Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-12

rare and beautiful fragments of ecclesiasti
cal needle work, precious specimens Of con,
vent embroidery, painting or drawing and
emblems, talismanic charms, souvenirs and
mementos hallowed BY the imposition oi
ceremonial hands, and valued above price
bY reason Of association. ALI the collection
was LETT to Miss Sherman, whose devotion
while not equal to her mothers, is greater
than the enthusiasm of her sisters. She
has until recently given much of her time
to class of little boys in the parish church.
She dresses in deep mourning, wearing such
texture as the nuns have for home use. He,
little bonnet is close fitting, her hair is
brushed back smoothly from her face, and
hidden under the clinging black nuns veil,
and the severity of her toilet has led many
strangers to take her for cloistered woman
THEY LIKE SOCIETY.
Miss Rachael Sherman is less severe in
dress, and the mischievous lights that play
among the tresses Of her bright, red hair.
aud the merriment of her smiling face.
make the contrast between the daughters q
matter of remark. Like their father the
Misses Sherman are very fond of society.
and, while all drawing rooms and dancing
affairs are regretted" they are habituai
diners out.
In the approaching ordination of their
brother as priest, which will occur next
month, there is not little discussion as to
the future of the Misses Sherman. 1t is not
likely that either will ever marry, and while
Miss Rachael Sherman is not the sort of a
woman to bury herself in nunnery, there
are many friends Of the family who would
in no way be surprised if Miss Sherman
announced her determination to lead re-
ligious life. Such choice would crafty
her brother, but what effect it might have
on the old warrior will hardly be known, as
he has always permitted his children ito
follow the inclination of their own hearts
and act in accord with the dictates of con-
science, than which there is no higher
tribunal in this of ours"
The religion ofthe daughters Of Colonel
Robert G. Ingersoll, or their lack of it, has
been variously misrepresented. Taking a
clergyman's recent assertion the elder of
the two desired to become Christian, and
later denial, as an excuse for asking the
young lady for the truth, I got from her a
positive assertion that she had no inclina-
ton churchward.
THE INGERSOLL HOME.
Every Friday Mrs. Ingersoll and her
daughters and sister are at home, informally.
to their friends. The Misses Ingersoll often
sing and play, and there is always special
talent in the drawing room, and some deli
cious little spread in the dining room These
companies are delightful, the charm being
the great territory they represent, for every
body who comes to New York wants to see
Colonel Ingersoll's home and the Bartholdi
statue of Liberty. On Sunday the entire
family is at home, and then chairs are at
premium, and so many delightful groups
are formed and so many brilliant points
made that one is at loss how to take it all
in. There we're never such Sunday evenings
as these, for everybody on the carpet can do
or say something just little better than
anybody else, at least the host thinks so,
and that puts the guest at his ease. AS an
index to thetaste of the family the room gen.
orally reserved for company is the library-a
splendid apartment with lofty walls, pol
ished woodwork and a view of ever gay
Fifth avenue. The floor is carpeted with
splendid crimson rug that warns and
bughtens up the room, and wherever the
eye strays there is piece of china, a water
color, pot of pink azalia, spreading palm
ing lawyer calls beauty spot. Every wall
space is covered by bookcase, from which
the doors have been removed, and there are
thousands and thousands of books between
the floor and frieze, and the library table is
literally stacked with folios of prints and
attractive volumes of poetry and song.
Many of the books are treasured as souven-
irs, and on the margins are crisp, terse re-
marks showing the owners opinion of the
authors. Adjoining this
DELIGHTFULLY."- BooKY ROOM
is the salon parlor furnished in blue,
hung with splendid paintings, dotted with
lamps, candelabras and bric-a-brac that
illuminate and idealize, and lined with a
variety Of chairs, divans and low seats.
One corner is given to music and here the
Colonel gets his greatest enjoyment. Once
a week Mrs. Ingersoll opens her basement
door to the poor and needy, and the help she
personally extends would put some very
liberal churches to shame. In the winter
kettles of soup and coffee are kept boiling
the entire morning; empty bottles and cans
as well as empty stomachs are filled and
whstever the season, no worthy applicant is
denied assistance.
Both daughters being of manageable age
that hackneyed of all interrogatiyes, is mar
riage failure? not unfrequently comes up
and with it the bushes of the pretty sisters.
Apropos of elopements, the great infidel has
denied the possibility of sur
prise, inasmuch as he has always had his
daughters confidence for the reason that he
has tried to deserve it, and more than that,
it has been the rule of his household never
to admit to their society any man unworthy
of their acquaintance. No one who has
ever known the lovely girls will doubt the
frequency of invitation to change their
names, but as yet no suitor has been favor
ably regarded, the young ladies insisting
that their father must choose for them
There is but one condition on which the
consent of the unbeliever can be had, and
that is a written agreement from the son-in-
law to become member of his family. ''My
daughters are free to marry any men they
love. but instead of losing them insist on
gaining two sons" CLARA BELLE.