The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-02-27

administration when dishonesty was the
rule and honesty the exception, John
Kelly passed the crucial test without
even the smell of fire upon his garments
II is matter of profound regret with
all classes of our citizens to learn that
his health is so impaired that the chance
of his perfect recovery is remote. But
whatever may be the result of the NAL
ady, which now weighs so heavily upon
him, New York will long regard him as
one of the most distinguished and hon
ored citizens known to the present gen.
GRAFTON.
In addition to the terrible death roll,
comes the news of shipwreclx all along
the coast, and fearful disaster upon
land, and these calamities will make the
first weeks of February, 1886, memoir
| able for some years to come.
The strange fluctuations in the lives
of public men just now finds a splendid
illustration in the person of Roscoe
! Conkling. A few years ago he was the
acknowledged leader of the united Re-
publican party, and up to six years ago
that leadership was never successfully
questioned. About that time body of
small politicians formed combination
against him in the Chicago convention,
where he held the memorable 306 for
General Grant till the final vote which
nominated Garfield. Though stung to
the quick, he forgot his private griefs,
and when the success of General Han
cock was almost certain, in company with
General Grant the defeated candidate,
took the stump for Garfield, and by his
magnificent work elected him. Then
came his bitter humiliation, and If ever
man had occasion to get heartsick of
fair weather friends 1t was Roscoe Conk-
ling. In an i'll advised moment Of pique
he resigned from the United States SEN
ate, and appealed for his vindication to
the people of his own State, whom be
had served through the best years Of his
life with such honor and distinction,
that the representation of New York
was regarded as among the greatest if
not the greatest in the Senate of the
United States. The appeal was in vain
the political combination, and executive
influence were too strong, and he retired
defeated, a soured and disappointed
man. Yet that defeat was blessing in
disguise. and Roscoe Conkling is to-day
a greater man than when he was a lead
er in the United States Senate. He is
certainly a richer man, for he is one of
the Senators to whose door no back pay,
no credit Mobilier bonds, and no Pan
Electric stock can be traced. lie went
into Congress lawyer in good practice,
on the high road to fortune; after his
years of service, and with opportunities
for gain second to no man of his gener-
ation--he left his post the poorest man
in the United States Senate, but with a
character as spotless as the mountain
snow. As soon as the sting of defeat
had. VOID off he turned to his profession
to repair his shattered fortune. Four
years of constant practice have placed
him at the head of the New York Bar,
and brought in contact with such men
as Vim. Nj. Evarts, Elihu Root, George
Bliss. Mr.. Choate and dozens of others
| equally famous, he easily towers head
and shoulders above them all. He is
to-day the most famous lawyer in New
York, with clientage second to no
lawyer in the United States. He has
wooed back the tickle goddess, and is
once more on the high road to fortune.
1t is questionable If any inducement
could be offered him that could prevail
on him again to enter the political arena.
The disintegration of the Republican
party dates from his defeat-but his
present position is too pleasant, and too
well assured to jeopardize 1t for the nm
certain honors of politics. He can|now
say with Corriolanus, you Danish ME,
Romans, l turn my back on YOU"
The looseness in which the marriage
relation is held by our so-called fashion
able society is well illustrated by several
cases now pending in the courts. The
millionaire Winans is sned by woman
| ,l,A Ill 20 l. T..
the evidence is to be believed, occupied
that position unquestioned in Mr..
| Winans' household for many years. She
sits at the head of his table, entertains
his friends, is escorted by him to the
| opera and theatre, travels on steamers.
lodges in hotels, and to all intents and
purposes fulfills all the duties of wife;
and after several years service Mr..
Winans casts her aside like a worn out
necktie or an old shoe, and the discarded
woman turns to the law for her vindi-
cation. A case before the courts this
week is more remarkable than
| this. A few years ago beautiful
woman appeared in New York who
astonished the old denizens of this
cosmopolitan city. Her toilettes were
| simply immense, and her orders in dry
|
ments profuse and magnificent; and
what was more remarkable than all she
paid every bill on presentation, q virtue
not COMMON even among our so.called
millionaires. Though somewhat cranky
at times she nevertheless gladdened the
tradesman's heart when she stepped
across his threshold, for she invariably
left ducats behind her. She kept her
| xuif1, 1rit, it.y Co.
livery, resplendent in scarlet and gold,
and the nobbiest of tigers in cockade
and fair tops waited on her beck and
call. She took an occasional flyer on
| Wall street, and the stocks she bet on
| generally went up. She cleared up her
little divies every Saturday morning, and
settled her bills with them every Satur-
day night. She's daisy. said a Wall
street broker to me, and she knows every
spot on the cards. She astonished every
body; for say what you will, there is a
charm about people who pay ready
money for what they get, especially If
they don't forget the printer. None of
your call again sort people. "I'm a
little short to-day nothing of that sort /;
the Duchess was spot cash. The next
question was, where the deuce did it
come from. There were hints of large
finds in the diamond mines of Kimbere-
", while others suggested big bonanza
in Colorado; the other was that she had
an uncle who was formerly president Of
q bank in the West, who now for good
and sufficient reasons was residing in
Canada. No matter where the money
came from, she had it and spent it like
a princess; and it now turns ont that
she was a sort of secondhand wife IN
one of the wealthiest brokers on the
Street who became madly infatuated
with her, and lavished on her not. far
from quarter of million. But after
running the gauntlet of Europe and the
United States, new divinity caught
his eye and he married her, and now
number one is suing for divorce,
though she admits there never was any
legal ceremony, but he called her his
wife, and registered at hotels, and
according to the New York code public
acknowledgement is a legal marriage.
There dozen similar cases now before