The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-16
THE WIDOW OF HAMILTON.
John Daniel Talks Of Meeting Her in New
York.

From the New York Times.
..All Things considered look upon it
as this very proudest moment of my long
life when the widow of Alexander HAM
iIton, the great patriot of the Revolu-
tion, made a CALI on me in company
with her granddaughter, and gave me
a little chat about this stirring days
when she was young
The speaker was the veteran dry
gocds merchant of Broadway, John
Daniel, now the oldest merchant of the
city in his lime, in continuous anil active
service and his keen gray eyes fairly
snapped with reminiscent happiness as
HE recalled THAT memorable day in his
life MIR. Daniell is an unfaling spring
of old Gotham memories. For over sixty
years he has been quiet 1ooker-on at
this wonderful procession of humanity
that has filed on and off the New York
stage of Life, political magnates, lawyers,
society belnes-all people of cons'e-
quence-and his still active memory can
recall them one and all. He cam fix
their residences, give their peiigree,
wthl:n ard whom They married, recount
their wfins amid oddities in charming
gossip, and I'm a way so realistic that
they seem to live and move again In
flesh and blood. In fact, he is such a
READY and reliable cycDopaedia OF biog-
raphy that when amy dispute on these
points arises among his friends, DE is
always called in to umpire the case.
ITO introduce my cherished visit from
Mrs Hamilton" the old nerchanla re
sumed, "Hst me explain the almost sac.Sd
light in which viewed her. l came to
this city when a boy of fifteen, from
the other side of THE water. That was
in 1886. One of the Wsry first things l
absorbed, in as full measure as a boy
possibly could, was the hero worship of
Washington. 1 doubt whether amy
youth OF the country whose fathers had
Fought by the great PATRIOTS side had
a. deeper feeling eff reverence for has
Name and character. I fed on his his
tory day and might People Who had
seen him appeared to me as privileged
and higher beings, and people who had
known him, even family, seemed the
mosih enviable folks ON the globe.
Now I can go ahead" Mr.. Danien
continuIetd. 81 was about 20 years old
when my employer made me manager
of his business, and this new hcnor
brought me i'm daily contact with the
lady members of the ola families who
came to our dry goces store to TRADE.
Today l have on my books the grand
children of some of Those old friends.
Among the customers was Mrs. Bowdine,
a grandliaugh of Mrs. Hamilton. The
old lady wals THEN living with her in
Washington, but Mrs. Bowdine fire.
quently came to this city and did her
shopping with us. never lost the OPP
portunity to inquire, most reverenltially,
about her grausdmothsr. saying what
great pIeaeurs it would be to see her.
Well, persiStenIcy had IT'S reward, for,
to my great surprise and delight, Mrs.
Bowdine entered the re orr morning,
with frail but still charming looking
Old lady ON hlsr arm She had kept her
promise and brought Mrs. Hamilton to
Mrs. Hamiltons Appearance.
1.-THE dlear old lady was very couritlly
and gracious i'm manner ais she held out
a wan little hand, which 1 kissed. She
was in her Goth year. Time had covere d
her intelligent facs with plentiful tell
tale wrinkles, butt one could see beneath
arid beyond Them and picture a face
one beautiful and always sweet. She
was thin, too, not weighing ever ninety
pounds, but all her faculties were still
perfect, barring that film that age had
formed, like a yelling over tire eyes,
once large and luStrous.
Taking tlhe profere1 seat, Mrs. Ham,
ilton, in a very clear and gentle voice
sadd We'll, my young friend, SO you
walled tn see me, Ira tod. 1t is a great
pleasure to gratffy you in SO simple a.
thing.
kissed 1T again, assuring her that it was
the pnoudeSt moment / ever hoped to
know. 1t was charming smile size
gave me as she proceeded: Now that
I'm here l suppose you will want me to
say something about the scenes and in
cidents of MY younger days. 1t is a
great story and cannot talk long. Mr.
Hami tom and I passed through many
trials and dangers. as you can well be-
ilieve, befousi the new nation was on it's
feet. Often we would have a. home one
day and have to shift it very suddenly
the next. TElsre were difficulties and
privationis of a hundred kinds. but all
were patiently borne for sake of the
great cause we had at heart. Many
a time. SO often THAT 1 couldn't keep
the count I have remained UP all Right
with my husband. helping him with his
state papers, fer HE never seemed to be
through.
General Washington? Oh, yes. I
knew him we'll, of course, through his
very mt mate relations with Mr. Hamil-
ton. He frequently passed the right
with us, and his bedchamber was close
to our own"
II suppose 1t is quite impossible" Mr..
Daniel resumed, ITO make any one un-
derstand my feelings at that time
There / was, just out of boyhood, full
of sentiment and the romance of youth,
face to face with a venerable human
being, who had not only seen my great
idol Washington. but had talked with
him, dined with him, and knew him on
intimate personal terms. AS / listened
to this wonderful story, eyes and mouth
open, no doubt, to drink in every word,
/ was so uplifted with pride at this great
places with a king. doubt If any