Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-01-22
&c ger &c coal bin: better that than big fees
a bIGYe American Woman.

| 81 49, - 0NttVi THAT lndu Dig ices
a Grave American Woman.
There begins in the January Century
! publication IF some delightfully."- writra,,
letters by Mrs. Sallie Coles StAyaps sIS-,'
| VIE of the American minister in ION,
d"h ls36-4l The letters have heeu ar
ranged by William l.. Royall. who saws
IN his Introduction:
In the year 1896 President Andrew
Jackson appointed Andrew Stevenson n
uisli .hguished Nirginian, as American
munster to England. and this post he
occupied oe,l until 1871. Mr.. Stevenson had
| uee4 speaker Of the House of Delegates
OF virginia. member of Congress from
| tlat state, and for several terms sneaker
OF the United States House Of Repre-
sentaJyes. tie married for his second
"iLe Miss Sallie Coles of Green Noun
| tam Aibemarle county, Virginia. who
was member Of one of the oldest and
most prominent Virginia families.
Inc position and personal attractions
OF the minister and his wife soon gained
mem admission TO the most exclusive
LhSHsh society in town and country.
ana Mrs. SteyenS0n's letters present an
interesting and attractive picture of
English homes and the inner life of the
arlStocracy. She was deeply religious.
ana tone OF devout piety runs through
her letters. The following, taken from
one of them written in October, 1890.
from the country house Of Lord Dur
nam, describes a Sunday evening:
A large party to dinner After the
gentlemen Joined us, when the Duke of
Sussex, Lady Durham and myself were
sitting together and forming social
trio, Lord Durham came in with his inn
perial air and said I do not know
h -. u
cards on Sunday evening: for myself |
think there is no greater harm in play.
ing on that night than any other Nor
1, said the duke. If it is wrong to play
ON Sunday, it is equally wrong to play
on Monday or any other night | felt
distressed. Thinks | to myself, What
shall l do? At that moment the duke
appealed to Lady Durham who gave a
faint assent to what he had said. |, of
course, was silent, when his royal high
ness, suddenly leaning forward from the
immense armchair in which he was half
buried, addressed me: I think. my dear
madam, it is considered a sin to play
any game on Sunday in your country
replied instantly in calm, earnest
and emphatic manner. so that. although
little deaf, he did not lose a word:
Your royal highness is right We think
1t violation of that commandment
which bids us to keep holy the Sabbath
day, and we also think it is setting
bad example to our dependents who
cannot so well discern between right and
wrong The old gentleman drew him
self back i'll his chair and remained ST
lent for several minutes. A solemn
pause ensued, and | felt almost fright
ened at what | had done. Still, did not
regret it. In the meantime the servants
had set out the tables, but no one an
preached them, nor was the slightest
allusiOn made to the subject again. The
duke did not retire until his usual hour.
and continued in pleasant conversation
all the evening, every now and then
speaking with his usual kindness to me:
and when he rose to retire he called out
for me, saying, Where is Mrs. Steven
SOM and when | advanced from a table
where | had been looking at some draw
ings of Lady Mary's, he shook NV hand
with even more than usual cordiality as
he uttered his Goodnight / was glad
not to have offended him. for he has
been very kind to us: still. felt very
grateful that l hdG moral courage given
me at the moment to do and say what |
ought. despite the fear of man"
1t required moral courage as we'll MS
piety to play Mrs. Stevens0n's part in
this scene. The Duke of Sussex was
the Queens uncle, and we all know
what Difference is paid to such rank in
England. and Lord Durham was com
handing figure at that time in Eng
land.