Evening star., 1923-10-21

riet Blaine. daughter of James G.
| Blaine.
| x * x
~ stood historic Corcoran house
| and the "old SlideI house." both OF
| which have been torn down to make
way for the splendid new home of the
National Chamber of Commerce.
John Slidell was long in Congress,
but he is best remembered as the
| Confederate commissioner who, with
James NJ. Mason, was taken off the
steamer Trent on his way to England,
| by the Federals, and was given up
| and allowed to continue on his way
only after repeated protests from the
! British, to whom his mission was
| accredited.
Tragedy stalked into this house.
however when 1t was the home of
| Elisha Ward, member of Congress
| from New York, for in a fit of me1an-
choly his daughter jumped out of a
window and killed herself.
The home of Henry Adams, next
door, was also darkened by suicide,
Mrs. Adams, who was a keen amateur
photographer, taking her life by
! drinking developing fluid.
Mrs Adams has an enduring claim
to fame In the beautiful monument
by Saint Gaudens, which stands above
her grave in Rock Creek cemetery and
which, critics say, is one of the finest
examples of modern sculpture in
existence. There has been much dis
cussion of what the sculptor really
with It's suggestion OF infinite repose,
and 1t has been variously called
! Grief" "Resignation"-yes. even
"Remorse," for it was said that the
monument was erected as species
OF expiation by a husband who had
been too neglectful of his wife. In
the end, however. Saint Gaudens chose
1.-THE Peace of God" the fitting title
for his masterpiece.
Between Henry Adams, author Of
, the now famous Education Of Henry
Adams" dillettante and looker-on at
life, and John Hay, statesman, a
| warm friendship existed. The two
| men were next-door neighbors for
many years and 1t is said that secret
passage connected the two houses,
with a system Of signals worked out
SO that Mr.. Adams. always bit of
| a rec1use, could discover when Mr..
i HAY was alone and make his way to
the Hay library when the spirit
moved him The Adams house Is
now the home of the Brazilian en-
bassy
Corcoran house, the home Of the
| late w W. Corcoran, was the center
| of much that was influential in the
development of Washington, for Mr..
Corceran, born to poverty and obscur-
| ity, made himself a power and won
| Immortality as a pfilanthropist. The
! Corcoran Art Gallery and the Louise
| Home for elderly gentlewomen are
among his lasting monuments. But
the old house also had it's measure Of
tragic associations. .-s-
1t was, for example. the scene of a
luncheon party, for the guests who
| had been invited to make the trial
trip on the iii-iateu sunpoat Frlnce-
ton, during which gun exploded in
the firing Of salute. killing two
cabinet officers and several other
guests.
The facts of this tragedy. which oc-
Cured In 1914, are well known. The
President and his entire cabinet We're
aboard the Princeton, with a group
of guests, who were leaders in WASH
tneton's civic and social life; and
when the first reports of the accident,
which took place off Mount Vernon,
reached town, 1t was rumored that
the entire party had been wiped out.
All escaped with their lives. however,
except the Secretary Of War. Abel P.
Upshur; the Secretary Of the Navy.