The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-24
Beautiful Product of Old
Madison House on La
fayette Square.
Inheritrix of Dolly Madi-
sons Charms and Gay
Sovereignty.
r-HE house on your left is III

ne mouse on your 4cIL Is the
home OF the Cosmos Clu-u-u-b.
II was for many years the
home of Dolly Madison. wife OF Presi-
dent James Madison. and great
bel-l-l-e The Cosmos Club is one of
ths most exclusive scientific clubs in the
wori-l-l-d."
Thus bawls the megaphore of the
Seeing Washington" car as it rolls its
load past Fifteenth Street and the Ar
linEton twice a day. The sightseers
turn their tired eyes toward gray.
pebble-dashed building. give It dull
glance, and then bob their heads vio-
Iently to the other side TO view the
home OF Charles Sumner.
The megaphone and the Seeing
washington" guide ought to be hanged
for perjury-not the perjury Of misrep-
resentation, but the perjury OF telling
only half the truth. Dolly Madison and
pthe Cosmos Club-noteworthy as they
are-do not constitute the only interest
In this house. Almost anyone would
be glad TO hear. also. that it was the
ICSlQc1Cc 4DA many CoA . VI lAAD DCeA0NA-
1ul Adele Cults. and that here Admiral
wilkes made the acquaintance OF sena-
tor Slidell. his neighbor OF a few doors
along Lafayette Square. whom he was
soon TO seize on the high seas.
The Gin and the House.
Indeed, no one else has as great a
right to identity with "the Dolly Madi-
son House as Adele Cults; for she
was one OF its products. Her grand
father. Richard Cults. had married in
1904 Anna Payne, the youngest sister
of the Dolly Payne. who subsequently
became famous as Dolly Payne Madi-
son. Squire Cults built home in Wash
ington soon after Madison's election.
and when his sister-in-law entered the
White House Cults and Mrs. Cults,
with their children. became an impor-
tant factor IN the Republics society.
How much they were in evidence is
manifest at glance through the news
papers Of that day. A couplet para
pnrased from John Gilpin's Ride" was
particularly emphasized. 1t was sup
posedly addressed TO Madison. and ran:
Ny sister Cults and Cults and I, and QUITS
children three.
VIII Ill the coach. so you must ride on horse
back after We.
The Little Child's Court.
ons OF these Cults children three"
was boy, James Madison Cults, who
subsequently rose to the office Of Second
Comptroller Of the Treasury and mar
ried the charming Ellen O'Neale. of
Maryland. When James Madison and
Ellen, his bride, came back from their
honeymoon trop TO Montpelier" old
Richard Cults established his new
daughter as the mistress Of his Con-
gressional home. II was under these
circumstances that Adele Cuts came
into the world, In 1885.
The death Of James Madison occurred
: at ''Montpelier'' a year later and the
sx-President's widow found life too
empty at the great country estate to be
endured. Accordingly she came to
washington and took possession Of the
Cults house. her brother-in-law having
Enortgaged It 10 Madison and died with
out having repaid the loan. The little
baby grandnieoe then and through many
later years held an enviahle position
She was an only daughter. the close
companion OF her brilliant mother.
Much OF her time until her fifteenth
year was spent with grand-aunt who
charmed and governed the society OF
Washington apparently without effort
A courtly father introduced her TO every
man prominent in affairs and of her
own social rank. Her home, with its
gardens. reaching back along II Street
an entire block, was one of the most
beautiful dwellings in the city, and she
remained sweet and childish in spite
Of II all
An American Succession.
Mrs. Madison's courtiers fell away /
from the gentle old lady when her great |
niece reached the age Of fourteen. They |
had yielded 10 the one power strong
enough 10 overcome the queenly wild
ow's proud spirit. But they found |
worthy successor in the same family
Adele Cults must have been much /
more beautiful and little less magnetic |
than her aunt. Mrs. Madison's great |
niece. says one biographer. already pos
sessed beauty Of the purest Greek /
type, whose stateliness increased as she /
advanced toward womanhood.
The faultless outline of her profile. /
the shapeliness OF her head her large 1
dark eyes. her chestnut hair that show
ed glints OF a golden hue in the sun
shine. the creamy tone Of her skin. the /
perfect proportion and development OF |
her tall figure. all combined to make the
rare beauty OF a personality whose
charm was augmented two-fold by her
own Inconsistencies OF its rich posses
siOns"
Five Years Of Beaux.
About five years OF girlhood were spent
IN nght-hearted, happy, innocent gayety.