Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-27
WHEN He WAS spyAKsn.

WHEN He WAS sPKAKEh
Naturally. therefore, the social life. and. in
fact the most triing details OF the everyday
| actions OF the Blaine fsmily. have alwavs been
invested with an enormous amount OF interest.
Since his term in the speakership the social
strides of the family have been marked Mrs
Blaine liked the companionship OF cultivated
people quite as much a. her husband. but un-
like him did not care for the bIg crowds aud
official crushes which were considered a neces-
sary EVIL wears ago. Consequently n nav be
said that she has never presided at what might
| be called large company IN her own house.
As tn" wife OF the Speaker she grew tired %
| the large receptions and always asserted that u
she ever had the power she would do what she
could TO remedy this grievance. or at least 20
/ do away with the fatiguing customs attendant
upon II. The 18th street residence of the
| Biaines during this period was really the plscs
where most of the home memories must clu.-
| ter. The elder sons emerged from boyhood 70
mans estate and from It went Go their chosen
| syocations. The elder daughter. Alice. who Do
came Mrs. Coppinger made her debut into
society there and appeared at all the notable
receptions which then marked the social nd
vance OF the family.
THE cHILDRES's ASSOCIATES
Their neighbors were ell uotables as well az
themselves. Hon. Fernando Wood occupied
the house corner 18th and streets Ne,t TO
MIN DNcu fON GNAtlL. tItu came James u
Blaines residence. and adjoining Gen. Van
vIet's house the south side was the latter
part OF the time the residence of G--n. Sher-
man. The Young people from all these houses
! we're naturally as prominent as their elders.
! Around all these front steps Margaret Blaine
now Mrs. Walter Damrosch. Jas. q. Blaine. jr.
ana Miss Hattie Blaine PLAYED and frolickei
| through childhood TO more mature years
! when the finishing touches 10 their education
became the great question an their career
N
house for her first trip 10 Europe. where she
remained year at school in Paris Young Jim
went from II 10 enter college. process be kept
| on repeating until many OF the best knova m
stitutions in the vicinity had had the honor Os
| endeavorng TO Introduce some learning into
his head. which seemed all the time actively
employed in devising some new sort OF boyish
mischief and fun. The result Was that Jim
spent considerably more time at home than in
school. and he entered society At an extremely
youthful age. Miss Hattie Blaine. ~he had hss
| lively temperament. was however. better able
| to keep il under control and she wss the dsr-
ling of the household then and has never lost
this endearing promgnence. The fam ly char
acteristics then marked in each OF the chill
dren have not changed as the years rolled
The long summer spent here by President Gar
fields cabinet while he lay dying in the White
House was a remarkable one for the Biaines
They had expected TO move up 10 their nev
house on Dupont circle early in the fall and to
commence there the brilliant social life which
was to mark Mr.. Blaine's high position ~ Sec
retary OF State. IL a keen struggle for
them 10 leave the 18th street house. which Was
endeared with so many fond associations They
liked the convenient neighborhood, and. In
fact. never did like the big house on Dupons
circle for this reason When they did take up
their residence there the next winter Mr.. Blaine
was y private citizen
miss ALICE BLArSEs nARRrAoE
The frst wedding in the home circle tost
place there in the nuptials Of Miss Alice Blains
and Col Coppinger on Shrove Tuesday, Feb
ruary 6. 1881 The event brought together su
the distinguished people in society and Presi-
dent Arthur took the bride In to the wedding
breakfast. Rev. Dr. Chapelle Of ST Matthews
Church performed the ceremony Nearly tve
years later this same priest received Mrs. Cop
pinger into the Catholic Church during her STAY
in this city. upon the occasion Of one Of her
long visits 70 her parents
When the Blaines next returned 20 this city
to live they had rented the Dupont circle man
sion 10 Mr.. Letter and settled themselves In Q
smaller one. the old Marcy house pow the resi-
dence Of Mrs Scott Townsend. on Lafayetts
square Here Mr.. Blaine gave himself almost
entirely during the working hours OF The day
to writing and debating the materials for hs
book. and perhaps Of no time of their Wsshfng-
ton life did the social importance OF ths family
seem more marked and attractive. During hist
winter Mr.. and Mrs.. Blaine gave . ssriss sf
dinner parties, which we're the events II ~
season