Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-03-17
SALMON P. CHASE.
Romantic Incidents in the
Life OF the Chief Justice.

Romantic Incidents in the
Life Of the Chief Justice.
His Struggles in Early Life and Love
for q Beautiful Southerner.
Eugene L. Didier, at one time private
secretary to Chief Justice Salmon p.
Chase, recites in the New York Mail and
Express some interesting instances in the
career of this noted man. Mr.. Didier
says:
81 had hard enough struggle in my
early life," said Chief Justice Chase to
to me, one afternoon; as we were walking
from the Capitol together. "Whcn |
first came to Washington to push my
fortune, l asked an uncle who was SEN
ator, to obtain for me clcrkship in one
of the departments. He told me he
would rather give me dollar to buy a
spade with which to work my way in the
world. | thought my uncle was unkind,
but have long since known he acted
wisely in not getting me an Office, and |
attribute all my good fortune in life to
that refusal. Had | secured clerkship
at that time, l should probably have re-
mained a clerk all my life, and, instead
of now being the Chief Justice of the
United States, be the chief clerk of dc.
partment."
Salmon P. Chase worthily won all the
high honor that he gained. For years
after removing to Washington he went
through the daily drudgery of teaching
a boys school, studying law during his
spare hours under William Writ, the faith
crof one Of ispupils. 1t was at Mr.. Wirt's
house that he met the beautiful Miss
Cabell, and then began the only romance
in his lie. He was thrown into her
society every day, and each day added
to his interest in the lovely Southern girl.
Love inspired him to write verses which,
however, were intended to express the
passionate sentiments of lover. The
proud Virginian beauty accepted Mr..
Chase as an escort to parties, receptions
and the thcater, and she found him a
very agreeable companion in the parlor,
for he was clever and intelligent, but
she would not think Of marrying poor
young school-teacher with his own for
tune to make and apparently with little
prospect of making it at that time.
Miss Cabcl made the same mistake in
declining Mr.. Chasc's addresses as the
lady did who refused to mary Louis Ma
polcon when he was living IN obscure ex-
lie in England after his escape from the
prison of Ham, and thereby "refused a
crown" as the future Emperor said to
her. Perhaps Mr.. Chasc's unfortunate
love affair was the cause of his leaving
Washington and removing to Cincinnati,
which he did soon after passing the bar.
He got so bravcly over his passion, how
ever, for Miss Cabell, that he lived to
marry and bury three wives, before he
was forty. The aroma of that early love
still fingered many years afterward.
Once, when tho Chief Justice was visit
ing Richmond with his daughter, niece
of his first love-anothcr Miss Cabell,
equally celebrated as belle and beauty
called upon Miss Chase, her father re-
called with tender feeling the circum-
stances of his youthful love and the re-
suit.
When he spoke of his first sweetheart
there was a pathos in the voice of the
calm and dignitied Chief Justice, which
was as rare us it was interesting. When
became the private secretary of Chief
Justice Chase, he was in his sixty second
year, and to all appearance in the full
vigor of his magnificent manhood-he
was six feet high and weighed two hun
drcd pounds and was as straight as
Tuscarora Indian. He had very com
manding appearance, and as he walked
along the marble corridors of the Capitol
his presence was felt. He was naturally
a very austere man and seldom unbended,
even at home. He had little or no ap-
probation of humor, and rarely INDUCED
in joke. He was Just as abstemious in
his words as in all other things. He
talked little, drank little, and never used
tobacco in any shape or form, and did
not like it to be used in his presence.
His life was regular and his tastes simple,
rising at in the summer and in the
winter. In good weather he took short
walk before breakfast, returning in
time to join his family at morning prayer.
The breakfast hour was 8 O'Clock, after
which he joined his secretary in the libra
ry, where he spent an hour reading over
his letters, dictating answers to them, or
preparing his opinions
At 10 he left his house to 90 to the
Capitol, always walking when the wealth
er was fair, and riding in the cars in bad
weather. From II to 3 he presided over
the Supreme Court of the United States,
after its adjournment walking back to his
house. Arriving home, he took lunch
of crackers and tea, and then went Wig
oronsly to work on his opinions remain
ing so engaged until dinner, which was
always served precisely at o'clock.
His tabl' was elegant, but not epicurcan,
an consisted always of three courses and
II dessert The Chief Justice always
dressed in black when in Washington,
and was very much astonshed to see
him appear in light pantaloons sack coat
and slouch hat on the morning that we