were rival. i'm beauty and rep
ut.tinur of the adorable Chanplii,.
the elder of whom dresses AS well.
Int nat auite SD freshly. perhaps. {"
while the Younger. If NOT of SO lofty an
air ..is 81 rose in ner.onn
Pint the uueen of the fairies Il a
Quaker Tjtania All the French me-
n,oirs al,,w and nalnitate with The
charms of Polly Lawton 1.-The god.
dess of yrac. and beauty.u eyclajms
lie Ero,Iie &" I confe.s flat thi. se,Iuc-
tive I.awton nnmared TO me To he the
cL,Ed'un,rc of noture- "A nymph
r.,Isr ,h,n n woman s,vs de- Sev,ir .
81, ,n,,,.h L...,,,y -, much .iu,nIi,.itv
sn much ,.I,ran,,. and .o much mnI,
..s,v wnr,. ncrI,,,,s con.I,iu.d i'm In.
SANG n,rso,,." The divine Ouakercs.
r.nroached him for making war. and
for chewing the kin. rather than tod.
- Wbot ,,,,ld I rcnly IN that angel pr
s;,,I,s the cantive ,ioubtless recalIu,
Madame 4, t'umt,.sse ,l,. S.yur. I" for
in truth 7 was te,unt,.I IN hclieye she
,ros n celestial L..invr The prince
and the f'o,,nt denaried AZ the DIXIE
.nd the Noru,is and the pay and gal
Iant Gentlemen of Rochambean,s army
hal ,lenar,eJ two years hefnre and fiv..
~ssrs later came Rr;ssot de WnrviiI.
snJ !, th;s n,rs,iise from which I'm The
Ia,a snmn,.r n,iJnicht ma nm old fash
;om..a w,n,lerer Iin",rs mann the beach
r.. saa,ns to hear in nh. nanses nj the
smrf the faint hc.t Of f.si.I music far
'" Al, a.,