The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-10-01
SPRAGUES REUNITED.
Father and Daughter Meet After q
Separation of ID Years.

separation OF 10 ears.
! Washington, Oct AFTER a separation
of eighteen years. during which they have
not looked upon each others faces. dur
! ing which no word has passed between
them, former Governor and former Sen
| ator William sprague has been reunited
| with his two daughters, Miss Portia
/ Sprague and Miss Kitty Sprague The
/ meeting pathetic. Tears rolled
! down the old gentleman's face nor could
/ he conceal his feelings
These two young women are, of course,
/ daughters of Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague,
or Mrs. Katherine Chase as it pleases her
/ TO be known now; of the daughter of
! Chief Justice Chase, herself gifted with
! beauty, charm, intellect and a political
genius second to none. When the ambf-
tious Kate Chase married Senator
Sprague he was the youngest war gov
ernor" Of all the states. He was one of
the handsomest men in the country he
was worth millions, he could give to her
Canonchet, that superb home. They We're
not happy togther; it is not necessary to
rehearse the cause, but her discomfort and
her contempt eliminated in a divorce.
Then the three daughters, Ethel, Portia
and Kitty, were placed in their mothers
care. His only remained with him,
married the sister of his fathers wife
and ended by committing suicide at Sc
attic His fathers millions have van
ished.
When their parents parted Ethel
Sprague was about 5 years of age, Por-
tia was years old, Kitty years. AS they
grew older their mother restrained them
from communicating, directly or Indirect
", with their father or with any of his
relatives. Miss Kitty Sprague has long
been an invalid but it became necessary
for her sisters to earn their own living.
Miss Ethel had a penchant for the
stage. She became pupil at the Ly-
ceum school of acting here. Her teach-
ers knew her as a girl of wonderful vital
ity. bright. brainy, unaffected. She be-
came a member of Richard MansfeId's
company. Her sister. Miss Portia, by her
mothers influence, obtained a position in
one of the government departments here
Miss Portia has many of her mothers
characteristics, among them independence
of thought and a strong will. She soon
learned that she was unable to maintain
herself without her mothers assistance,
and she determined to break the long 81
lence between herself and her father.
Mrs. Kate Sprague Chase went to Co.
lumbus. o. a few weeks ago, leaving Miss
Kitty in Miss Portals care. That indie
pendent young woman determined to see
the father. whose features she could not
even remember. She wrote to the former
governor and asked him to come to Wash
ington. Her father received the letter at
his home at Narragansett Pier last week
and came to this city. He brought with
him his second wife. the woman who has
taken the place of his daughters mother.
Miss Portia and Miss Kitty met them
at the II :35 a. m. train. Miss Portia, in
stinctively recognizing him, threw her
arms about his neck.
'Oh father" she cried, Il am so happy,
I am so glad to see your
She held him at arms length and long
looked into his face.
mo" she exclaimed. ''you do not look
cruel!' and she again embraced him.
Nor was Miss Kitty's greeting less low
ing The war governor weeping,
caressed each. 1t was with difficulty he
regained his composure. Then he pre-
scented his daughter to his wife, Mrs.
Inez Sprague, and they all were driven to
Miss Portals home.
This meeting after eighteen years. be-
came known and was much discussed as
we'll in official circles as in society. It
is believed that Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague
does not yet know that Miss Portia in
vited her father to come to her, that he
promptly accepted. When she learns it,
those who best know her believe she will
take some interesting action.
The governor and his wife are going to
Europe in a few days. 1t may be that.
if their mother is angered by the meet
ing. Miss Portia and Miss Kitty will ac-
company their father and stepmother.