Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-10


RAGE OF BARoS DE BoDIsco-MINIsrER FOX
AND HIS PECULrARITIEs.
The following is taken from "Perley's Remi-
niscences'
John Tyler, who was ffty.one years Of age
when he took possession Of the Executive Man
sion, was somewhat above the medium height,
and of slender figure, with long limbs and great
activity of movement. His thin auburn hair
turned white during his term Of Office, his nose
was large and prominent, his eyes were OF "a
bluish.gray, his lips were thin, and his cheeks
sunken. His manners were those of the old
school Of Virginia gentlemen and he was very
courteous to strangers The ceremonious ell
qustte established at the White House by Van
Buren, vanished. and the President lived pre-
S Sis dd as he had On eis BY
visitors with whom he was acquainted, or
strangers who were introduced to him, to visit
the family dininG-room and "take something
Of ardent spirits and wines, with . bowl OF
juleps in the summer and of egg-nog in the
winter. He thus expended nearly all Of his
salary. and used to regret That was not larger,
that be might entertain his guests more liber-
ally.
A SECONDHAND COAT OF ARMS.
One day President Tyler joked Mr.. Wise abou.
his little one-horSe carriage, which the President
styled n candle-box on Wheels" to which the
representative from the Accomac district re-
torted by telling MIR. Tyler that he had been
riding for month in IL secondhand carriage
purchased at the sale OF the effects Mr.. Pauid-
ing, the Secretary OF the Ma under Mr.. Van
Buren. aud having the Paulding coat-of-arms
emblaZonsd on the door panels. The President
laughed ut the sally, and gave orders at once To
have the armorlal bearings of the Pauldngs
painted over. Economy also prompted the pur-
chase OF some partly worn suits OF livery at the
sale OF the effects of foreign minister, and
these were afterwards worn by the colored wait
ers at state dinners.
"BEAU" HICKMAN
rs 10 callad him self mod. Iii a.
Washington toward the close OF the Tyler ad-
ministration. He was OF middle size with long
hair, and an inohensive, cadaverous counte-
nance. 1t was his boast that ne was born
n.no ., the slashes of Hanover county, Va, and
ne was 10 De seen iuu!Iging about Tie hotels,
fashionably, yet shabby, dressed generally
wearing soiled white kid gloves aud a white
craNat. 1t was considered the proper thing to
Introduce strangers to Beau, who thereupon un-
Diushngiy demanded his initiation lee, and
ms Impotence sometimes secured him gen
erous SUN. lie Was always ready To pilot his
victims to samb bling houses and other q question:
apie resorts, aud for quarter OF Il century he
hved on the blackna.ll thus levied upon
strangers.
COL. BENTON AND HIS FAMILY.
one OF the most agreeable homes in Washing
ION was that OF Col. Benton, the veteran Senator
from Missouri, whose accomplished and graceful
daughters had been thoroughly educated under
Ills own supervision. He was not willing, now
ever, that one OF them, Miss Jessie, should re-
celVe the attentions oi ii young second lleuten-
ant In The corps OF Typographical engineers, Mi.
fremont, ana the yUuug couple, therefore.
elOped ard Were married candestinely. The
colonel, although terribly angry at first &C
cepteo The situation, and has powerful support
III Congress afterwards enable MIR. Fremont to
explore, under The patronage OF the general
government. the vast central regions beyond
t sl hocKy mountain, and To plant tie national
nag Oh W lnu River Peak, upward oi thirteen
thousand feet above the gull OF Mexico.
BARON DE BuDIscos WEDDING.
very different Wedding was that OF the Ba-
ron Alexander de Bodsco, the Russian minis
ter plenipotentia and Miss Harriet Williams
daughter OF the chief clerk in the Office OF the
adJulant general. The baron was nearly fifty
years OF age, with dyed hair, whiskers ana
moustacht, and she u blonde schoof girl ol
"sweet sixteen" celebrated for her clear COM
pie xion and robust beauty. The ceremony was
performed at her fathers house on GEORGETOWN
Heights, and was reg ular May ana December
Affair throughout. There were eight isrcOlns-
men, SIX ol WiIoM were well advanced Ia lie,
and many bridesmaids, all oi them young
giris from fourteen to sixteen years OF age,
wearing long dresses of White satin damusK.
donated by the bridegroom. The question o!
precedence gave the baron much trouble Il, he
could not de iermine whether Mr.. Fox, then the
British minister and dean OF the Diplomatic
corps or Senator Buchanan, who had been min
isler 10 Russia, should be tue first groomsman
This important question was settled by having
the groomsIneu and bridesmaids stand in
couples, Jour ON either side oil the bridegroom
anO bride. The ceremony was witnessed ut the
bride residence by IL distinguished company:
and the bridal party then Went In carriages to
the Russian legation, where an elegant enter
tainment awaited Them, ana where some OF the
many guests got sloriously drunk in drinking
the health ol the happy couple.
A STRANGE DIPLOMAT.
Queen Victoras diplomatic representative
at ashingion at that time, the honorable
Henry Stephen Fox was a son OF Gen. Fox, OF
the British army, who fought at the battle OF
Lexington in l 40, and nephew vi the eluiu-
ent statesman Charles james Fox. lie mad
served IN the British diplomatic corps for
eral years, ana was inorOug MY acq ua led with
MS uuteS, but Ee held TIE least possible inter-
course with the Department OF State and rarely
entered private house. He useu to rise about
s O'Clock III the afternoon, and take his morn
Ing walk on Pennsy lvauia aVenue an hour or
TWO later. Miss SeatOn says that Il gentleman
Oh one occasion, meeting MIN at dusk in the
Capitol grounds, urged LIuI to return with HIM
To dinner, TO which Mr.. Fox replied that ..ne
would willingly do SO, uul his people were wait
Ing breakfast Tor him On Inc occasion OF the
funeral OF u member OF the diplomatic coTps
turning 10 the vile o. the spanish minister. he
SAID: "IOw very odd we all look by daylight"
1T being the first time he had seen his colleagues
except by cand!e-iislt. He went 10 bed ut day
llSni, after watering his plants, OF which he was