The Washington herald., 1920-04-15

: sburnings, as she knew IL would
mean she would have him all to
herself once more on the beautiful
Sinnissippi farm.
But only for a short space. as
three years later the Thirteenth H.
linois district elected Frank Low
den to Congress, where he remained
for two terms. Mrs. Lowden en-
joyed life at the National Capital,
and made her home one of the most
popular of the Congressional se:,
she does now as the Governors s
Lady" in the fine old mansion at
Springfield.
Through the stately halls OF this
home have passed the wives Of elev-
en- governors. each of whom aas left
some historic touch. When Mrs.
Lowden passes out OF this executive
mansion into mayhaps another OF d
similar name, she also will have
left a>memorial in the shape OF sub
stantial renovation and repairs, hav-
ing given freely "f her fortune 10
put the peoples "house in order.
lie Listens TO Her.
Size has been a big help, and those
who know her will never under
tS
ed. 1t is an upcbtrusive influence,
but pcrvasive: quiet. but forceful.
Her husband is her hobby; he alb
serbs her. but once she is right
and is standing for a principle
well. the governor usually listens
to her!
Besides her husband. however.
Mrs. Lowden has another hobby
~ he. hVnf
other people's-sick, crippled chill
dren. When q girl she became in
tercsted in these little unfortunates,
and could never pass one on the
street without wanting to stop and
do something for il. She furnished
ward at st. Luke's Hospital in
Chicago; but it seemed so futile
to try to put these children back
on their feet without restoring the
roses to their cheks that she per-
suaded her father to give her Wild
wood" a house he owned south of
the town of Pullman. and this she
fitted up and filled with the little
cOnvalescents.
And when the Lowdens bought
Sinnissippi. ..ear Oregon, ILL.,. the
first thing that impressed Mrs. Low
den was that it was an ideal spot
for her children" Hilltop" a cot
;agc on ap eminence overlooking the
beautiful Rock River Valley, was
selected for the youngsters. In the
distance dorado Taft's towering
statue of Blackhawk keeps somber
watch over the lands once peopled
by his race, the while the healing
winds of nature kiss the cheeks of
these little sufferers and WOO the
roses which a hard civilization has
driven away. Here at Hilltop hun
dreds of children have been nursed
back to health and happiness.
Comforts for Birds.
There are also other tenants" at
Sinnissippi in the shape OF little
feathered songsters-eighty species,
who live in the fields and shrubbery
of the Lowden estate, in a legally
protected game preserve. The gov
ernor has furnished every device
for their comfort, and his collec-
tion of birds has not only afforded
him the greatest amount of plea
sure but the ornithologists who
visit the place yearly a fine place
Of observation.
Some one has said that IL the
Lowdens get into the White House.
they will ride in on a Pullman
car" Mayhaps, but my idea is that
the average Pullman car goes
straight through" with the least
possible inconveniences to those
who hold reservations therein,
while the kind OF Pullman car the
Lowdens ride in is the kind that
makes frequent stops en- route to
give others less fortunate a much
needed lift"