Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-23
TIE MARBLE WIDOW.

Alone in her marble palace lives the
widow Of A. T. Stewart His remains.
which are supposed to be resting beneath
the magnificent mausoleum OF Garden
City, are scarcely more secluded than is
the personality OF Mrs. Stewart.
The greater portion Of the Stewart man.
aion is closed, dust gathers upon its paint
ing and furniture, its blinds OF white and
gold shut cut the exterior view, and save
q small suite Of rooms on the western cor
ner the mansion IS practically deserted
There is something touching in her splen-
did isolation within call Of the fashion,
care, elegance and busting activity Of q
restless social world.
A lady with silvery gray hair, whose
features are still clearly cat and bear the
evidence Of refinement, ia Mrs. Stewart
Her eyes are yeJ undimmed. She stoops
slightly. Sne is Of kindly presence, al
though her features bear the traces of
much suffering and a hsbi.ual sternness OF
expression settled upon her features when
IN repose. Her face, when lit up with the
interest Of passing topic affords the OBJ
server a far idea OF what Mrs. Stewart
was in her prime. With the aid of a silver
crutch-haudled caue she can get about
fairly. But there are times when the ser
vices Of her personal attendant are much
in request
Mrs. Stewart IS woman Of method.
When able she rises by 10 o'clock and
breakfasts usually alone. Her tasks are
few and modest, and her rich but simple
breakfast equipage contains the old-fash-
Toned meal OF tea, dry toast and some light,
easily-dIgested food, as chicken OF Esh
Wines she rarely touches, save toward
evening preparatory to retirement, be-
tween 9 and 10 o'clock, when glass Of
port acts as q gentle stimulant to a night
Of peaceful repose.
But despite Der long years Of mourning.
life has certain duties to be performed, and
a business tact, inherited probably from
her husband, Is still characteristic of Mrs
Stewards domestic habits.
There are certain pensioners to be looked
after, accounts OF personal expenditures to
be investigated, letters 20 be answered, and
old friends to be received. Besides all
these, her signature has to be obtained to
sundry basiness formalities that are indis
pensable. All this takes up more time
than would at first appear.
One Of her favorite pastimes, peculiar to
many old people, 10 to indulge in the lux
ury OF having her hair brushed. Her silver
braids are long and fine, and though IN
creasing years may have told upon her
strength, time has added to, rather than
detracted from, the glory OF her hair
This operation usually lasts for an hour or
more, while her mpanion-sometimes it
is a relative-reads from the newspaper or
from religious book, as her fancy may in
cline.
Her moods are various and cspricious.
Ever-changiug fsncies are continually &C.
curing TO her mind. One day she may be
bright, sanguine and exceedingly pleasant !;
the next she may be plunged into utter
dependency, and will refuse comfort from
her most attached friends. When laboring
under these morbid reflections she has been
known to lie for hours upon her couch ut
terly alone.
Her husbands portrait hangs in her bed
room protected by small curtain She
will look at it for an hour at time. and
then again the curtain will remain tightly
drawn for days.
Under some conditions her vitality ia
surprising, and her health, upon the whole,
is good, considering the mental suffering
she has undergone. Her palace is watched
night and day, and to get to see Mira. Stew
art is one of the impossibilities to those
who are not included among her warmest
friends. n. Y. Morning Journal