Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-13

beautiful Mrs. Bingham, or the hepnp-
lican Court days OF Philadelphia
palmiest era, is still quoted as possessing
just this happy turn OF manner.
The public and private Sides are not
with Mrs. Russell sharply defined; they
merge In an alluring way You meet
Mrs Russell for the first time at an as
sembly, or you first see her at a concert
or the play-and you observe how admira-
bly, she carries herself: her "equipoise'
is perfect: her frock irreproachable; she
Is quite In her element in the social
foreground; and eft to be seen any
where" as venerable Boston gentle
man said OF a fascinating woman on the
eve OF her departure for Europe. where
she was to figure as an ambassadress.
And yet you somehow feel that she IS
"a good wife and mother in the Old
fashioned sense; that she Is not alto
gether unacquain:ed with the mysteries
OF bread making and preserving: that she
could, perchance, "set a patch; that she
loves TO cuddlc her little ones and romp
with them. and that the simple nome
dress OF off-duty days becomes her JUST
as well "a the one of costlier fabric and
more modish cut. In short something
turks in her face and manner that as
sures you she Is fond Of home and handy
there. Never for half second homely IN
nsT WAY, Sie sun Is IiVl a. ''N'~ 80
occasion being, whose gift lies soiely IN
presenting an appearnce.'
The ten years OF Mrs. Russelfs mar
ried life-a period crowded with "officiaF'
and domestic cares, travel and gaities-
have dealt tenderly with her; the loVely
Dresden" colorng Is intact; the eyes as
clear and sparkling as ever. She EVIDENT
ly has that equable temperament Whlcn'
If she lived. would leave her face fresh
colored, frank, with ne'er trace OF
trouble shadowed" at TO-
MRS. JOHN SARGENT.
1t Is her day" The bell rings and
she rises and goes herself, In frocK
OF clinging gray cashmere, TO open the
outer door of her small fiat. Quite as
likely as not, she admits simultaneously
with literary-looking man OF rusty
coat and dstTaint manner naughty
mondaine wearing wrap from worth
edged round with siver-foX and redolent
of Parma violets. Or there may await
her greeting a shambling individual with
the wild eyes and longish hair OF mu-
sical celebrity or socialist" He Is
followed perhaps. by a young blood
In London clothes of the latest build,
or by a man with the massive head ana
luminous eve Of n scientist; and he, by
a bevy of young women. somewhat show
ily dressed, who have pencilled shadows
about their eyes and an accentuateu
bloom upon their pretty faces. But
actress. savant, bas bleu or fashionabie'
II is all the same-whoever comes to that
door receives a kindly, even compilmeh-
tary welcome.
This hostess is n little woman OF me-
dium complexion, with Irregular thoush
very agreeable features and a compfehen'
sive glance. Without being preciseiy
graceful there is an easy flexure In her
movements that almost passes Tor grace
Her tiny. plant hands are covered WIN
rings. Her hair, slightly gray, Is uresseu
u,i,b care and fashionably: her gowns
have usually a suggestion OF trans
Atlantic origin about them In the t"iS'
oiven TO a bit of drapery or bow. or III
The Gallic finesse which barely reveals an
nndulating line Of elistening jet
T, xyould be hard TO guess her age iof
,;r,e has touched her most eingeriy. IN
reality she is rather past middle NE; pu'
che retains the activity ana enthusiasm
of life's spring-time
",rhe Albert" the apartment-house
whore she lives half the year. Is not IA,
from lower Fifth avenue, IN sonie"iia
old fashioned quarter of the toWh' an, ar
IN her narlor during the season on FIT
dov afternoons between and every suo
iect under Heaven, save scandal coiie'
i'm for a share of attention
CONGENIAL FOOTING.
Talk of literary matters ana sclehtiii'
eneculation. however, are inclined 10 pie
IrI,,inato and Il is undoubtedly In these
0o1ds of thought that the focusing genius
81 this salon finds her own most cohsei'i"
footing. But never by any chance zoe
che obtrude her own taste or eruullioh
never so much as once, L venture
say. has any one caught her ABUSING ne'
nayyer as hostess to give the conversation
a dexterous turn In her own uirec'iOI u
that she may air her hobbies or hersel
she is without vanity. for her only vanity
Is eratined in the knowledge that fol
Lor every one is "at his best" Her store
~ Information must be well-nigh mex
houstible. but she draws upon 1t only
10 start or keep the conversational pal
aCOing. -,
Other OF our countrywomen have trleI
to transplant that exotic form or socia
reunion called the "salOn." but beneatf
the magnetic manipulations OF this truly
wonderful little woman the shy Hover o.
French leisure has managed, IN rathel
unfriendly environment, to take root ant
flourish. out Of the chaos or interes
ceutqrirg IN ncr ufdWllS-IooIl ho ptI'l
woman alive one Is half inclined to be
lievc. would be able to bring agreement.
This woman. with the exquisite good
heart and consummate gift Of hostess
ship is the widow of one of Boston's best
thinkers. the late Rev. John 7. Sargent
and the mother of Mrs. FRANKLIN Sargent
a. scholar and idealst, and successfully
director of the "Lyceum" and Berkeley
schools of acting. and of the Theatre OF
Letters and Arts
AS the backbone Of the now deiuhc'
"Radical Club" which used to meet in hel
roomv parlors at 'l3 Chestnut street
Mrs. Sargent was rather exclusively iden
tilted with n reliSio-literary set; but OF
later years she has widened her socia
horizon. Indeed. l have heard II saic
many a time OF Mrs. Sargent that no wo
man In the United States (Mrs. Parar
Stevens not excepted has so large
circle Of acquaintances both here ant
abroad MARlANNa r. MeNA-'-''