River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-11-05

and her friends were chosen by prefer
ence from among the people who were
doing the work of the world. With
professional women she was particu-
larly friendly. That period of her own
life between 1847, when she was grad
uated, and 1869, when she married
Mr.. Sage, was spent in teaching school
whenever her health would permit,
and she never felt above anyone who
earned his or her living. Anyone who
had ever been introduced to Mrs. Sage
could see her as easily in her own
home as if she had been the wife of
clerk instead of a multi-millionaire.
DUT the papers had barely an
- nounced Mr. Sage's death when a
rush began upon her house that beg
CARED description. Mrs. Sage had been
advertised to the world not only as a
very rich woman but as a very chart
table one, who intended to distribute
the fortune which Mr.. Sage spent his
life in heaping up. There are men
who spend their lives watching for
just such people and whose standing
in the educational or charitable insti
buttons with which they are connected
depends on the size of the contribu-
tons they can secure. Innumerable
persons Of this class besieged Mrs.
Sage's house, and she frequently was
amazed at the character and standing
of such persons and at the means they
used to secure interviews with her.
Human strength could not endure the
strain, and she intrenched herself be-
hind solid wall of humanity.
The experience of one woman who
tried to pierce this rampant will illus
trate the process. This woman was
Philadelphia of good family and high
social standing, interested in worthy
object. She was not the type of wom-
an who is denied admission anywhere,
and she came to New York armed with
a letter of Introduction from an old
and highly esteemed friend Of Mrs.
Sage. She drove straight to the
house, at No. 632 Fifth avenue, suppos-
ing that her visiting card and letter of
introduction would be enough to at
least gain her admission. The front
door was opened about three inches
and there appeared in the aperture
face quite wooden in it's immobility.
n HIS, the woman afterwards found,
was old Nelson, who belongs to
the nearly extinct species of old family
servitOr. He is known among those
familiar with the subject as Mrs.
Sage's dragon" and his business is to
keep people on the wrong side of that
front door. He would not touch either
card or letter, and shut the door in the
Philadelphia lady's face.
Then she set in motion the various
means Of communication known to civ
ilization. She telegraphed, telephoned,
sent letters by special messenger.
Nothing received the slightest reply.
She went to the pastor of the Dutch
Reformed church where Mrs. Sage
worshiped He was courteous but OBJ
durate. Hundreds of such requests
came to him; it was impossible to
grant them. She went to Mrs. Sage'S
country home on Long Island, thinking
that in the more easy atmosphere Of
country life the guard would be re-
Taxed. A maid rejected her card and
turned her from the door with no more
ceremony than if she were a peddler.
She set to work to find personal
friends of Mrs. Sage who would intro
duce her In every direction she en-
countered the human wall, made up
of lawyers, physicians, detectives,
nurses, secretaries, servants, all in
flexibly barring the way to Mrs. Sage.
The lady from Philadelphia returned
to the city of Philadelphia a sadder
and wiser woman.
G ONE ONE wrote book once on
- Prisoners of Poverty" Mrs. Sage
is a prisoner of wealth. Behind this
human rampant she sits, afraid that
some one may reach to torment her.
In the old days, when Mrs. Sage had
only a little money toAgive to any
thing, her personal interests were all
in charities and educational work for
women-the Woman's hospital, the
Woman's Exchange, the Pascal Insti-
Girls, the Home for Aged Women at
Amsterdam avenue and One Hundred
and Fourth street. She used to like to
go around to meetings of these socie-
ties. and of other women's organiza-
tions She would slip in quietly and
unobtrusively and often rise to say
few words in the discussion of bust
ness or program. All that is stopped.
She almost fears to appear in public,
so much is she haunted by the dread
of appeals for money.
CURIOUS stories can be encountered
u among the old acquaintances of
Mrs. Sage to show her limited COM
mand of money in the old days. She
was deeply interested in the Woman's
hospital, but when one of the board of
managers asked her for a contribution
one day Mrs. Sage confessed that she
could not give money. Il can give
you clothing and hospital supplies"
said she, ''for Mr.. Sage will pay bills
that l run up, but 1 can't give you
cash"
This explains Mrs. Sage's generosity
at times and her apparent lack of it at
. sssseeesssssseessesssesso
IN TOUCH WITH REAL WORLD.