The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-01-13

",
she was paid many distinguished social
charmed by the brillancy of the remark
able lady and gave q reception in her
honor.
When the war began in 1861 Clement
C. Clay withdrew from the United States
senate, and, accompanied by his wife, re-
turned to their home in the south. They
were active in the affairs of the south
ern Confederacy, and We're intimately
identified with the leaders in the 'lost
cause" Mrs. Clay proved to be one of
the best friends the southern soldiers ever
had, and many Il poor fellow has cause to
praise her name every time he hears it
mentioned. She was with her husband
when he was arrested by the government
in 1866, and was of the party composed OF
Jefferson Davis aud Clement c. Clay, who,
with their families, were taken north to
prison. The ladies were not imprisoned,
but Mrs. Clay's husband was jeff. Davis
fellow prisoner at Fortress Monroe during
the period that the eXConfederatc chief
tain was confined there. Mrs. Clay sought
President johnson and petitioned him for
the release of her husband. She made
such a gallant and brilliant appeal that
her efforts were at last crowned with sue
SSoo' AACSA cilc 1clGf1Sc CcllLGOl C1tly tuO
his wife returned to their old home in the
south. Their large fortune had vanished,
their city and country homes were
wrecked and they had to begin life anew,
starting almost at the very foot of the
ladder. Senator Clay died III 1882, and
his death was morlrned throughout the
.outh as the loss of one of its best friends
and most brilliant leaders.
Mrs. Clay is Il most brilliant conyersa-
tionalist, and by all odds one Of the most
remarkable women Of the times. She must
be upward of GO years of age, and yet she
is as spry and gay socially as o belle of 1G.
She is al apt story teller, writes a beauti-
full letter and enjoys life and its pleasures
as much as any one. She possesses q re-
markable memory and never forgets q
face or name. Her stories of the gay times
in Virginia (which, by the way, is her
Christian name) of almost half century
ago, Of the brilliant social events of the
national capital and the good old ante
bellum days are the most captivating re-
citals I ever heard.
In personal appearance Mrs. Clay is q
strikingly handsome woman. She is tall,
finely formed, with snow white hair and q
complexion us clear and beautiful as a
girls. She dresses very handsomely, pos
sesses q fine carriage and u commanding
presence. Opie Read, who met Mrs Clay
during her visit north last summer. truly
said Of her:
She is the widow of Clement G. Clay, whose
memory stands like {: live oak and whose political
accomplishments are in the hands of the histo-
rian, is perfect type of the high bred and brill
liant southern woman of day whose sun is set.
We see few-only very few-of these women
uow lingering in the twilight The duskis settling
down and the old gate post which we could see
just now has faded from sight, and the chickens,
with solemn futter, are going to roost in the pear
trees. The katydid is hushed, and no more do we
hear the weird music Of the old negros quilts. A
rail pen surrounds the old negro's grave. Mrs.
Clay is one Of the most interesting women whom
[ have ever met, and do not wonder that she
was such favoritc in Washington society years
ago.
Mr.. Reads beautiful pen picture IS !.
true one
Mrs. Clay's story Of her experience dur
ing the war sounds like q tale of old.
Northern soldiers lived for three years in
her beautiful country home in Alabama.
When they left they sacked the premises,
tore the wires out of her piano, smashed
silyerware and bric-a-brac that had been
collected in all parts of the world and tore
the house down. Her sufferings during
this awful period were very great. She
was so closely connected with the leaders
of the rebellion that many state secrets
arc known to her which are possessed by
few other living people. The past few
years she has retrieved her lost fortunes
and is now the owner of a fine cotton
plantation and q private fortune. Many
negroes who were her husbands slaves
before the war are still employed on her
plantation, and are true and loyal to this
distant day to ''Missus Virginia" She
manages her own plantation and makes it
pay. While sitting at a brilliant banquet
given by the people of st. Paul to the
southern bellies at Minnetonka last sum
mer Mrs Clay turned to me and said:
''You can imagine how hard it is to leave
this delightful place, with its beautiful
scenery and its never ending banquets,
and return to my hot southern home to
renew my business associations with
negroes and shave tailed mules. -