Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-05

~
W. idol by his party
and there is no one who
II closer or more at home with the masses than
]. G. Blaine. Mrs Blaine has always been
rather reserved in her ways. She is retiring
rather than forward in her disposition. and
she has little of the personal magnetism which
Is so prominent a trait of her husbands char
acter. The wonderful good fellowship and
personal attraction of Mr.. Blaine have made
the lack Of these qualities the moro apparent
In her. and the people have got the
idea that she Is naughty. when she
ts nothing of the kind, and is simply
reserved. She is q woman Of high cul-
ture and OF positive character, and heard
Senators wife say the other day that she had
more Of the right kind of character than James
@. Blaine himself. Her family is noted for its
intellectual attainments and all of its members
are brilliant in conversation and sharp in their
Wit. Mrs Blaine herself is noted for her witty
remarks She likes to say bright things, and
like many other people. she sometimes says
these with the best Intentions not realizing
how they will affect the people to whom they
are uttered People who know her well appre-
ciate this trait in her character and do not hold
her to account for her witty bon mots They
know that at soul she is kind hearted and that
she would not harm fly with malice afore-
thought
MRS BLAISEs YoCIB.
Mrs. BlaIne's maiden name was Harriet STAN
wood. She was born at Augusta. Me-, and her
family was one of many connections. The
Stanwoods were not wealthy when Mrs Blake
was girl. and after she had got her schooling
she went to Kentucky to teach. and here she met
Mr. Blaine, who was acting a pedagogue in a
neighboring academy. The two FELL in love
and were married Neither of them had any,
thing 70 speak OF, and they know by bitter ex-
perience how it feels to look at q IS bill
on both sides and to put ii back with a sigh
They settled in Maine and worked along to-
gsther. and in the fight for fame and fortune
they have been helpmeets in every sense of the
word Their DAYS of want soon passed away
Senator Blame has always been a money-maker
and he had done well before he got to Con-
gress he has made more money since then.
and his big house on Dupont circle rents for
el0, 900 year and the house he lives in here ia
worth at least 100000.
THE WASHINGTON HOME
Mrs. Secretary Blaine's Washington home
has often been described 1t is the old Seward
nansion and it is valuable rather from the
ground about il than from the house itself. 1t
is built on Henry Gays old lot and it has been
fashionable home for many years. 1t was in
front Of it that Gen. Dan Sickles shot Barton
hey Tor flirting With his pretty wife on the
other side Of the square. and it was in this
house that Payne attempted to assassinate Sew
ard. The house is a large. red unpretentious
brick OF thres stories. with an old-fashioned
double house and a wide hall runs through the
center. Oh this hall in the rear is Mr.
Blaines study. where he receives his
business callers. The family sitting room
u on the second floor and the re-
ceptiou rooms, both below and above are
elegantly fitted up. The dining room is hung
with hne pictures and its ceiling is beautifully
Paneled- Ii contains old mahogany chairs and
the table Is OF generous dimensions. When
Blaine rented the house several years ago he
took IL, an told. with an option that he should
have the right 10 buv it at any time during the
next i've years for $40 per square foot. Since
that time the property has decidedly increased
IN value and be made the purchase some time
ago
TEE AUGUSTA HOME
Secretary Blaine has an other home at Au-
grsta, and he has still another beautiful resi-
dence at Bar Hsrbor by the sea- The Blaine
house at Augusta is situated next to the capt.
toll II is . large, old-fashioned hospitabIe-
looking mansion, surrounded by extensive and
well-kept grounds, and il has been the scene of
many notable entertainments in the past The
Blalnes are very popular IN Augusta and Mrs
Blaine feels herself at homo there. She has
may personal friends. who are very fond of
her, and who never tire OF dwelling on her wit
her cleverness and her brilllancy In converse
ton. Her only fault II she has any, is her
lax OF diplomacy. She has never learned to
sugar-eoat her words. and her bright repartees
often sting as severely as those which drop
rom the mouth Of Senator Ingalls,. l chatted
:, trv wi'h a New England woman about MIRA
Blaine. Said she:
- can ea-liy see how Mrs. Blaine often makes
enemies her freedom of speech is a Stanwood
trait and IL was encouraged by her home train
ing About the Stauwood table bright answers
even II they were cutting. were expected. Ii
WAS give and take, and no one cared about the
very much Ike her cousin, Gail Hamilton You
Know how bright and piquant she is; but can
tel you that II Mrs. Blaine had turned her at
tenton 10 literature she would have far ont
SHOWN her brilliant klnswoman. There ia ona
thing ike about her Joking She does not
SPARE herself. and she would Jus. as leaya saw a
witty thing derogatory of herself as of auy one
else. i don't think she is unkind in IL nor has
she any intention Of offending but there are in
This world class Of dull people devoid ~
humor, who take everything au serieux. and
think that every sharp remark has some ma
heious meaning such people Mrs. Blaine has
no use for. and it 10 these that she sometimes
ofends.
81 do not think the world understands MIRA
Elaine, this woman went on ''She is full of
stsriing good qualities. No one ever speaks of
her as . Sister of Mercy, bus no needy case in
ever brought TO her notice but that she does
not make every effort in her power to relieve
it She prefers to do her chaEtable work
through others, and her principle in
know what her left hand does Il do not visit
the sick very often she said not long ago for
] tssl Wa. there are many others who can do