The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-18

have his wife take possession and
straighten things for him once more.
She is Of the greatest assistance to him
in many other ways, and the frequency
with which the private telephone-be-
tween his Office and her suite of rooms
sounds, is evidence of the important
part she plays in his business as we'll as
domestic affairs.
In addition to her duties as secretary.
which include the receiving and
acknowledging of all of Mr.. Depew'sin-
vitations land it must be remembered
that these amount often to several hun
dred a week., as we'll as the care of all
his personal mail, Mrs. Depew person
ally supervises the education, reading
and recreations of her son and of her
two little orphan nieces; is her own
housellceper; and yet, with all this,
finds opportunity to continue her studies
in German and French and to practice
daily. Besides being q most proficient
pianist, Mrs. Depew sings very we'll.
Her voice is contralto and sweet in
quality. That her tastes are artistic
and cultured her beautiful residence in
New York is evidence Fine paintings,
to her of moro value than jewels to
other women.
In appearance Mrs Depcw is Of
medium height and slight, girish fig
IRE, to which her stateliness of car
riage imparts great dignity. She is
probably between 35 and 40 years old,
looking much nearer the former than
the latter age. Her face is charming
and beautiful, though, like many such
faces, photograph misses much of its
chief beauty-its gayety of expression
and brilliancy of coloring. Her hair,
which is of dark brown, is worn in
soft curls high on her forehead and
head; the eyebrows and lashcs shade
her most beautiful and expressive
feature, the eyes. which are a deep
brown in color and OF great variety Of
expression.
Having been so long in mourning,
Mrs. Depcw dresses almost entirely in
black and white, very simply and ele-
gantly; she wears little or no icwelrv,
and possesses but . small stock Of
jewels. a few handsome pearls and
diamonds are noticeable in collection
much smaller than that of many worn-
en- of lower position and lesser fortune.
Some years since, on the death of her
brother, Mr.. William y. acknowledgement,
Mrs. Dcpew adopted his two little
orphan daughters, and is educating
them with her son. One of the children
is year older and the other a year
younger than Chauncey, Junior, and the
mutual devotion reigning is most touch
ing. The little girls writing desks are
in their aunt's room, and this fact will
serve as Slight indication of the care
with which she watches over them.
The three children are proficient
linguists, their knowledge of the Ger
man, French and English languages
having been obtained entirely from con-
vcrsations. The three languages are
spoken alternately in the home life. the
morning.; being devoted to German, the
afternoons to French and mcaltimes
and evenings invariably to English.
This linguistic proficiency is one Of Mrs.
Dcpcw's most practiced beliefs.
Mrs. Dcpew is rarely met in society,
as she has been IN almost constant
mourning for Il number of years past,
and her many occupations now com
rlctely occupy her time. She IS WON
an who believes that w0mcn's FIST duty
lies in the home life and home cares. and
that if these are thoroughly and prop
erly done, there will remain but little
time for missions" Both size and her
husband are dcvout attendants at St.
Bartholomew's Episcopal church.