The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-05

genuine cordiality by President and
Mrs. Taft
On one side of the beautiful and his
toric apartment on an easel, and COW
cred with an exquisite Virginia flag
was Dolly Madison. This flag was
loaned to the committee by Governor
William Hodges Mann. and has for
many years hung at the Governors
Mansion In Richmond. Close TO Dolly
stood her own Virginia Damcs-Mcs-
danes William Ruffin Cox. Reginald
Gilham Jordan 7. Leakc. Sally Nelson
Robins. Granville G. Valentine. and
Miss Lucetta Madison Knox. OF Rich
mond; Mesdamcs William j. BOONE, of
Alexandria; Jenkins, OF Norfolk: Las
sitter. OF Petersburg. and Miss Farley.
OF LynchburE.
Mrs. William RuHn Cox. standing
on the right of the picture, made the
following speech of presentations:
I'm the merry month of May. $50
years ago. was born a blue-cycd Quak-
, CT baby. whose horoscope was set for
victory. Dorothy Payne was her
f, baptismal name. but love changed Il,
/ to Dolly. and so 1t has tinkled melod-
iously down century and half.
Hanover county. In old Virginia.
! was the home OF this Quaker baby,
! but her Quaker parents desired Il more
! conSental atmosphere. and they moved
1 TO Pennsylvania, where the quaker
| child grew to Quaker womanhood;
and in the Friends meeting house In
| Philadelphia married a Quaker John
! Todd. Only a few short years. and
| John Todd passed on to the life i'm
/ mortal, leaving this memorial state
! ment:
"'I give and devise all my estate,
| real and personal, TO the dear wife
of my bosom. and first and only wo-
man upon whom my all and only at
! fcctions were placed
Here cndcth the soft, gray, musical
! prelude of Il brilliant symphony. In
widowhood Dolly Todd found her be-
lated girlhood. She bloomed glorious
ly. and was so greatly admired that
her old friends bade her Hide thy
face, Dolly; there are so many staring
at thee
in the year 1894 Aaron Burr nitro
duced to her James Madison, the great
little Madison, as he was called He
came, he saw. She conquered. In a
few months they were married. not
after Quaker fashion, but according
to the stately ceremonial of the
Church of England, and sped away IN
a coach and four to beautiful Mont
pclicr, his historic home in old Vir-
|, sinia.
Back again in Philadelphia. NADIA me
; Dolly Madison, the wife OF repre-
, sentative in Congress. became daz
zling star in the brilliant galaxy o!
social life. She was the especial fr!ent
OF General and Mrs Washington, ant
, | OF Thomas jefferson. In 1901 as the
wife OF Mr.. Jenerson's Secretary OF
State. her popularity and influence in
, creased. and she was known as Queer
{ Dolly. In the year 1909 the wife o
4 the Secretary OF State became thu
mistress of the White House, and 70
eight years held peculiar and fas
cinating sway.
TT was not her FORM it was no
her face but the woman altogether
The Quaker maiden had become TIL
most brilliant and fascinating socia
light of her day. The theatre of he
charms was the whole country.
'She reigned n queen OF tact an
grace in Philadelphia, Washington an
at Montpelier, and adorned with Il
" imperishable lustro the administra
o tions Of George Washington. jon
a Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and he
q quiet. but most learned husband. Th
d city OF Washington was burned by tn
a British in 1914, and the pctted socia
- queen became Il fearless heroine.
- Her discretion and energy save
: many precious historical document
and Gilbert Stuart's splendid portrai
OF washington but for her actio
might not be in these sacred halls to
J. day.
:, After the din and turmoil of man
= years of public life James Madison an
a his wife retired to the peaceful an
% congcnIal shades of lovely Montpelie
n I'm her second widowhood she re
+ turned to Washington and lived in I'll
% house on La Fayctte Square no
- owned by the Cosmos Club. Ono
q more in the city she held remarkab
,e court. Distinguished strangers an
foreigners, Senators and Represents
y tives, the foremost men and wome
=, and. indeed. the whole little world {
L. Washington did her homage. On u
q. Fourth OF July and on New Yoar
,fl Day the thrOnG which did honor to Il
20 President walked across the square
T. pay equal honor to the widow, Dol
q Madiaon. Administration followed ~
ministration, and still Mistress Dol
n, ,.adison was u compelling factor
s. Washington society. Each Presidol
g. yielded her loyal respect and dofe
n encc and President polk led tn
young lady of Lightweight sunme
jr through the splendid rooms Of tn
r. very mansion at one of his ievees
y,,Ix ~ hat