Omaha daily bee., 1897-07-18

the visits of her husband were rare, but she
cared for her four young children, inspired
her neighbors and held steadily to her duty
A LONG LONELINESS.
In November, 1777, John Adams was again
with mis- family, and not to return to con-
grcss. for during his absence he was Sc
lected and elected to represent the new ma
tou in France. Just before his return to
his home she had written him that Of
their thirteen years of married life, she had
passed three of them in separation from her
husband" and now a longer separation was
at hand. Her intense love for her husband
was stronger than her selfish longing for
his presence, and she urged him to go; but
when, in February. l77S, with his eldest
SON John Quincy, then lad of IL years
he set sail for France, she was left behind
as the sole stay Of her family. She re
mained in seclusiOn. caring for her children,
overseeing her husbands property, and
struggling as best she could under the terri
BILE conditions. which were aggravated by
the depreciation of the continental paper
money until its value was almost mythical.
The British cruisers had almost swept the
American vessels from the seas, and letters
to and from her husband and absent boy
were rare indeed The agony of that long
suspense was bravely and uncOmplaningly
borne. and today we realize that even the
sufterngs of the men at Trenton and valley
Forge were hardly greater than those or
the women, waiting in their almost un-
broken suspense in their lonely, scattered
homes
AS THE WIFE OF THE PRESIDENT.
After their return to the United states
John Adams became vice president, ana
when Washington retired he was chosen
president. and Abigail Adams became the
first lady of the land Her long period OF
seclusOn, her travel and residence abroad,
as well as her native ability, had well
fitted her for the duties of her new position,
and as she mingled freely in society,
first in New York and then in Philadelphia
and Washington, the seats of government,
she won friends rapidly and held them
easily. She was the trusted counselor of
her husband, the friend of the leaders, and
her deep interest in political matters made
her opinions sought; while she still re-
manned the gentle lady. The years were
stirring, busy ones, and Abigail Adams did
her part, In one particular she was more
intense than her husband. and that wac
against her political enemies, for John
Adams had tried the plan of modifying his
opponents by Offering them office, with the
customary result of anger on the part OF
his friends and misunderstanding by his
enemies civil service reform" vas a fail
ure before it was old enough to be re
formed" and soon John Adama went out of
Office and Thomas Jefferson went in. The
wifos feelings toward Jefferson we're bitter,
hut she wrote him a letter of sympathy
when his daughter died, for she had been
warmly attached TO her. jefferson replied
iotlnFly and tried TO patch up the old
quarrel protesting not TO believe that she
had written without the knowledge OF her
husband as she had declared she had.
HER LETTERS.
But Abigail Adams will be chiefly re-
memhcred by her letters" They are free
and candid pictures of The times and dis
play no small degree OF literary merit In
deed. they may be said to be the best
literary production of American women up
to the time when they appeared They are
light and graceful then again at times
strong and logical. while through them all
runs a marked power Of description. Judge
ganderkemp of New York begged permis-
siou to publish them, and at last this vas
reluctantly given, Several editions appeared,
and one in 1914, contained a memoir by her
grandson. Charles Francis Adams
LENGTHENING SHADOWS
Her health had been affected by her
residence in Philadelphia and Washington.
the latter then just emerging from the Wild
eruess. and she was glad 20 retire 10
Braintree or rather TO that part OF Brain
tree which Was named for her maternal
| grandfather, Quincy still she maintained
| her interest IN public affairs, for her son had