The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-24
GOV. BLACKS HOUSEHOLD.
THE PLACE II VILE TAKE IN
ALBANY SOCIETY.

NDNAbA
--
A Home-LovinE Family without n Social
Career &c Take the Place where che
MortonE Have Entertainsd Brirnantiy
end Layiuhiy-Mrs. Blacks Personality.
There has been considerable speculation as
to the probable social character of Governor
elect Blacks administration. Everything de-
ponds, In this matter. on tho feminine ele-
ment of the Executive household. Gov. Nor.
ton has been able to give New York an ire
prouchnblo social regime. Hc has had all tho
reQuisites-unlimited financial resources. n
wifo who is an accomplished and experienced
hostess, and charming daughters.
The Morton establishment has been a credit
TO the official society OF tho Empire State.
Even to tho outsider there has been q sonse OF
qualification in the fact that the Governors
wife and daughters were all that could be
asked from the social point OF view, and that
his equipages and liveries were perfectly APP
pointed. When Il came TO the social func-
tions. the satisfaction was quite as complete.
They wero nos inexperienced, hampered by
lack of money or OF that more important quail
ity, SAVIOR faire. In other words. tho Nor
tons have set q pacc for succeeding Executive
households and 1t will not prove an easy one
for other persons to keep up. Mr.. Black is
handicapped at tho very outset by his lack of
the Morton money. Money will not make the
social wheels go round to absolute perfec-
ton, perhaps. but it Is o pretty good lubri-
Gator. Not only does Mr.. Black lack the large
wealth Of his predecessor, but he and his wife
lack the wide experience in society which
would be worth n good deal to them now.
They are not what is known as society peo-
pie, even in their o Nn town. Troy. They have
had a winter in Washineton. but thoy did not
go in for society there. On tho whole, they
- Iii. .-Il - Al - --sx -
view, and yet the prospects are excellent for
a crcditable crop of social functions under
their direction.
The family of the Governor-elect consists of
himself. his wife, and a 16-year-old boy whose
name is..Arthur, although his father calls him
Ben. Mrs. Black Is tall. and yet her five feet
and seven inches of height scarcely bring her 10
her husbands shoulder. He. however. is
thin. while his wife ls stout. She has fine
brown hair which she does not torture with
a curling iron, but parts and brushes softly
back. She has good eyes. gray and chang
irg, full OF laughter. Her complexion Is fair
and fresh; her mouth kindly; her face full Of
expression. with a constant tendency toward
smi' of real good humor. There! IL that doesn't
picture an attractive coantenance. it is the
fault of the writer and not OF Mrs. Blacks face.
She is said to be about 30 years old. She may
DO a few years older. and she may not Her
matron!y air makes her seem older. She looks
like the adored mother of three or four equally
that she has only one child. She has the look
OF n woman who enjoys the unbounded aiiec-
ton OF q good many people. and such a woman
Is generally the mother OF n large family. III
Mrs. Blacks case the affectionate numbers arc
not lacking. but they are contained In u wide
circle of friends.
Mrs. Blacks height at once gives her an advan-
tage in any company. Add To this the fact that
tive face. n Genuine smile n good voice. and
that she dresses well, and there seems no rea;
son to fear for her discharge OF "Secutive social
indie pendenJ, however, and they are proud OF
IL. They have lived in Troy ever since their
had a beautiful time doing as they pleased.
When Lois Hanlin. then u school teacher at
Cape Cod, Mass. met Frank biacE' then a
self, be could better have SPARED n pound ~
flesh thin as he was, than have eiven up one
keeping. in a little cottage in AN eastern, sub
urb OF Troy. and they we're happier, %perhaps.
would have been With a lot OF servants to
worry them AT ans rate, they didn't have
The lanky young lawyer gained briefs faster
than. he gained flesh. and the young couple
decided 10 move nearer the heart OF the city.
comfortable frame house, painted white, with =
well-kept lawn in, front and Mrs. Blacks
want now. a joliy-lookinV colored girl, whose
beaming countenance is a guarantee of the good
lumOr OF her mistress. w men tho BLACKS moved
to this ~house-that was a jons time ago they
were still practising economy. and the Cover
nor-that-was-to-be moved his own effects. piece
by piece. TO his new home. He did it in the
evening, when his Office work was over, and he
and his wife had more fun out OF that expert
ence than even tho neighbors did. which is say
Mrs. Black is one of those unusual speci-
mems of mode IN fsmininlty-a woman who be-
longs to no women's clubs. She doesn't be-
long to ere n reading circls or a Shakespeare
class. Neither Is she particularly devoted to
t@ariaas. although t.Sy have figured IN the
coliege-bred woman. although, she prepared
fads. or. at least. says she has none. She has
no hobbies. Ono believes that at the first
glance. Sue IS modest in regard TO her own
attachments, but che cannot blind the most
casual observer TO two OF her greatest ones
health and happiness. She Is an experienced
~heeiwoman. For two years she and her hus-
band have taken long rides together. OFTEN
they make n family excursion. and father,
mother. and son take q long spin together.
by that they could afford to be Independent.
Mrs. Black il careful housekeeper and
really hps few interests outside OF her homo.
Since her husband entered, politics she has be-
como a great reader OF the newspapers. but
her interest Is specific. not general. : he IL pre-
eninently a home woman" and, In all prob;
ability. that element of LONELINESS, in its real
sense, will be the prevailing one in tho cour-
tesies OF the Executive. mansion during her
nus, Ms, M 1arn1nlS VIII SiRe a r rs Is ru IN MTi
and Mrs. BLACK. to Introduce them To Albany
and official society. The now Governor prop
ably will occupy the Gubernatorial residence
We are, not society people" said Mrs.
Black frankly 10 THE SuN correspondent. We
what entertaining officially devolves upon U.S."
Those who know her seem to think that she
Will do 1t well.
TDI TsETR ~ mr. IL n