Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-09-07
DOLLY M41DISON.
. Beou,;fw Woanm who Once Retgned
im the White House,
rWira AWake.l

ia the " "' A"
rWiGe Awake.l
Mistress Dolly was not yet 70. Inc
portrait of her in Quaker cap, from
miniature painted at about that time,
shows how exquisitely pretty she was'
though the lovely pinks and pearllness
If her complexion and the fine black
ness of her silken hair and brows and
lashes cannot be given in the crude black
and white of ink and paper, nor the
sweetness of her blue eyes. She was
wondrouslv fair. Her mother, who
would not permit her to wear jewels,
taught her to take care of her complex
ion. She was sent to school with her
long gloves on her hands and arms,
close sun-bonnet, and white linen mask
on her face. 1t is plain to see that in
many ways great care was taken OF the
outward as we'll as the inward grace OF
the young Friend Though born q
Quaker baby-it was in l772, about half
dozen Years later than Miss Abigail
Adams i'll Massachusetts, and half q
dozen years earlier than Nellie Gusts
in Virginia, and the same year as Martha
Jefferson at Monticello-little Dolly
(who was so fond of jewelry that she
wore q grandmother's gift Of some
around her neck hidden in little bag)
grew up with love for dainty clothes;
certainly more exquisitely broidered
and frilled little Quakeress than she of
the miniature has never been seen.
There is in existence still, belonging to
this period, delicate gray satin
Quaker gown, with elbow sleeves and
square neck, worn by the young beauty
she certainly was beauty. Her
mother and grandmother before her, on
one side of the house, had been great
bellies, and little Dolly was lowered
with sweet looks as we'll as with a
Scotch simplicity and an Irish irresisti-
bleness Of manner she shared the
Irish wit and good nature with her IA
nous second cousin, Patrick Henry.
Her grandniece, writing a hundred
years later, tells how she met James
Madison. It was in Philadelphia,
whittier she and her little boy and her
mother (who was also widow had re-
turned, and where her reputation for
beauty was so great that the gentlemen
stationed themselves at points she was
to pass in order to see her. Mr.. Madi-
son saw her one day, and got Aaron
Burr to call with him and introduce
him, and Dolly came down in null
berry colored satin, and silk tulle
handkerchief over her neck and on her
head an exquisitely dainty little cap
from which an occasional uncropped
curl would escape"
(She must have much resembled a
famous young Quakeress beauty of the
same period, described by French
man travelling in America, the Prince
de Broglie; writing of her-Polly Law
ton, OF Newport. he says:
| She wore a species of English gown,
pretty close to the figure, white as milk,
and a tlchu very full and firmly fastened.
Her head-dress was a simple little cap of
very fine muslin plated and passed around
the head, which allowed only half an inch of
hair to be visible, but which had the effect
! Of giving to Pollythe air Of a Holy Virgin.)
All her friends rejoiced that she was
to be married to Mr.. Madison, though
he was twenty years her senior. Mrs.
| Washington sent for her to come to the
Presidential Mansion, and then,
dolly" said she, lis it true that you
are engaged to James Madison?" Dolly
was embarrassed, and stammered that
she thought not" and Mrs. Washing
ton then exorted her to mot be ashamed
to confess it" for Mr. Madison would
make her good husband.
*Menoirs and letters Of Dolly Madison.
Il FUNERAL PROCESSION OF .4NTS.
One day little boy of mine, about
four years old, being tired of play threw
himself down on grassy mound to rest
Shortly after, was startled by sud
den scream. My instant thought was
that some serpent had stung him. I
flew in horror to the child, but was at
once treasured on seeing him covered
with soldier ants, on whose nest he had
laid himself down. Numbers of the ants
We're still clinging to him with their
forceps, and continuing to sting the
boy. My maid at once assisted me in
killing them. At length about twenty
were thrown on the ground. We then
carried the boy indoors. In about half
of% r