Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-23
WIVES OF GREAT MEN.
Women Who Share the Fame of Our
Leading Statesmen.
Mrs. Reeds Intellectuality-Mrs. Ne
kmley Can Discuss Politics
With the Most AStute
Thinkers.

1nere Is no city IN the world where
revolutions are so frequent as in the capt.
tai of the United States. The Congress
man or Senator of today may be a Cabinet
officer or President tomorrow. Changes
follow fast on each others heels, and be-
hind every change is the official service"
OF the then predominant individual. There
are a great many women In Washington
who, from close viewing of the social side
and diplomatic management of their visit
ing lists. always happen to be in with
the ms, and seldom if ever lou" with
the ''outs." In the oficial-that is Ameri-
can ofhcial-social life here there is little
If any distinction between social and
political" and there is, as a rule, as
much politics in the afternoon teas as
there is on the floor of either House or
Senate. although in the former case it is
more charmingly yelled and draped. In
Cabinet. diplomatic, Senatorial and Con-
gressional circles the social leaders are as
clearly defined as are the more purely po-
htical leaders In the halls of legislation.
Just now there are a few ladies, the wives
of members of congress, who, through
the combined forces of their individual
characters and the positions of their hus-
bands, occupy prominent places in the
cOO1ott WOIIO.
Among them are Mrs. Reed, the wife of
the present Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives; Mrs. John G.. Carlisle, the
wife of the ex-Speaker, present leader of
the Democratic Congressman; Mrs. Nc
klnley, the wife of the Republican leader
on the floor of the House, and Mrs. Hen
derson, whose husband was prominent a
little while ago as candidate for the Speak
ership and who, through the candidacy
and the strength of her personality, are
still prominent on the floor of the House.
These ladies are almost as prominent them
selves as their husbands, and in more than
one instances are not a little responsible for
the success attained by their husbands.
More or less social obligation rests on the
fair shoulders of each of these ladies, and
all of them have spent sufficient time In
Washington and amid official circles to
be thorough mistresses of the art of full
filling such duties as their positions i'm
pose. Mrs. Thomas B. Reed has spent
twelve winters In Washington, her hus-
band having last November been elected to
his seventeenth consecutive term as Con-
gresham. In color Mrs. Reed is a bru-
nette, in form rather tall and strikingly
graceful, with a courteous dignity that
lIlCAhCo IlCII l. 0IC was q
Susan Merrill, the daughter of q Congrega-
tional minister who moved to Portland,
Me-, where Mrs. Reed met and married
Thomas B. Reed, In 1870, he being at that
time a State Senator and shortly afterward
Attorney-Generale. Miss Katharine Reed,
aged Is, is her mothers constant COM
panion and ''chum," the two being warm
friends In addition to the nearer relation
ship, and together entering into many
plans for pleasure as well as instruction
for the little lady. Well read, and some
times called conservative In her opinions,
Mrs. Reed is one of the most welcome
guests at the brilliant entertainments of
Washington winters. The most striking
effect produced by Mrs. Reed is that Of
force and intellectually. Her dress is al
ways refined and quiet in tone and her Or
naments few. Canoes and plain gold
bracelets are her favorities, and the sparkle
of a diamond on her person is a rare sight
save when in evening dress. As the wife
of the Speaker the calls upon her time are
most frequent, and as a descendant of
Puritan ancestors she does her duty thor
oughly, and as a well-bred woman, charm
ingly. No one claims Mrs. Reeds time
or attention without receiving careful and
considerable courtesy, to which fact is due
in no small degree, perhaps, Mrs. Reeds
i%opularity.
Mrs. John G.. Carlisle, whose husband
has been described by the famous historian,
Bancroft, as 1.-The most remarkable man of
his age" is a Kentuckian born and bred.
Her father, Col. John A. Goodson, was a
native Of Georgia, who early in life moved
to Covington, KY, of which city he was
Mayor from 1857 to 1861, and afterwards
becoming a member of the State Assembly
and Senate. 1t was in Covington that Mr..
Carlisle was born, and it does not need
a second glance at the clear-cut features
and straight figure to detect the Southern
blood. Mr.. and Mrs. Carlisle have been
married thirty-two years and have two
grown sons who resemble their father not
a little. Mr.. and Mrs. Carlisle still keep
up their charming home In Covlngton and
spend as much time there as they can.
Despite her twelve years of life in Wash
ington, Mrs. Carliele finds nothing so
charming as her own home circle. Of
course it is still necessary for her to do a
good deal of social work, but the charm
ing little informal gatherings that occur
every now and then at the K street house
are among the more delightful entertain
nIcuUS. IL Gllt WOIu Is HUI UOO DlS. LlldU uIC
held In Washington.
Mrs. William Mckinley, Jr., is one of
the most charming and interesting women
in Washington society. She was Miss
Ida Saxton, her father, James A. Saxton,
having been most prominent In Ohio, and
her grandfather published for sixty years
the famous old Ohio Repository. Just as
Mr.. Mckinley flushed fighting in the
late war and began to practice law In
Canton, O., Miss Ida Saxton ended her
school days and made her debut into
Canton society. Her home was all that
could make a girls life charming, and
the young lady of the house was by no
means the least lovely thing therein. In
1871 there was a big wedding In Canton,
and Miss Saxton became Mrs. Mckinley.
Few women were more thoroughly equip
ped in health and intellect than was Mrs.
Mckinley to aid her husbands efforts
with wifely devotion and rare good sense.
Always interested and almost excited In
the contests of her husbands career, she
has today perhaps the best knowledge of
American politics possessed by any woman
In the country. Her beauty and intellect
promised a brilliant social finale, but I'M
fortunately her only two children, daugh-
tiers. died in early childhood within a short
time of each other. Then the mother's
health gave way, and now she is almost
an invalid, seldom going out save for
daily rides, yet receiving with gracious
courtesy and charming conversation the
many who call on her In her pretty par
lors at the Ebbitt.
Mrs. Mckinley is almost petite with al
most black hair, great, dark brown eyes
and a face which, although a little sad
when In repose, iightens with brilliant in
feIIect in conversation or discussion.