The Portland daily press., 1899-08-02
Greatest Statesmen
Sought Her Advice
And Danes Of Fashion Bowed
to Her DEGREES.

Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague died at EDGE
wood, her country home. near Washington,
on Monday.
She was the laughter OF tho late Chief
Justice s. +. Chase tand married Sen.
Sprague of Rhode Island.
Kate Chase was born In Ohio In 1916,
and was only 10 years OF age in 1851 when
she came to Washington with her father,
who had been asked by Mr.. Lincoln to
become a merlber of his cabinet. Gov.
Chase was then in his prime. Kate was
the mistress Of his establishment. He
lived at the corner of Sixth and E streets,
education had been fairly good for the
time but she never had anything like
the finish that girls in her social position
recsive nowadays, says correspondent of
the Boston Advertiser. The studies, es-
sentiaily feminine in particular, had
been good deal neglected aud often
| omitted. Music she cared little for. or
the modern languages she knew almost
nothing. Her reading had been desuItory
rather than wide.
No woman that ever liv ed was quicker
60 perceive her deficiencies than was the
eldest daughter of the great secretary of
the treasury. She selected q competent
instructor in French and German, and
began her studies. Within year after
she commenced her course of the Language
es she could speak German with excep-
| tional fiueDcy.
In 1868 she was. in oieyerness ambition,
on lture and beauty the first young woman
in Washington society or, for that matter,
in America. She had admirers and
would be lovers by the score At least
two foreign ministers were hopelessly lin
love with her, and one, representing the
greatest of European powers twics asked
her to Become his wife. The MARQUIS of
Harrington, then q young man not much
beyond his majority. was in America on
| visit. He met Miss Chase and forth
with bscams one OF her warmsss admir-.
ers. Whether he proposed to her or not,
he certainly was verS much In love.
Gov. Sprague of Rhode Island was the
richest and best known man of his years
then in public life. lie was elected TO the
United States senate tine youngest man
who ever attained SO high an honor. He
met Miss Chase and was of course attract
ed by her and then his interest grew
deeper. OF the couftship but little can be
said, for Miss Chase took the matter very
carefully under consideration before she
permitted Gov. Sprague to pay her any
attention.
The wedding took place in Washington,
when S. p. Chase was secretary of the
treasury.
Pres. Lincoln was among the guests.
He reached the house just after the csre-
mony HAD been performed, and no gave
the bride a hearty kiss when he came In.
Then Mrs. Sprague blossomed out as
queen Of society. Statesmen, ambassadors,
princes attended her social functions. She
ruled the cabinet as she pleased. livery
wish sine had was gratified. Her gowns
were made In Paris, 20 and 80 at a time.
Early in her married life Kate Chase
Spiague built the now famous Canonchet
ON an estate of 800 acres at Narragansett
Pier. The house was at that time the
grandest mansion on either coast. 1t
stands on the favcrite camping ground of
Canonchet, chief of the Narragansett tribe
of Indians 1t cost 81, 0O0, 900.
Its furnishings were brought from the
stores Of many countries. 1t is palace
within, strangely. voiuptuously feat lred,
labyrinth of halls, hooks, salons, cham.
bers. towers. eerie dens, o theatre, library
and 6s rooms. 1t has $40. 900 worth of
hand carving in the dining-room and
other appointments of similar extraya.
gance.
1t stands today, dark, but proud; the
bier of It's former hospitality to the dis
tiuents. Horace Greeley used to be a
welcome guest there; Conkling's name is
indelibly stamped upon the place and
time. and the student of the early 7O's
will recall the Sprague- Chase Conkling
episode, at which time 1t was alleged
that the. relation of Mrs Sprague and MIR.
Conkling were improper. Gen. Butler
had known Canonchet's inmost cloisters;
Garfield had met colleagues there; Tilden
had dined at its brilliant board, In fact,
it was the rendezvous of the gratest men
and women of the time. Its streams and
shooting blinds on the coast have afforded
sport to many; Frank Mutton. OF .smu-
tual friend" fame, visited there. and
Beeoher was frequent guest.
No woman in America ever had such a
carear as did Mrs Sprague. Beautiful,
very rich, clever beyond any woman of
her period. she was power in politics,
ana but for slip would have made her
father president In 1863. She was the
best-dressed woman of her day. With all
his faults and he had many, William
sprague was not clese or mean with hsi