The Cecil Whig., 1886-03-20
KATE SPRAGUE- CHASE.
Glimpses of Social Queen, Sorrawing
Daughter and a Fleeing wife

Glimpses Of Social Queen. a Sorrlwiny
Daughter and Fleeing wife
End Of High Anbition-The Flight From
the Famous Seaside Home OF C:::,nnchet.
f'roD' I"iloGcIphi" Tines.
4 Chief Justice Chase wa not a mag
netic man he had few personal friend:
and no intimateS. He did not, like
Henry Clay, draw about him a host O.
enthusiastic followers, who stuck 10 him
in defeat as well as in victory. But
Salmon =. Chase had one friend who
never deserted him-one friend who
never faltered in her trust or failed in
her love-and that one true, faithful
and devoted friend was his eldest
daughter, Kate Chase Sprague. Losing
his third and last wife before he was
torty-five, his young and gifted daugh-
ter became the one companion of his
life, the confidant in all his high politi-
cal aspirations and the tender sympa-
thlzer in the hour OF defeat. There was
mutual confidence between father and
daughter which never ceased.
Kate Chase was the pride of hel
fathers heart. Like him she was am
bilious, and while he aspired to the
highest political honors, her ambition
was to be social queen. Her beauty,
wit and grace made her one of the most
brilliant bellies of Washington while she
was yet in her teens. Her fathers
position, first as United Senator and
afterwards as Secretary of the Treasury
made her conspicuous figure in the
social world. Mr. Chase, though so
distinguished, was far from being rich
man. He had il in his power to make
millions while Secretary of the Treasury,
but he quilted office poorer than he
entered it.
MRS. SPRAGUE.
At the age of II, Miss Chase was
married to William Sprague, the young
millionaire Senator from Rhode Island,
who had been Governor of that state
when he was only 20 years old. The
world deemed this a brilliant match.
As usual, the world was wrong, for it
was most ill sorted marriage. Gov
ernor Sprague was far inferior to his
wife in mind ana manners, and she
discovering when too late, that his
heart could not be fired with high am
bition, turned her mind and soul to pro-
mote the ambition of her father.
| first saw Mrs Sprague in the spring
of 1860. She was then 20 years old
and in the prime of her rare beauty.
Tall, slender and graceful, her sparkling
vivacity, dashing manners and brilliant
powers Of conversation fitted her to
adorn any society. At that time she
had only one child, Willie, who has
turned out to be chip of the old
block. | knew her chiefly in her home
life or if the society that made her
house, on the corner Of Sixth and +
streets, one Of the favorite resorts OF
Washington. She occupied in some
respects the same position Of contiden-
tlal adviser to her father that the late
Miss Bayard did to the Secretary OF
State. She managed her household
with great firmne5s and was the abso-
lutte mistress of aprincely establishment,
with retinue of servants, the chief oi
whom was a French cook, who re
celved ST, 200 year for his services.
As an example of her manner of deal
ing with refractory servants it may be
mentioned that on one occasion the
coachman was told to do something il
the house He refused, saying hi:
duty was on the box OF the carriage anC
nowhere else, whereupon Mrs Sprague
ordered out the carriage and kept the
coachman sitting on the box all night
Al THE WHITE HOUSE.
There is in my minds eye visior
of this fascinating woman in all her in.
comparable beauty as she one evening
entered the White House, leaning upor
the arm of her father, more than {
| dozen winters ago. She was dresseC
with exquisite taste, well becoming be-
fair young face and faultless figure
Over pearl colored dress of softes
silk fell rich profusion of costly lace
A double row Of pearls encircled he
delicate neck and in her sunny brown
hair blazed a single diamond star O
extraordinary brilliancy.
There were at the White House thai
night beautiful women and distinguished
men from every section of this vas
country, representing every type o
physical grace and strength. But i