Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-07-25

umes. All but the mirrors is stored at
a furniture auction-hOUse on b street
awaiting the final order of the trustees.
The mirrors are at Edgewood, the
country seat, place of forty acres
just beyond lexington, left her by her
father. This place was mOrtgaged and
mortgaged again.
hate Chase was a poor manager
She had blind faith in the future of
her property, and that Edgew ood
would some day make her rich again.
1t would have brought comfortable
sum three years ago, during the boom,
but Kate Chase waited for the boom
to get bigger, AMI it did not. This
woman, who was so long the ac-
knowledged queen of society, has two
living daughters. One, Ethel, was
carefully educated for the stage. but
has not yet made her mark before the
footlights. The children are Spra CUES,
dark-eyed, shy and morbid. All in all,
the misfortunes of Kate Chase make a
SAD story.
Mrs. Chase was in many respects
one OF the most remarkable women
ever known to Washington society.
In the days of her prime there was no
disputing her leadership. She was
actually the queen of society. She
could make Or unmake social aspirants
with an invitation or a snub. Many
stories are told OF the peculiar power
which she at one time welded here.
Her drawing rooms came nearer reaIiz-
ing the dream of a salon after the
Nine. de Stael model than anything
that has been seen at the capital since.
Public men and aspiring politicians
We'd with one another for her favor.
1t was often predicted before the
downfall OF Governor Sprague that the
arts and destinations of his wife would
make him president if he lived. Gov
ernOr Sprague is ROW a recluse. of
morose temperament and strange
methods of life in Rhode Island.
Through all her troubles Mrs. Chase
has managed to keep up appearances
She must be a good deal of a philoso-
pher, for she has laughed at her own
m1sfOrtuneS and worn a bright and
winsome smile through all the dark
days. She is without bitterness. not
Withstanding her great disappoint-
ments. Some time ag3 the writer had
an extended conversation with her
and found her ready to talk Of her af-
fairs with engaging frankness and
something Of her old vivacity and fas-
cination. If there WAS any bitterness
III her talk of the events of the past it
was because Governor Sprague had
made no provision for the SUI port and
education Of their children. Her only
son. who reSembled the Spra CUES and
not the ChaSes, committed suicide
some years ago at Seattle. 1T is re-
markable that the union of two such
distinguished families as the Spragues
and ChaseS should have led to such
misery. Nothing but IL luck has fol-
lowed either Of the families since the
separation of Governor Sprague from
his wife. Though Kate Chase married
the richest young man in public life, !
the man who was thought to be the
greatest catch" and have the bright
est future, she has been living for a !,
quarter of century upon the properly
left her by her father, receiving not a
single cent from the estates Of her
husband, once reckoned at millions
Roscoe Conkling, whose attentions
brought her so much unhappiness,
Mrs. Chase speaks of to this lay with
respect and admira ton She talks
frankly of the episode at Canonchet,
which attracted so much attention
years ago, and ascribes all the IN
of that affair to her hus-
bands ungovernable temper and cruell
which were never justifi-l