St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-01
there ever SO perfect woman? She is

there ever SO perfect woman? She is
like bit of most fragile china
"But Mrs. Patterson had generations
of good breeding back of her, though
think woman can be a. perfect lady
without that. Indeed | have noticed
members of her own family who did
not have touch of her peculiar gra-
ciousness. 1 know woman who i9 my
own city / would easily put with Mrs.
Patterson, though she mad neither
wealth nor great family to give it to
her. She had all sorts of Universities,
and yet she was always the perfect
lady. AS recall her perfect character,
l think its peculiar charm was in the
fact that she never omitted detail of
kindness. Instead of thinking kind
things she always did them, and l do
ity that most of all makes the woman
we recognize as the perfect lady,
sit is true that Southern women, as
rule, are held up as examples of perfect
womanliness, and | take it it is not be-
cause they are one whit more kindly of
heart, but because they study the art OF
pleasing more, and l wonder, too, If
their seeming helplessness does not
have much to do with their reputation.
II have noticed that even if you do so
slight thing as to ask them to your
dining room to take cup of tea they
look at you in such a helpless fashion
that f1utter of pity fills your heart,
and you Involuntary take them out,
all the time thinking what a sweet
womanp"
After this little talk Mrs. Ingalls,
wrote a note, in which she so well de.
fined the qualities of the perfect lady"
that l give it:
"a woman may be cultivated, accom-
plished. stylish and thoroughly au fat
ID all the forms and customs of polite
society, and still be lacking in the es-
sential qualities that make a lady. On
/ the other hand, true lady may be
ciety, but she will grace any occasion
she may honor by her presence. The
true lady possesses the refinement of
the heart and soul that reveals itself in
every action. In training daughter a
mother should endeaVOr to inStlll kind
ness of heart and thoughtfulness of
/ others and to be thoroughly unselfish."
Story by Senator Frye's Wife.
According to Mrs. Senator Frye, of
Maine, Mrs. Hamilton Fish was one of
the most perfect ladies ever in official
life here. Her eight years reign as the
wife of Gen. Grants secretary of state
was certainly unmatched i'll the an
mails of Washington women, and her
acts and decisions are still quoted.
The story is told of her when one of
the other cabinet ladies at the close of
Gen. Grants last term suggested that
they lay down some rule for the govern
ment of future cabinet ladies, saying,
with considerable spirit:
Madame. we have done as we chose.
Let us permit our successors to follow
their own pleasure"
Mrs. Frye tells story of her that
shows her sweet thoughtfulnesS: Her
little daughter was home from school,
and the mother took her with her when
she called upon Mrs. Fish, introducing
her by name, Alice, and mentioning
that she was home for short vacation.
The next week the little maiden was
overjoyed to find by the side of her
fathers and mothers invitation to
large reception card bearing the
words, "For Miss Alice"
A few years later, when that little
Alice died, the heartbroken mother ME
Mrs. Fish, and there was no word
spoken, but only gentle touch of the
hand that made the tears come to the
eyes of both. That is sweetness, and
surely the perfect lady must have this.
kindly thoughtfulness of children.
Mrs. Frye says that the thing most to
be criticised in Washington society is
something that people have complained
of ever since society originated-th of
an invited guest taking the liberty of
b,ir ODa or two rn7nn friQndc with
her to a reception or entertainment. She
says this same Mrs. Fish once said sadly
that should she invite 5000 people to
her house there would certainly be
$4,000. 1t is a fact that women who en-
terrain lavishly here always prepare for
one-third more guests than they have
invited.
1T has grown to be the CUSTOM" said
she, land hOSteSSeS expect to hear, i
just took the liberty to bring my friends,
who were only in the city for few
days.
''Another thing for which society has
been criticised is certainly improving.
and that is the unSeemly behavior in
the dining room. 1t is said that at an
entertainment at the former Mexican
minister's, the wine bottles were piled
up under the tables and men did not
wait for corkscrews, but taking two bot
ties, broke the neckS by striking the m
together.
"There was an instance of this few
years later where woman eagerly held
out her glass for the wine that her eS-
cort was preparing for her in that way,
and in her haste she leaned too far
over and the wine spurted the length of
her elegant train. [ think every one
was glad that she had ON dress that it
would completely ruin, and since the
mishap there has not been such haste
in the matter"
Mrs. Cleveland Is Mrs. CockrelPs
ideal.
Mrs. Grover Cleveland is the ideal, &C
cording to the wife of Senator Cockrell.
and she gives the best of reasons for her
choice.
MRS. Cleveland's simplicity of man.
ner was what made her the perfect
lady," said she, 'although | think even
loved if she had not had with it gentle
dignity which kept her from being CON
fused in the most trying situations. A
woman who is easily flustered, no mat
ter what her other charms, can never
appear the well-bred woman.
Il saw Mrs. Cleveland in society,
where she was both guest and hostess;
l saw her in the privacy of her life at
Oak View, and think | never. no mat
ter how familiar became with her quail
tiles, missed expressing to myself or
whoever was with me my admiration for
her uniform affability and gentleness.
People seeing her just once might have
thought it assumed for the time. but |
know it was natural.
Ibid you ever think that that woman
in the whole time she was constantly
before the public never said one word
that Mr.. Cleveland's enemies could turn
in the slightest degree to his i'll? That
is marvel to any one who has been in
Washington society for any length of
time, for l know | have pitied in my
heart men whose wives had so little
tact that they would openly say things
which would endanger their husbands
prospects"
Mrs. Clarkson's Spicy Talk.
Mrs. Clarkson. the wife of the assist
ant postmaster general, said: ''Who is
j. .o,foa+ foJ,,o yThr &c Ghrict;o,, Won