Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-13

Copyright 1909 by the New Rights
NEW YORK. Saturday.
- ARLY one of the bright spring mornings
Gently, little after nine o'clock, a somewhat
feeble though still erect woman, simply clothed
in black and wearing a long widows VEIL
walked along path in Central Park, leaning
heavily the arm of her companion. They stopped
in front of great bed of shrubs and the elder woman
began to talk with the gardener at work on it. Sne
talked with great earnestness and to prove some as
sertion, 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
ner remarks with vigorous gestures. And then bid
ding the gardener good day, she resumed her slow
walk still talking animatedy with her companion.
The woman was Mrs Russell Sage, "the greatest
woman phlanthropist." Mrs. Sage is now in her
eighty-frst year-she daughter of General Slo-
cum and was born in Syracuse September %, 1925
and although somewhat enfeebled, she still takes her
morning walks in 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 $20O00000 and more poorer
When nearly three years ago, July %, 1906, Russell
Sage died at his summer home at Lawrence, Long
Island he left practically his entire fortune to his
wife, Margaret Olivia Sage. His wealth was estimated
at nearly seventy millions of dollars, invested in
quickly convertible and conservavely 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, once
got into the habit of giving money away in the two
years and half that have elapsed she has given close
on twenty millions more Two of these gifts are il
uminative. Within a few months of her husbands
death Mrs Sage doubled his bequests to his heirs dis
tributing about $65O,O0O And when in her morning
walks in Central Park she discOurses with the gar
she concerned about the care of $4,000 worth
Of rhododendrons, which she gave year or so ago,
a mile of rainbow tinted flowers that have changed
the slopes of the citys playground into 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 thiry-seven years
was one of enjoyment, happiness and respect There
was nothing sentimental in this gift. In no remote
way could it be considered reparation, gliding
of his memory She and her husband were one; she
understood him; he understood her She administered
his estate she knew he would have administered 1t
had he lived She set about the task of jusfyng his
memory. And she more than seventy-seven years
old.
She had been active all her life interested in philan-
thropic work. in educational work-New York Uni
versy conferred her the degree of master of let
ers years before her husbands death in recognition
of her services to the of education-n church
work. for she and her husband were strong Presby-
terians and later became members of the Collegiate
Church She had been hard working woman in these
various interests and when she had earned quiet
DAYS at an age when the older of the very poor
Law down their tasks she took up the hardest task Of
ALL the task of demonstrating the purpose of her hus
band.
= Mrs Sage's character years ago described by
one who knew her well and yet whose judgment might
haop i1V has a
igious differences as admirably great" This tribute
was paid by the late Archbishop Corrigan, whose ad
miration was not easily stirred
She is a Puritan and school teacher, steadfast