The times., 1897-07-18

for her four young children, inspired sief
neighbors and held steadily to her duty
In November, I777, John Adams was
again with his family, and not 10 return
to Congress, for during his absence he was
selected and elected to represent the new
nation in France. Just before his return
to his home she had written him that of
their thirteen years Of married life sue
had passed three OF them in separation
from her husband" and now a longer sep
aration was at hand. Her intense love for
her husband was stronger than her selfish
longing for his presence, aud she urged
him to so: but when, in February, ITS,
with his eldest son, John Quincy, then
lad OF eleven years, he set sail for France,
she was left behind as the sole stay CT her
family. She remained in seclusion, caring
for her children, overseeing her husbands
property, and struggling as best she could
under the terrible conditions, which were
aggravated 10y the depreciation OF the con
tineptal 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 nus
band and absent boy We're rare indeed.
The eagonyofthatlong suspense was bTayeiy
and unconplainingly borne, and to-day We
realize that even the suffeTings OF the
men ut Trenton and Valley Forge Were
hardly greater than those Of the women,
waiting in their almost unhroken Suspense
in their lonely, scattered homes.
The war at last was ended, bot John
Adams was not to return TO his wife, for
lis Country had selected him to represent
her in England; but while he was not 10
come to her she was to 60 10 him, and
in 1884 she became the figst American
representative OF her sex a fire court OF
Great Britain. King GeoIge was uoru-
fled al the result Of the war, and the gra-
Cious sovereign was most uneIacious TO
Americas representative; while his queen.
employing such arts as only woman can.
tried 10 make Abigail Adams life almost
unendurable The courtiers quickly fol
lowed the hints from the fhrone and IN
creased the confusion arising from the
tottering condition Of affairs at home and
the uncertainty that was felt about the
alillty OF the States 10 govern themselves,
aa uncertainty which was shared in by
their warmest friends. But John Adams
never lost his dignity. nor did his wife
cease 10 be lady. she rose above the
insults, ignored the Sights, encouraged her
! husbani, and coptfived TO find many e&-
! perences that pleased her. But she
! never quite forgave the queen, and when
4 later she wIote. III tie tiogbleS which the
| change of fortunes wheel brought TO her
| s.Humfiiatien for Charlotte il o sorTow f1r
| me-" few found it in their hearts to blame
| her Even her Puritan faith, which
enabled her TO bear all things, was not
| quite equal to the task Of thinking no
| evil" Perhaps, however, it vas rot EeI
thoughts, but the queens actions aftel
/ all which were evil.
After their return to the United States
| John Adams became Vice President, Gnd
| Y-Ien Washington retired he was chosen
/ President, and Abigail Adams Became
| the first lady OF the land Her long period
| of seclusion, her travel and residence
| abroad, as well as her native ability,
| had wcI fitted her foI the duties of her
| new position, and as she mingled freely
in society, first IN New York and then in
| Phila delphfa 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 hel opinions sought; while
| she still remained the gentle lady. The
| years were stirring, busy ones. AMI Abigail
| Ada ms did her part. In one particular she
| was more intense than her husband, and
| that was against his political enemies, for
| John Adams had tried the plan of nollify-
| ing his opponents by offering them office,
with the customary result Of anger on the
| part Of his friends and misunderstanding
| 10y his enemies. Civil service reform was
a failure before it was old enough TO be
| reformed and soon John Adams went
! out Of office ana Thomas Jefferson went
| in. The wife's feelings toward jefferson
| were bitter, but she wrote him a letter of
| sympathy when his daughter died for she
had beefI warmly attached TO her. Jeffer.
| son replied feelingly and tried to patch
up the old quarrel, protesting not to be-
| lieve that she Lad written without the
| knowledge OF hct huSl1a nd, as she had de-
| clared shs. had.
| Eut Abigail Adams VIII be chiefly re-
membered by her Letters" They are
| free and candid pictures Of the times
and display no small degree of literary
| merit Indeed, they may be said to be
! the best literary production OF American
| women up TO the time when they an.
| peared. They are light and graceful
then again at times strong and logical
| while through them all runs marked
| power of description. Judge Wander
kemp, of New York, begged permission
TO publish them, and at last this was
reluctantly given Several editions ap-
! peared, and one, in 1S4S, contained a
memoir by her grandson, Charles Francis
| Adams.
Her health had been affected by her
residence in Philadelphia and Washing
ton, the latter then just emerging from
the wilderness, and she was glad to re-
tire to Braintree, or rather to that part Of
Braintree which was named for her ma
| ternal gra andfather, Quincy. Still snc
maintained her interest in public affairs,
for her son had entered the field his
! father had aba andoned. Her life was
mellowing, and she rejoiced that she had
| lived when she did. She wrote Mrs War
rem in 1907: "If We were to count our
lives by the revolutions we have wit
messed. We might number them among the
| antediluTfans- SO rapid have been the
| changes that the mind has been OUT
stripped by them, and We are left like