New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-10
MRS. HARRIsoNs AIDS.
LEADERS OF OFFICIAL SOCIETY UNDER THE
NEW ADMINISTRATION.
WIVES OF THE CABINET MINISTERS : THEIR
PERSONAL APPEARANCE, DOMESTIC GRAcEs
AND SOCIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND SOCIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
rrRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE rRrBUSEl
Washington, March o-Ars. Harrison VIII stand at
the head Of as brilliant receiving line as this
Capital has seem OF tho members Of the now
Cabinet Blaine, Window, Proctor, Tracy, Nooie,
Miller, wanamaler and Rusl, none IS widower OF
bachelor All but one, General Noble, have families,
and three, Blaine Window and Rusk have hveo IN
washington before aid thois wives understand the ms
and outs Of official society. This Cabinet IS petter
OF in Young people than the last nearly all thcse
men have daughters who have reached womanhood
party Of gay young girls In tho CABINET c'ie" WIN
leayen It's dignity and dulness.
Mrs. Blaine Is well fitted to ill the position OF
wife of tho Secretary of State, she has knoweuge
acquired by over twenty years residence IN ~'n
ington. In appearance Mrs. Blaine is tab "ep
formed with dark eyes and hair that Is rapiuV
turning gray. She is a trihe reserved IN niahner
but has had the widest opportunities OF travel anu
when interested she is most agreeable taker' IVA
ling her husband in choice of words and eloqueEce
The home life of the Blaine family is excepuonsny
pleasant There are six children, Walker, Emmohs
Alice, who married Major Coppinger, haEgaie'
James G., jr. and Harriet Miss Margaret Dlan'
who, OF the children resembles her dBtlhsu'H'o
father the most, will assist her mother In dlspohSnS
tho Inequalities Of the Seward house, when . " 10
their homo. The youngest child was namou si'or
Mrs. Blaine, who was Harriet stanwood, Oh Aus~'@
Me. Mrs Blaine has been very little In society tn'S
winter as she has devoted herself to her son, VINO
spralned his ankle when he first camo to Wasnls'oL
Ex-senator Window succeeds Secretary Falronlu'
and Mrs. Fairchld has a worthy successor IN ms.
Window. The two women are very much anAo' '"'
although thoy perform social duties conscenuouSN'
they much prefer family life. Mrs. WINDOW was
graduate Of Mt. Holyoke, and after leaving SchoOl
she taught in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. 1t was ino'e suo
met Mr.. Window. who was then prosecuting a'.or-
nav NJ thp hon student
eyesigat by hard study and has worn eyeglasses
ever SINCE. This gives a slight haughtlness 70 hol
manner, although she is really the most geh"e VI
women. As o girl Mrs Window was very pre'ty
and she is stIl pleasing in face and forn' VI
medium height she is quito slender. Her Oro"n
hair IS turning gray, but 10 many this only MAKES
her more beautiful Mrs. Window shows careful
tasto in dress, and while her homo gowns arc plain,
in society she e always elegantly dressed woman
She has instructive tact. for which she Is peasalS
remembered In Washington, where sho spent SO much
OF her life Two daughters and a son VIII ana 10 the
attractveness of this home. The eldest child MISS
Nellie is twenty-five and has been In I'll health for
year or two She has rare love for music ana
has made It a special study. being well known -
an amateur performer. When their fathers were
both Senator's, she and Mary Harrison AiS mckee,
were the best Of friends Tho younger daugher'
Florence will complete her course in Miss PorteTs
school this year and be debutante OF next season
She Is wonderfully pretty girl and has tho bright
vivacious ways that will make her favonte In So
clety. Since their daughter has boon In an Eas'ern
school Secretary and Mrs. Window have lived IN
NewYork at tho buckingham Hotel.
Pleasant families seem TO be the order with ne
Harrison Cabinet and Governor Proctor. the seere-
tary OF War; has especially charming one Mrs'
Proctor was Of the we'll known Dutton family
OF Vermont who settled in the early days In place
TO which they gave the name OF Duttonvlie They
NTH
ciay and IN business way for several generations,
Mrs Proctor like her husband, Is Of Puritan blood
and has tho deeply religious nature which raduonaly
belongs 10 such stock They have several children
who viii serve 10 brighten tbe- homo in washing
ton.
Tho family Of the Secretary OF the Navy General
Tracy will bring 20 their new homo tho culture AM
savolr faire which are dlstlnctively tho qualities
Of wealthy Americans who have known how to uso
tbelr money. Mrs Tracy IS OF tho fair type Of
woman, rathcrs plump and OF medium height. Her
face has the same mothoriy sweetness as Mrs. Win
dom's. 6ho dresses with an elegance and simplicity
becoming her years. Known as a society leader IN
Brooklyn IN her early days, she Is better known now
for her charities. In connection with MIS- D. "
White and the other charitable women OF her city, she
has fostered the Home for tho Frendless which is so
widely known Her natural Instinct is shown In her
charities for nearly all with which she Is connected
are for the homeless llto ones OF the world for
years she has been identified with Plymouth church,
and sho and General Tracy were among Henry Waru
Beecher's most kindly sympathlrers General ana Mrs
Tracy have two daughters, one OF whom Mrs VII
merding. Immediately telcgraphed TO come 10
Washington on her fathers selection Tor Cabinet
Office sho was an interested spectator OF tbs
Senate scene at tho Inauguration, sitting win BITS
and Miss Blaine In the Diplomatic gallery. hrs' VII
merdng is a widow. her husband. who was one OF tho
we'll known NewYork family OF Wmerding' uylns
fow years after their marriage. she has htuo
daughter about twelve years Of who VIII form one
Of the interesting group OF children with wheh tho
Harrison Administration IS so blessed.
Mrs Wnmerdng has taken her mothers place as
social leader IN Brooklyn, and will do the same In
washington. OF fine presence, she has much
natural beauty, and sho ADDS to It by her
superb dressing There will DO no oot'er
goyned woman in the Cabinet circle. She has
tho yyaoty and readiness which malge tho SUCCESSFUL
social leader and Will always know what 10 10 III
irving question Of etiquette.
Miss Tracy the second daughter. is an artist htsl
and after that woman with all tho charm mat
wears OF travel and study and mlngng with the artist
cult give to receptive nature She has WORKED III ''
famous art galleries of Europe and has made figure
palntlng hor especial study. snco returning rom
Furope two years ago she has aided her sister IN the
hospltallties OF their lovely home. General Tracy
wifi sell hts winter home in Brooldyn and bring MS
bolsehold gods TO Washington He mas a
country homo at owego, noted for its hne STOCK
farm. His family will drive the finest horses lor
tho next four years, as they arc all horewoineh
II ls 20 this country place that they Will g. ai'er
amending two months In Washington.
Mrs. Noble is Eastern woman, although she
bas lived ever since ler marriage In tho West 5he
was the daughter Of DIR. Halstead. OF Northampton
Mass. and 1t there that she was married 70
General Noble In 1864. She IS much younger thah
her husband and Is probably tho youngest OF lhe
Cabinet ladies' Her life has been saddened oy inc
death Of two children and she has never tahe'i a"y
mart in tho social gayetles OF 81. Lous she IS 4
yo,oan of intellect and Is well known in the literary
cotsr,e for which st. Louis is famed Mrs. NoDle Is
a deeply religious women and Is helpful to the poor
~ her city Like her husband shs has renneu nat
IRE and her excellent breeding jushhes her IN sfs
tocratic tendencies. General and Mrs. hooio sPolI
L. L.. Lu-a..nl Ana.n