The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-14

The visit of Countess Spottiswood Mackin
to St. Louis yesterday recalls the days of
the early seventies. when the Countess then
plain Sally Brtton. was the reigning belle
of Ct. Louis.
Those were days when st. Louis was
recognized as the gayest city in all the
West and South. and it had national rep
utation as the home of many beautiful and
talented women.
No one knows better. perhaps. the early
social history of st. Louis than Countess
Spottiswood-M ackin. and she relates Incl
dents OF her career as a social queen as II
they happened but yesterday.
THE society event which l recall most
wildly now" said the Countess, was the
visit of the Grand Duke Alexis to st.
Louis. 1t WAS the ball and reception ten
dered in his honor at the Southern that
brought out the members of the smart set.
Some of those, whom / knew 80 well then.
are now dead. although 1t doesn't seem
such long time-why, it doesn't seem
scarcely ten years ago since l danced with
the Duke in the old Southern.
"One of the verv prominent men in St.
Louis at that time was Henry T. Blow.
He and his wife were> leaders in ST. Louis
society and they had a very beautiful
daughter. Nellie. Mr.. Blow and his fam
fly were at the ball that night and l re-
member now how beautiful Nellie was.
Both the father and mother died many
years ago. The daughter married. Rus
sian diplomat named Smirnoff whom she
had met in Washington when her father
was Minister to Brazil. One daughter was
born to them and she is now in WASH
ington, although her parents are also dead.
The daughter. by the way. is Il great favor
lite with the members of the Russian En-
bassy and she is conspicuous figure at
their fetes at the capital.
1.-THE Randalls were another prominent
family in st. Louis at that time. There was
one daughter. Letitia. who was also famed
for her beauty. She married Connie dol c
Garrison a new York millionaire. Later
they went to London. where Commodore
Garrison died. Mrs. Garrison is living in
an elegant home in London and is enc of
the favorites in the American colony.
JAMES b. EADS
IN SOCIAL LIFE.
James Z. Eads was a figure in the com.
mercial and social life of st. Louis In the
early days He had three daughters.
think. and they We're not lacking in
beauty Two Of them-Mrs. J. F. Howe and
Mrs. McHe nry-now live in st. Louis. while
the other. Mrs EadsHazard. lives in Paris.
She has a beautiful home and is one of the
most earnest workers in the American col
ony.
There are a score of others that might
mention all OF whom. II seems TO me. We're
most beautiful types of American woman
hood There was Marion Lionberser, a
great favorite in her day: Annie Hodgmann.
Marie Benton. Anna Bakesley, Miss Pas
chal, Lulu Farewell. my sisters. Fannie and
Lizzie Britton. and oh. many of them.
some living and some dead. Lulu Farewell
married and is now living in Boston. and,
with the exception of my sisters. l have
lost trace of the others.
Itpfv 81 WV
sister Lizzie, In 1870. for it has TO do with
a gentleman who is now one of the most
conspicuous figures in the world. although
he was far from conspicuous at that time.
NV sister married Walter Katie. who was
assistant engineer of the st. Louis bridge,
then being built The wedding ceremony
took place in the old Baptist Church at
Sixth and Locust streets 1 was the first
bridesmaid while Andrew Carnegie was the
first groomsman. Mr.. Carnegie was then
in the steel business and reported TO be
worth about 100000. very insignificant
sum as compared with his present fortune
MFR. Carnegie was a particular friend of
MIR. Katie and he came all the way from
Pittsburg to take part in the wedding cere-
mony After that he made frequent visits
to St Louis and his visits We're so fire.
quent that the report got out that we were
engaged But We weren't. Mr.. Carnegie
used to talk matrimony to me. but he never
proposed. l have often wondered If he was
waiting for me to make the proposition.
THAT wedding, though, was great event
in ST. Louis society. I remember that
party of Mr.. Katte's friends, living in Chi
cago, chartered a special car and came to
St Louis. The party numbered many per-
sons who afterward became quite promi-
nent in business and in society. and. al
though I am not sure, 1 believe that one
Of the guests was young woman who
later became Mrs. Potter Palmer.
MY sister Fannie married Mr.. John L.
Nesbit nephew Of Doctor Lemoyne, St