The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-04
Grand Old Woman Of
A m erican Philan-
thropy" is Very I'll.
LIVES TO SEE HER
PLANS &C.. MPLETED
In Six Years Since Husband
Died and Left Her Possessed
of Mammoth Fortune She
Has Done Wonderful Work
in Behalf of HUI
mainly.
Especial to Tho Times-Dispatch.

l'-i''NiSi " ! nv Iii!FS
New York. Msy 3.-Frlends OF Mrs
Russell Sage the grand old wo.na n
or American phi 'lanth -opy" are tecom-
Ing solicitous as 10 the condition Of
her health. She has BEEN i'll all win
ter ana has delayed the spring pill
gr'magc TO her summer home 81 Sa z
/ iiarbor and Lawrence. L. l. She is
confined to her Fifth Avenue house
under the care OF doctors and nurses.
aud cannot be seen by any but mcm-
5ers OF her household Mrs Sage is
now in her eighty-fourth year, and
has lived to see completed her great
plans for social be,terment. for her
philan,hropics sweep the country from
the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific.
1t has been siX years alnce her
husband intrusted to her Keeping
$50, 900. She has II that time
created the Sage Foundation. which
as long as time continues viii go on
doing It's great work to help humanity
to help itself She has seen a city of
beautiful homes spring from the waste
land at Forest Hills, L. l.
Blow to Loan Sharks.
Mrs. Sage has dealt 4 crushing blow
to loan sharks. sni has given thou
sands OF children their r!ghtful
heritage OF health and happiness. OF
play and the chance to grow and
learn. Her activities have gone be-
yond humanity and even the squirrels
and birds Of the park have known her
generosity for appropriation for food.
Many women have the opportunity
for work and plans. Fewer live to
see their labors rewarded
"All my life l have wanted to help
people Mrs. Sage once told friend.
There arc two meanings TO char
-. The perfect gift carries love both
in the giving and the receiving. The
forced miseries of life are the ones
would alleviate.
Though all the world must praise
and love this splendid old woman for
her wise and wide generosity, compar-
stivelY few have enjoyed her close
acquaintance or friendship.
During the lifetime OF her husband
she lived life 50 simple as to APP
preach frugality. and when his death
placed in her hands one OF the largest
Individual fortunes in the world she
did not change her manner of living.
She spent her winters in Sew York
and kept two houses open in summer.
dividing her time between them. Her
her love for humanity. The sea. the
fields, the flowers, her cats, her birds,
her books and few congenial
friends flied her life.
Mrs. Jay Gould was a friend OF her
early life and after Mrs. Gould's
death the friendship was transferred
TO her daughver Helen. Mrs. Sage
has no children of her own. and the
friendship between her and Helen Mil
Ter Could partook somewhat of the
companionship between mother and
daughter.
Together they planned for the help
Ing OF the world. Their aims and
their sympathics were one. Until the
infrmitics OF Mrs Sage prevented.
visitors in Central Park often saw
them together. seated on bench
feeding the squirrels that locked
about them and laughing at the antics
Of the bright-eyed furry creatures.
Simply dressed, Mrs. Sage always in
black and wearing bonnet which de-
fled style, and Miss Gould in plain
blue suit. strangers would pass them
byns two m.ddle-class women who were
enjoying IA respite from the cares OF
housekeeping, between the iuhcheon
and dinner hours.
face would discover On each the look
OF peace that illumines the faces of all
great souls. forgetting self in the
breadth OF their energies.
Not Interested In Society.
Society has never interested Mrs.
Sage. Louisa Alcott was one of her
friends. Elizabeth Cady stanton and
Susan r. Anthony werc others. She
believed in woman in tile home.
1T hurts me that women have TO be
wage earners." she said not long ago.
Some one spoke OF her great work. a
work that can never die. God has
been good to me-" she replied; Il have
only shared my blessings"
How can I amass a fortune?' asked
young man who met her last summer.
by working and saving" was the in
slant response, land by having faith
full, saving wife. There is nothing in
luck"
Since her husbands death Mrs. Sage
has Travelled across the continent. re-
operating her health by a winter in
Southern California.
Il have done ths best that could
by the light of the day" was the cpl
taph placed on Russell Sagc's tomb.
Mrs. Sage repeated it not long ago. and
added with smile: But the day is al
most gone and my work nearly over"