The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-04

sent to Madison. That brought him to terms. He proposed and was ac- cepted.
 Afterward a beautiful daughter of old David Burns Marcia by name. became a Washington social leader. She mar ried John Van Ness, a member of Con gress from New York and lived in a magnificent mansion just south of the White House, which was the resort of Marshall, Clay, Monroe, Jackson, Cal oun, Webster. Wayne, McDufffe,, Ben ton- the foreign ministers, and every body who amounted to anything. On the site of the old Van Ness home is now being constructed the bureau of American republics. the cornerstone of which was laid by President Roosevelt last spring with remarkable speech. Mrs. Van Ness had a dazzling fair com plexion. regular features. oval face, and ] hazel eyes. and a bewitching smile. Dur ing Madison's administration she was an intimate of Mrs. Madison. She gave s40O0 toward establishing an orphan asylum and persuaded Congress to incorporate and endow it. Mrs Madison was it's first drectress and Mrs. Van Ness succeeded her.
 Burr's Beautiful Daughter. Contemporaneous with her were the wives of Levi Woodbury, Jackson's Sec
 
 McLane, once a senator, then minister to England and later Secretary of State Washington Irving met her in Europe, and exhibited his admiration in letters and conversation.
 Aaron Burr's unfortunate daughter | Theodosia, was one of the most remark able women of any age. She was beau tiful and learned reading Horace at 10. She married Joseph Allston of South of rd cba 5.1 ized her father. and at his trial for trea- son at Richmond attended it. and did much by her beauty and intellectual graces to stay the popular hostility and secure a favorable verdict. Afterward when he was in exile, she by her letters to Mrs. Madison and Mrs. Gallatin ar ranged for his return.
 The Big O'Neil Scandal. About this time there occurred one of the strangest episodes in all the political social history of the country. In the early part of this century one William O'Neil kept a tavern in Washington. An drew Jackson was a regular boarder with him, and so was Jacksons friend Sen. ator John Henry Eaton of Tennessee O'Neil had pretty daughter named Mar garet, but better known as Peg or Peggy She married John D. Timberlake, purser in the navy. She was bright, vivacious girl of great beauty and fascinating man. ners Timberlake thoughtfully died and Senator Eaton, who had paid the girl such attention that gossips coupled their names together in a way which, if com plimentary to him. was damaging to her. had mind to marry her. He advised with Jackson about it and that old hero replied
 Why, yes, major, if you love the woman and she'll have you, you marry her by all means. Your marrying her will disprove these charges and restore Pegs good name.'
 So Eaton married her. Soon after he was appointed Secretary of War. The cabinet women refused to recognize Mrs Eaton. Jackson tried to compel them to- but they would not. Van Buren, Secre- tary of State, paid her great attention but he was a widower. The Russian and British ministers did, but they were bachelors Jackson wrote to Vice Presi- r dent Calhoun about it, but the willy South Carolinian replied it was a ladies quar- ! rel" and declined teaenter upon it. Quarrel Breaks Up Cabinet. Mrs. Calhoun declined to receive her, | though she called in company with the l vice president Mrs. Berrian would not, I though Senator Berrian had been at the 1 wedding Mrs. Branch would not though ! MT. Branch went into the cabinet at l Eaton's suggestion Mrs. Jongham would not. though gossip had not spared her , fame. Mrs. Donnelson, Jacllson's niece, 1 who presided over the White House, re- l ceived Mrs. Eaton, but would not visit 1 her. Jackson sent Mrs. Donnelson home but recalled her within a month. Jack l son threatened to send the minister from ] Holland out of the country because his l wife wouldn't sit at the same table witt 1 his Little Peg"
 l. After some two years squabbling Jack