The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-07-04
sExERAL Lew wALLAcEs rEIs-

-
UTE
WASHINGTON, jane 2s.-SpeeIal
Telezram-General Lew Wallace to-
day, when the Inter Ocean CORE
spondent called upon him, paid .
tender tribute to Mrs. Hays, his dead
friend, sketchlng her nobility OF
character with the strong yet deli
cate touches TO be expected from the
author Of "Ben-Hur" "I knew her
we'll, our friendship extending
through many years. 1 met her 81
various times and places, at the
White House when she was mistress
there, and at meetings OF the Loval
Legion the commanderyo Of Ohio par
tieulariy. Like everybody else who
knew her, I was one OF her grest ad-
mirers. She had probably - many
admirable qualities n belong 20 wO-
men. In point Of fact, she has been
an example for women for Q great
many years, and a. everybody
knows, while she was In the White
House the whole nation almost
were her admirers. But In my opin-
ion her life after she retired from
the White House was In every re-
spect ~ admirable a. at any other
time. I think Mrs Hayes will live
In the estimation Of the American
people as one Of many who deserve
10 be mentioned In history on &C
count Of their excellences and able
qualities. She was q good Christian
woman. She allowed no duty to
pass her, aud when an occasion pre-
sented itself In which she thsught
she could do good she never avoided
Il. While she did not seek notoriety,
yet the very virtues and qualities Uf
the woman gave her q certain and
most enviAble nOtOriety, q notoriety
which does not detract from female
character, but rather adds to IL, and
10 certainly fairly within the lines Of
ambition for every woman In Ameri-
ca and elsewhere. I know that ex-
President Hayes was devoted TO her.
I know that her loss will be exceed
ing great sorrow 10 him, and on Sc
count Of lt he will receive the SYM
pathy of every genuine American
gentleman within the land. She
was about the lsst woman j should
expect To be called In that way, and
when you consider how healthy,
hearty and whole she was, how full
Of life aid spirits, her taking Off IL
amazing. Aud this very surprise
makes the sorrow the keener, the
more poignant. IL could not posi-
bly, have been expected. She was
just ~ good, as excellent as q wife
aud mother As she could have been
In any public capacity, just as adj
mirAble, Just as l0vAbIe. The White
House fulI-length portrait Of her 10
q good picture. IL does her Justice,
an admirable likeness OF her and
shows her at her best, her height.
And In all she did she was so true
to her husband during that great
crisis, his contest with Tilden. She
took no offensive part In IL, but her
conduct throughout the affair, while
the contest was pending and also az
terward, IL q noble tribute TO her.
The question settled I'm her husbands
behalf. then her whole manner and
department were 80 perfectly adj
mirable that even his most bitter
enemies have never been heard 10
utter q criticism against Mrs. Hayes.
MY own opinion about 10 IL, what
ever may be said Of Mr.. Hayes while
he was president, his life after his
retirement has been 30 dignified, so
manly that 10 there had been any
doubt about IL before that he II q
man OF superior character aud honor,
that all that good effect 10 In no lit
tie degree attributable to Mrs.
Hayes. For II Mrs. Hayes was his
support while he was q candidate
for Tie presidency aud while he was
president, she has been no less his
support since his retirement. She,
in other words, has made IL possible
for him to live this dignified life Of
which speak since his retirement
from the presidency. j met Mrs.
Hayes last at q meeting of the Ohio
cOmmandery Of the Loyal Legion,
and her robust health and CHEEKY
sOciabilIty impressed themselves on
all her friends. A noble woman has
gone up higher"