The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-05
THE DIPLOM
LEADERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC
CORPS AT WASHINGTON.
Pcculiaritics of Some Of the Foreign
Ministers-Dcan of the Corps
The Russian Representa-
tivc's Clever Wife.

Sun, includes 1875 persons, more or less.
Viewed as whole, the corps is only bril-
liant from the court uniform point of
view. Taken individually, it has clever
men and women, and the women are
superior to the men. The foreigners find
in American official society wide field
for criticism and gossip. Americans are
Just as deeply interested in the foreign
ers. and discuss them with equal freedom
and with vigorous tongues.
There arc about thirty ladies belonging
to the twenty-nine legations at Washing
ton, but of this number not more than
half have been here this year or have
been seen in official circles. The Dean
of the Diplomatic Corps comes from the
little island of Hayti. Mr.. Stephen Pres
tou presented credentials as Envoy EX-
traordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
of the Hayti Republic on February Is,
1873. This ceremony took place in the
blue-pom of the White House, where all
foreign representatives are presented to
the President. Thirteen years of service
places Mr.. Preston the senior over the
other ministers and makes him their
Dean. Before he became Dean the
honor belonged to the Hawai-
ian Islands. whose representative,
Elisha Allen, was Dean, succeeding the
British Minister, Sir Edward Thornton.
After the latter's promotion to St. Pc
tersburg, Mr.. Allen by seniority of ser
vice became the Dean. He preceded the
CORDS on the New Years morning OF
1888, and was the first to enter the blue
room to greet President Arthur. This
was only short hour before his tragi-
cally sudden death in the White House
ended the New Year reception. His
daughter, Miss Allen, is remembered as
one of the loveliest young women In the
corps. The present Dean is a man OF
English physique and Haytian com lex
ion. His serenely smiling face keeps
company with serenely courteous man
ner that indicates the happy, smooth
temperament of tropical people. Two
years ago Mr.. Preston was sent by his
government on special mission to Eu-
rope, where his family have been with
him. When here, theirs was one of the
very pleasant houses open to visitors on
regular days, after the American fashion.
Mrs. Preston is quite as genial as her
husband. and was popular hostess.
Their eldest daughter, tall and of French
type, was one of the best dressed girls in
society. Mr.. Preston, who recently paid
a brief visit here, takes his family from
Paris to London for the summer, and
brings them back to this country next
autumn.
The French Minister, NJ Theodore
Roustan, is bachelor. There has never
seemed to be any doubt Of that. And he
could never by any possible mistake be
taken for other than Frenchman. He
is very agreeable Frenchman, too. His
English is limited, but his gestures are
not. NJ. Roustan may not be able to say
more than "You have now fine day."
in the six words, but in one gesture of
his hands, and single lifting of his eye
brows, he will better express all that can
be said about the weather, good or bad,
than other diplomats, who pride them
selves on their efficiency in our Ian
guage.
1t was Mr.. Blaine who said one even
ing at dinner party: ''Mme. de Struve
is the cleverest woman in Washington. "
The wife of an ex-Cabinet member, who
feltherself not without cleVerness, quickly
made the qualification: '1You mean in
in the Diplomatic Corps, Mr.. Blaine?"
Without an instant hesitation, he an
swered: "No, I mean that Nine. de
Struve is the cleverest woman in Wash
ington." Those who know the wife of
the Russian Minister agree with MIR.
Blaine. Those who are not so happy
would hardly see in the little, pale, gray
Russian woman the magnetism, bril-
liancy and fascination which are hers.
Nine. de Struve has short, thin figure,
colorless complexion. blue eyes, and
permaturely gray hair. As dress goes,
she could not be called a well-dressed
woman. Her clothes, though always of
good material, seem to be the one thing
she is most unconscious of, and on which
she spends the least thought. But with
all lack of taste in shade and fashion,
her appearance never suggests want of
harmony. Without beauty and without
the art of dress, she is acknowledged by
the entire Diplomatic Corps to be their
cleverest member, and Mr.. Blaine gives
her no equal and no rival in Washing
ton. The Russian Minister'S wife is
thoroughly we'll read in books, and knows
the newspapers of all countries from be-
ginning to end. She is master of half a
dozen languages, speaking English almost
as well as her native tongue. Her knoWl-
edge of medicine is large, and was
gained by course of study. She is in
clined to be what is called strong minded
in this country, and if she were an Ameri-
can would be claimed by the woman suf-
fragists. She is better diplomatist than
her husband, and the compliment to her
is no disparagement to him. In fact, it
may be said that few Ministers here are
as accomplished in diplomacy as Nine.
de Struve. But she is one of the most
truly natural women, frank and outspoken
and just. When young American abused
her hospitality by appearing at one of
her evening parties in half-intoxicated
condition, she quietly requested his
friends to take him home. The next day
she wrote the young fellow note recall
ing the invitations, which prevented him
from going again to her house. At the
same time she was even more kind than
before to his sister, whom she continued
to welcome ss her guest.
Mr. Charles de Struve reads and writes
English perfectly, but does not speak it
as tiuently as his wife. He is most
punctilious on all points of etiquette.
He writes all his notes to Americans in
English. as he deems this more compli-
mentary 10 them than the use of French.