The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-28
SOME POP WOMEN
PRIESTESSEs OF CALAMITY AT The
ST. LOUIS CONVENTION.

They Cut q Prominent Figure In the Policy
of Their Party and They We're all for
the Handsome Young Man From the
PIatte-Mrs. Lease and Der Paris Gowns
Were the Very storm Center of At
tractiou-ren Pictures OF Some of the
Ladies Taking a Leading Part In the
Convention.
The st, Louis correspondent OF the
Chicago Inter-Ocean writing to his pa
per relative to the women who partici-
pated in the Populist national conven-
ton, says:
The women Of the Populist convention
are making a very picturesque affair out
of a common place subject. The lobby
is full of these feminine objects an in a
f1utter, with Silver and Bryan" their
motto.
The most noteble woman in the entire
convention, by reason of her position as
au unusually clever woman political
speaker, and educator. IS Mrs. Ella
Knowles Haskell, assistant attorney
| general Of Montana. and wife Of General
|
It will be remembered that she ran on
the Peoples ticket Of '92 in opposition
to Haskell of the Republican ticket,
and came very close to winning her
prize She was only bowling acquaint
| ance Of the generals at that time. AS
she is very successful lawyer, she met
the general frequently after his appoint
ment, and the friendship afterward
drifted into love and a year ago they
were married. Mrs Haskell is a grad
uate Of Bates College in Maine. receiving
the degrees of A. NJ. and B. A, following
the same course at Yale. She is the first
woman ever elected from the state TO a
national convention, and one of the best
all round speakers on the silver queS-
ton in the country. During the big
mining suit a short while since. In which
James H. Higgins was the plaintiff
one of San Francisco's millionaires-
Mrs. Haskell won the suit against him
for which she obtained $4,000 fee, the
largest ever given a woman General
Haskell and his brilliant wife have a
large suite of offices, each attending to
his or her private practice independent
iy of the other. When the general goes
away she is the representative and those
who know say she handles the reinS as
we'll as her husband.
THE HASKELLS DON'T QUARREL.
Two years ago in Butte Mrs. Haskell
| met with serious carriage accident,
when she was severely injured, crush
ing thre ribs and bringing on serious
/ heart trouble.She is only just recovering
| her usual good health. At the Atlanta
exposition Mrs. Haskell's speech during
professional women'S day, on Women
| in the Profession" was considered one
or the most pleasing talks ever. given
by any woman. and called for universal
praise. To look at this little woman
one would take her for a happy little
housewife. She is petite and mild-look-
ing, essentially feminine in dress and
manner. But when she speaks you
know at once she has exceptional intel
lectual brilliancy. She has already made
sixty speeches on silver and will give
all her spare time to the interest of the
Populist party. / asked if the political
difference of the husband Republican
and the wife a Populist were likely to
make trouble and she replied: mo, the
general and I are such good friends we
couldn't quarrel over our politics. be-
lieve when more men and women marry
on mental congeniality aside from per
sonal magnetism we will not have as
many unhappy homes. Yes, ! am a Pop
ulist in every way and believe they are
recognizers of women's merit and they
should have our best help" General
and Mrs. Haskell live charTningIy at
The Helena" and have an unusually
happy combination of interesting home
life and business interests.
Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Lease of world
wide fame. added TO the general attrac-
tiveness of the city by her arrival in
St Louis this morning. She is arrayed
in the most charming of imported
French gowns. fitted over the best of
French corsets. 1 almost fail TO re-
member that this really elegant looking
woman was the poorly crossed woman
of western touch that 1 saw so frequent
~ during her worlds fair DAYS. 1t is
the most wonderful case of progression
have heard of. I so expressed myself
TO the clever woman yesterday. With
a true human sense Of flattery she re-
piled: I'm SO glad you like my dress,
and, too, that 1 am looking better I've
tried to progress and guess I've succeed
ed" AS she appeared not later than
year ago in plain ill-fitting black dress
with no figure and generally ungroom-
ed appearance up 10 the uncurled feath-
er in her before the food" hat, she was
not attractive.
MARY ELLEN THERE.
But yesterday in a gorgeous satin
skirt, black, even more than five yards
round and a chic linen waist, with en-
broidered sleeves of the same material,
finished al the neck with broad ruffie
of violet ribbon, she was really thing
of beauty and a joy forever AS sat
and visited with her she lost political
views in discussion OF the toilet, and
throwing open a closet door pointed out
10 my envious eyes another lovely black
toilet, in fluffy lace and jet, and stu an
other in white. may stuff. And while
I glanced 1 observed that the cry of
small sleeves was Of no uuse, for the
puffs were as bouffant as ever
Busy? Well, should say so. I've
not had even a Sunday to myself for
months. and I've more speeches TO make
the coming season than 1 have days
for. Yes, / am just planning for a new
book. most OF il in my head yet II will
deal with spirituaiistic affairs, for I be-
tieve the world is just ready TO receive
such a work
l asked her II she was practical b.
hever IN spiritualism, but she SAID no.
She considered IL in the light of theo-
Sophy. magnetism. or one OF the many
mystic forces, and should so write on II.
Not one Of these women can claim me
here ! stand alone and will belong 10
no faction. There are too many
'scratch-cats' in the place, and always
are, I fear. where the feminine sex is
gathered. Vote? No. women are not
ready 10 vote. believe when they are
the privilege VIII be granted. No. I am
not one 70 help the suffrage question
particularly. L am to speak on any sub