The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-20

TARLY one of the bright spring mornings recently
- little after O'Clock, somewhat feeble though
still erect woman simply clothed in black and
- wearing long widows veil, walked along path
in Central park, leaning heavily on the of her
companion. They stopped in front of great bed Of
shrubs and the elder woman began talk with the
gardener at work it She talked with great earn
estness and, to prove some assertion, removed her
glove and felt the soil about some of the roots
Her face became very animated, her dark brown
eyes glanced keenly the shrubs she emphasized
her remarks with vigorous gestures And then. bid
ding the gardener good day she resumed her slow
walk, still talking snmatedly with her companion.
The woman was Mrs Russell Sage, "the greatest
woman philanthropist" Mrs. Sage is in her
eighty-hrst year-she was 4 daughter of General
Sloeum and was born in Syracuse September IS,
Isz8-snd although somewhat cnfeeblcd, she still
takes her morning walks the park, she has done
for many years, whenever the weather permits She
has always dressed in black and few changes in her
life have come in the last three years. She a
widows veil and-she is 100000 and more poorer.
When, nearly three years ago, July p, 1905, Rus
sell Sage died at his summer home at Lawrence L. L.,
be left practically his entire fortune his wife Mar
Esret Olivia Sage. His wealth was estimated at
nearly 100000, invested in quickly convertible
and eonservativey remunerative bonds in mortgages,
loans and bank deposits
Before he had been dead six months Mrs. Sage
gave away a solid million. And having, it seemed,
got into the habit of giving money away in the
years and half that have elapsed she has given
elose On S2o OOO ooo r,ore T,,o % .b.e. ;f+s 80
iuminative. Within few months of her hus-
bands death Mrs. Sage doubled his bcquests to his
heirs distributing about s65oOoo And when in her
morning walks in Central park she disoourses with
the gardener she IS concerned about the care OF $780,
600 worth of rhododendrons, which she gave year
or SO ago mile OF rainbow tinted flowers that have
changed the slopes Of the citys playground into a
feast of beautiful color
DoUBLY GENEROUS
And then again, she doubled her husbands be-
quests TO relatives within few weeks of his death.
She IS woman Of great family pride and dignity,
whose life with her husband for 81 years was one OF
enjoyment happiness and respect. There was nothing
sentimental in this gift In no remote way could it be
considered as reparaton, gliding of his memory.
She and her husband were one; she understood him;
he understood her She administered his estate as
she knew he would have administered it had he lived
She set about the task OF justfying his memory And
she was more than II years old
She had been active all her life, interested in
philsnthropic work, in educational wori-New York
university conferred her the degree of master OF
letters years before her husbands death, in recogn
ton OF her services the of education
church work, for she and her husband were strong
Presbyteraps and later became members of the collie
gate church She had been hard working woman
In these various interests, and now, when she had
earned quiet days, at age when even the older Of
the very lay down their tasks, she took up the
hardest task of all, the task of demonstrating the
purpose Of her husband.
Mrs Sage's character years ago was described by
ono who knew her well and yet whose judgment might
have been easily biased against her because OF re
hgols differences as admirably great" This tribute