The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-02-23
MRS. VIRGINIA CLAY CLOPTON
"A TOAST IN WASHINGTON
~ SUPPER WITH HAROLD
BAUER.
Five Famous Beauties of War
Time.
4 QUEEN OF aENTLEwoMEN.
1lxs. David Clopton, Formerly Mrs
Clement G. CLAY.

1gxs David Clopton, Formerly Mrs
Clement G. Clay.
one Of the most brilliant women Ala
barna has ever produced. Mrs. Virginia
Clay Clopton has been visiting friends In
New York city for the past few weeks
ana IL now In Washington receiving no
end OF attention in the capital city where
uhe reiened a social queen in days agone.
when wrote to Mrs. Clopton asking
Of her the favor of picture to use in
this department she replied in such man.
ner az to make of her letter "A prose
taken In her early youth. "A portion of
her sweet letter is as follows:-
Wildwood r. o.,
"Gurley. Ala. Oct. 80. 1901.
my Dear Mrs. deCottes-Your letter
Ox 18th IL before me and however UNI
worthy to be placed III your gallery of
soeiebrated women of Alabama l am,
nevertheless complimented at your re-
auest.
..would that could send you a picture
taken when the dew was on the rose. the
blush upon the, grape. but. alas! l can
give you only the pressed flower from
the herbarium of old time. with the
almond blossoms clustering on the temples
where once shone the luxuriant tinted
tresses OF the glorious days that core
but once in a life time, when the ex-
outingIy wears the dual crown Of Youth
and Hope.
How wildly 1 recall your beautiful
mother. TO me. she was a goddess. and
i, with all the loyalty indigenous to a
loving heart. worshipped at her shrine.
She was to me the choicest gem on
s.Love's shining circle" and there were
many in those olden golden days. How
long ago 1t seems that time of joyous life
ana girlhood's dreams I am now in the
autumn Of my life. fast approaching
the winter, and as / behold from my
window the great showers of golden and
crimson leaves floating to earth from
the hickory, the gum and wild cherry
leaving the boughs bare and desolate, l
realize so sadly and sensibly Moores ex-
uuisite lines on departed friendships, that
my poor heart is often sorrowful to tears.
ssBut truce to sentiment. 1 do not
consider the photo good tho from Bell S
gallery, It Is to me heavy and lifeless.
the lantern without the light
The beautiful woman, Mrs. Clopton
speaks OF as. "a goddess was her desk
mate at school in Tuscaloosa in those
olden golden days She was Miss Mar
garet Stevens, who married Hon. William
: r. Browne, who was then. when the capt.
tai of Alabama was at Tuscaloosa, a
member of the legislature from Mobile
and whom she met when she was on a
visit to the parents of Samuel Minturn
Peck. She was my mother and DIED
forty years ago in the bloom of youth
while her desk mate and choicest
friend has lived on a life into which
has entered turmoils, trials and triumphs
And no wof Alabama's brilliant woman
Mrs. Clopton who Is now In Washington
1t Is good to remember that true heroisn
and SURPRISING loveliness have not passed
away. Each age furnishes different
frame and setting for the picture, but
the soul of heroism and loneliness still
beams out of scintillant eyes. and the
heart of humanity beats on with lythenic
and healthful pulse.
How good 1t Is to think that this type
Of excellent and beautiful womanhood is
frequent in our old and new South, and
that in the human gardens of our loved
Alabam there grow many such glori-
Gus. rose-like specimens.
But ii is not often that the rose sur
wives thro many nights of storm; its glory
Of abundant beauty is scattered by rude
buffeting.
Here is a noble woman whose charm
has shene through two generations an'
whose beauty cannot be dimmed' by stall
ing time.
Virginia Clay Ciopton was the onl,
daughter of DR.. Peyton Randolph Tun
stall, who fell at F1odden Field in 1874
in North Carolina. The Tunstall famil
are lineal descendants of Sir Bryant Tun
stall, who fell at Flodden Field in 15T;
20 graphically described in Scott
..Marmion." when he Is called 'Tunsta
OF the White Plume. 'Tunstall the ur
denied" @E
Virginia was brought at an early ag
20 Tuscaloosa. Ala, and was reared !
the family of Governor Collier.
She had the natural gift of lusty bloom
ing health and to this was added the er
dowment of a strong mentality. Their
are no words to describe the value of
sound body and vigorous mind. Upo
such fitting foundation may youthfI
ambition confidently build.