The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-03-06
MRS. JAMES G. BLAINE
One of the Most Famous Ladies'
in Washington Society.
HER CAREER AS A TEACHER

An Opinion as to The Action of the Dakota
Judge Who Criticized
Her.
WASHINGTON, March Especial CORE
spondence of The SUNDAY HERALD. of
all the famous women at Washington, not
one is less known to the people than Mrs.
James G. Blaine the wife of the secretary
of state. For twenty-five years her hus-
band has been the most noted Republican
in the United States. He has been wor-
shipped almost as an IDOL by his party and
there is no one who is closer or more at
home with the masses than Jim Blaine.
Mrs. Blaine has always been rather re-
served in her ways. She is retiring rather
than forward in her disposition, and she
has nothing of the hale-fellow- wsll-met
personal mag netism which is so prominent
a trait of her husbands character. The
wonderful good fellowship and personal
attraction of her husband have made the
lack Of these qualities the more apparent
in her, and the people have gotten the idea
that she is naughty, when she is nothing of
the kind, and is simply reserved. She is
woman of high culture and of positive
character, and l heard Senator's wife say
the other day that she had more of the
right kind of character than James @.
Blaine himself Her family is noted for
it's intellectual attainments and all
of Its members are brilliant In
conversation and sharp in their wit Mrs.
Blaine herself is noted for her witty re-
marks. She likes TO say bright things and,
like many other people, she sometimes says
these with the best intentions, not realiz-
Ing how they viii affect The people 10 whom
they are uttered. People who know her
well appreciate 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 aforethought.
Mrs. Blaine's maiden name was Harriet
Stanwood. She was born at Augusta, Me-,
and her family was one OF many connec-
tions. The Stanwoods were not wealthy
when Mrs Blaine was girl aud after she
had gotten ner schooling, she " ent to Ken
lucky to teach, and here she met MIR.
Blaine, who was acting a pedagogue in
nelghborlng academy. The two feIl In
love and were married. Neither OF them
b anything to speak of, and they know
by bitter experience how it feels to look at
q $5-bill on both sides and put it back with
sigh. They settled in Maine and worked
along together, and in the fight for fame
and fortune they have been helpmates in
every sense of the word. Their days OF
want soon passed away. Senator Blaine
has always been a money-maker and he
40, -o11 l,aFr hn rvot 70
He has made more money since then, and
his big house on Dupont Circle rents for
$4,000 a year aud the house he lives in
here is worth at least 500, coo.
Mrs. Secretary Blsine's Washington
home has often been described. 1t is the
old Seward mansion and it is valuable
rather from the ground about it than from
the house itself. 1t is built on Henry
Clay's old lot, and it has been a fashion
able home for many years. 1t was in front
of il that General Dan Sickles shot Barton
Key for flirting with his pretty wife on
the other side of the square, and it was in
this house that Payne attempted to assas-
sinate Seward. The house is q large, red,
unpretentous brick of three stories with
an old-fashioned aidge-rocf and with many
windows. 1t is a double house and a wide
hall runs through the center. OF this hall
in the rear is Mr.. Blaine's study where he
receives his business callers. The family
sitting room is on the second floor and the
reception room both below and above are
elegantly fitted up. The dining room is
hung with fine pictures and Its ceiling is
beautifully panelled. 1t contains old
mahogany chairs and the table is of gener-
Gus dimensions. When Blaine rented the
house several years ago he took it, | am
told, with an option that he should have
har irvhf fn hr, OF fIrr1a Ar1r n
next i've years for $40 per square foot
Since that time the property has decidedly
increased in value, and l understand that
he made the purchase.
Secretary Blaine has another home al
Augusta and he has still another beautiful
residence at Bar Harbor by the sea. The
Blaine house at Augusta is situated near tC
the capitol. 1t is a large, old fashioned
hespitsble-looking mansion, surrounded by
extensive and well kept grounds and il
has been the scene of many notable en-
Jertainments in the past. The Blaines are
very popular in Augusta and Mrs. Blaine
feels herset at home there. She has
many personal friends who are very fonC
OF her and who never tire of dwelling or
her wit, her cleverness and her brillianoy
in conversation. Her only fault, if she
has any, is her lack of diplomacy She
has neuer learned to sugar-coat her word:
and her bright repartees often sting as
severely as those which drop from the
mouth Of Senator ingalls,. l chatted to-day
with q New England woman about Mrs
Blaine. said she:
Al can easily see how Mrs Blaine often
makes enemies. Her freedom of speech is
a Stanwood trait and it was encouraged by
her home training. About the SuanwooC
table bright answers, even if they were
cutting, were expected. 1t was give and
take and no one cared about the remarks
after they were made. Mrs. Blaine is very
much like her cousin, Gail Hamilton. You
know how bright and piquant she Is, but
can tell you that If Mrs. Blame had turned
her attention to literature, she would have
far outshone her brilliant kinswoman
There is one thing l like about her joking
she does not spare herself, and she would
just as leave say witty thing derogatory
of herself as Of anyone else. Don't think
she is uDKind in it nor has she any inten
ton of offending, but there are in this
world a class of dull people devoid OF
humor, why take everything du serieu1 and
think that every sharp remark has some
malicious meaning. Such people Mrs
Blaine has no use for, and it is these she
sometimes offends."
What do youthink about the criticism
Of the Dakota Judge concerning her in the
case of young James G. Blaine, jr. 2"
asked.
Il think it is an outrage and a shame, y
replied this woman. who is the wife of
Senator and an admirer of Mrs. Blaine
81 think that Judge ought TO be impeached
de had no business to drag Mrs. Blaine
into the case. He knew she was the wife
OF the secretary of state and one OF the
cd UuQm in ha