Omaha daily bee., 1896-07-05
CHARMING PEGGY O'NEILL.
The Rumpus Her beauty Created III
OId-Time Washington.

The Rumpus Her beauty Created III
OId-Timc Washington.
Few of those daily passing along the block
which fronts Pennsylvania avenue, Just
where it joins Twenty-frst and l streets, re-
lates the Washington Post, are aware that
the row of red bricks is the same which
sheltered one of the most renowned feminine
characters ever at the capital; that within
its walls have supped and iined most of the
famous men of olden times. and that it has
looked calmly down on scenes and people
who have long ago passed into history.
The square has changed greatly In appear
ance since that day in the early part OF the
! century when Billy ONeil TOOK possession
of the block of houses which then made up
a large estate. 1t extended down to what
is now the market, and there were innumer-
able outhouses, stables and servants quar-
ters, for the Tavern was the most con-
spicuous place at the capital, which was
then hut a country town, the streets OF
mud and swamps, where are now rows OF
handsome residences. Here 1t was that the
statesmen of the time occupied for years
whole suites of apartments, bringing with
them retinues of slaves and several sets OF
carriages and horses. The place was the
rendezvous of the choice spirits of the day
and boosted as entertaining all the famous
men who visited Washington General Eaton
then senator, having his home there, ana IL
was also here that Senator Andrew Jackson
lived while serving his term in the upper
house.
The keeper of the tavern was william
O'Neill, a descendant of the family OF that
name whose ancestral home is in Ulster,
ireland. His wife was a fine woman, OF
great beauty, and one Of the daughters was
named Peggy, a name which chung TO her
through all her eventful life. Peggy was
born at the capital about the end of the last
century at a time when Napoleon was still
first consul Of France and the young re-
public in the throes of forming a new sys-
/ tenn of government. She grew up a beauti-
full girl, with soft, brown hair, OF a warm,
chestnut tint, clear, rosy complexion, while
her ewes were gray and most tender IN eX-
preston. In fact, when but a school girl at
Georgetown she was crowned at a com
mencement by Mrs. Madison as a token of
her beauty and graceful proficiency in the
dance.
While scarcely out of her short dresses
Peggy became famous for her love afairs'
and one youthful swain was about TO eiope
with her when the accidental upsetting OF a
:. flower pot by the girl in her flight discovered
. the plot to the irate parent, who promptly
: sent his daughter off to school IN New YORK
: In a short while she returned, ana IL was
while standing near a WINDOW IN the rooms
of the tavern that she caught the eye OF q
purser in the navy, a young man named
Undertake, who was desperately smitten al
the first glance, He called that very even
ing, and before he left was engaged to the
young beauty, while the marriage TOOK plact
within two weeks.
Her first marriage was seemingly happy
and for five years she and her huspaho
appeared to get on most amicaply' ihre.
children were orn-Virginia Margaret ano
a son, who died when very young. Timber
lake left his wife to go on a cruise, and j
was while absent that he one morning Gu
his throat, being stationed on board th'
Constitution at Port Mahon. Mrs. Timber
lake then lived in the red brick house
which she had built, on the northwest cor
ner of Twenty-frst and streets;
During the absence of Purser Timberlak'
the gossips of the town had 1t that Genera
John Eaton, who boarded at the tavern
paid too much court to the pretty grass
widow. At any rate, II Is a fact that wlthn
three months from the day that her mrs
husband cut his throat Peggy became TN
wife OF Eaton, thus being placed in tn
front rank of the wives of the United
States senators.
The advent OF the daring and beautiful
Mrs. Eaton into the midst of some OF tn
most punctilious ladies in the land wa
not hailed with JOY by these danes, Wit
Immediately gathered up their sklrts AM
declared that her acts OF late mad Deel
such as to taboo her from society. Prett.
Pegg set the world by the ears, and laughe'
at the havoc she had wrought, never carinI
at all for the slight which was put upol
: her by the ladies OF the government
Senator Jackson now became president
and. being an ardent friend of Eaton, de
e termined to take up arms in defense o
y Eaton's wife, General Eaton was put Int
g the cabinet. being made secretary OF wal
The wives of the rest of the cabinet officer
refused to call on the wife Of secretar
Eaton. Mrs. Calhoun also said she woul
not recognize her, and for this slight he
d husband became a personal enemy OF tn
IS president, and a bitter feud ensued.
IS The wife of the minister from Hollan
IF was the cause of her husbands being re
e called for a similar reason. 1t happene
a that several of the foreign ministers wer
e bachelors or widowers, and these gentlemel
It used to give large parties, to which Pegg
IS and her husband were invited, At one bi
dinner at the legation of Russia, Mrs. Eato
IS was taken in on the arm of the president
g but when the wife of the Dutch ministe
h saw who was to be seated next to her, sh
is quickly arose and left the room. TIL Who'll