, 1888-05-03
ROSCOE CONKLINO'S POWER OF
FASCINATING WOMEN.

WOkbD LOVES LONEh. --HlS UN-
FORTUNATE DISAGREEMENT WITH HIS
WIFE.
New YoRK, April 27.--[Special cor
respondence Chicago Tribune.l Isn't
it strangel OF all that has been writ
ten and said Of Roscoe Conkling since
his illness and death not one word OF
the sentimental side OF his character,
nothing about his power OF fascinating
women, which was as strong quality
OF his nature as any OF those for which
he was widely known. am not going
into the Kate Chase Sprague affair;
everybody knew about that, and it is
too long ago. We must deal with to.
day. Alas / know two women who
are almost frantic at Roscoe Conk-
ling's death, and they are both mar
ried. Now, don't mean to say he
was responsible for this, but there was
sometbing about the man that
women could not resist. l heard a
young. beautiful girl declare last sum-
mcr that II thrill ran through her if
Mr.. Conkling only passed her in the
hotel corridor. With all his states
manship, his cleverness as lawyer,
Re coe Conkling had time to be senti-
mental and romantic. He was u born
lover, and "all the world loves II lover"
The first performance OF "The Two
Orphans" is doubly Impressed upon
my mind, for in front of me sat Roscoe
Conkling, who wept and laughed al
ternately, as the play progressed. A
young beauty with me that night de-
clared that his tears had made her
fall in love with him, and she managed
loon after to- form his acquaintance,
Mr.. Conklng might be described as
a well-groomed mai. No one could
he more fastidious rs to his toilet. He
was the first man | ever saw have his
tngernails manicuied. His hand was
white and shapely, and he wished to
enhance these beauties. The Sunday
before Mr.. Conkling died dined with
friends in whose house there is tele-
phone, and as the host was warm
friend of Mr.. Conklng he inquired
from the sick room MS to the condition
OI lne puIleuL. VIC answer CHillc
back: "He would be easier il only his
wife would keep out of the room"
And yet the daily papers were teeming
OF the comfort of the wifely presence,
of her devotion to the sick mans
wants. What farce! Why not tell
the truth? IL was better for the man
not to be misunderstood or taken for
hypocrit. All intimates of the Conk-
ling family knew they hadn't lived to-
gether for over twenty years, but Mr..
Conkling had too much pride to
trouble with II divorce, so his wife
lived in Utica and he supported her.
There never were two natures more
opposed. Mrs. Conkling disliked
public career for her husband. She
had no interest in his advancement,
in fact, she considered it rather det-
riment. She didn't care to live in
Washington, and as far as her wishes
were concerned Roscoe Conkling
would never have been more than
country lawyer. Just think of it!
One might rs we'll ask the eagle not
to soar.
The final separation between Mr..
Conkling and his wife resulted from
the opposition Mr.. Conkling felt to the
fancee of his daughter. He was an
autocrat if ever there was one. He
insisted that the engagement should
not take place, but Mrs. Conkling who
had less ambitious views for her
daughter, opposed her husband, and
this ended all intercourse between
them, which was that OF financial
character. When he discovered his
wife in his sick-room he greeted her
with, "What are you here fcr?' And
another day when she was about to
give him some medicine he turned 20
Mr. Ed Stokes, Of whom he was very
fond, with the request that he admin
lister the medicine instead OF Mrs.
Conkling.
! have seen Roscoe Conkling almost
daily the last year, usually driving
pair of spirited horses attached to IL
light wagon. He would drive through
the Central Park and out ON the boule-
ward beyond, and though clad in light
dust colored overcoat, with colored
glasses and soft hat pulled well down
over his head, yet every one seemed
iustinctively to know him and all
turned to look after "Conkling." His
popularity among the people and their
interest in him, even though he had
permanently retired from public
life, was remarkable. Wherever he
went:the words"There goes Conkling,"
must have fallen on his ear, and it us
frequently came from his feminine
adorers as from the mouths OF men.
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