As I Remember
remember that when the home of the British Embassy was in the course of
erection, the wisdom of the location was greatly questioned, owing to
its remoteness from the fashionable center of the city.
During the Arthur administration, Mr. Edward C. Halliday and his wife
came to the National Capital to spend a winter. I had known him many
years before when he visited the widow of General Alexander Macomb in
her home on the corner of I and Seventeenth Streets, where the Farragut
apartment house now stands. He was of a Scotch family which originally
settled in New York, and his father for some years was President of the
St. Andrews Society of that city. After residing several months in
Washington Mr. Halliday built several houses opposite the British
Embassy on N Street, the largest of which he reserved for his own
residence. It was here that Mr. and Mrs. Halliday entertained with such
true Scotch hospitality. Their Friday evenings were bright spots on the
social horizon, especially for the young people, as dancing was one of
their special features. Just before the close of her second social
season Mrs. Halliday gave a fancy-dress ball, which was a happy
inspiration, varying as it did the monotony of germans, receptions and
teas. On this occasion the minuet was danced by the younger guests
dressed in Louis XIV. costumes.
In the spring of 1880 the long and painful illness of my husband closed
in death. He had been handicapped by years of ill health, and, although
he had the intellectual power, the ability, the wings to spread, there
was, alas, no surrounding air to bear them up! The ambition was there
and the intense desire, but strength was lacking and he bore his
affliction with sublime fortitude. For a while after his departure I
felt akin to a ship lost at sea; my moorings were nowhere within sight.
I had leaned on him through so many years of married life, constantly
sustained by his high code of integrity and honor, that his death was
indeed a bereavement too terrible for words to express. I care to say no
more.
The summer of the same year, accompanied by my daughters, I sought the
quietude of the mountains of Virginia. Tarrying in the same house with
me was Mrs. John Griffith Worthington of Georgetown, D.C., with whom I
formed a lasting friendship. The Worthington family resided in the
District long before it became the seat of government and owned
extensive property. Even in extreme old age Mrs. Worthington was one of
the most truly beautiful women I have ever seen. She was Miss Elizabeth
Phillips of Dayton, Ohio, and a lineal descendant of President Jonathan
Dickinson of Princeton University. Her daughter Eliza, Mrs. William
Henry Philip, represented the same type of woman. John G. Worthington's
sister married Judge William Gaston, the eminent jurist of North
Carolina.
The administration of Garfield was of short duration. The tragedy which
brought to a speedy close his earthly career is too well known to be
dwelt upon at length. The mortal attack upon him in 1881 by the fanatic
Charles J. Guiteau in the old Pennsylvania railroad station on the
corner of Sixth and D Streets shocked the civilized world, and his long
and painful illness at Elberon was closely watched by a sympathizing
public until it closed in death. Dr. D. W. Bliss was the Garfield family
physician but the most eminent specialists of the country were called
into consultation. It is the first time within my memory that I ever
heard of the issue of official bulletins by physicians announcing the
condition of their patients. At the trial of Guiteau he was defended by
his brother-in-law, George M. Scoville, while Judge John K. Porter of
New York and Walter D. Davidge of the Washington bar were employed to
assist in the prosecution. This trial was of such absorbing interest
that men and women crowded to the City Hall, where admission was granted
only by ticket. No one could possibly have seen Guiteau without a
feeling akin to pity, as he displayed every indication of possessing an
unbalanced mind.
The administration of President Arthur proved a source of delight to
Washington society and afforded abundant demonstration, as in the cases
of Jefferson, Jackson, Van Buren and Buchanan before him, that a
"Mistress of the White House" in the person of a wife is not an absolute
necessity. Mrs. John E. McElroy, the President's sister, spent much of
her time in Washington and presided with grace over the social functions
of the White House. The President himself was a gentleman of dignified
and imposing presence and of great social as well as political tact. He
instinctively seemed to know the proper thing to do and exactly when to
do it. I was deeply touched by his thoughtfulness when my second
daughter, Ruth Monroe, was married in December, 1882. Although we were
still in mourning and had no personal acquaintance with the President
nor other association at that time with the White House, General Arthur
on that occasion sent superb flowers to my home from the conservatory of
the Executive Mansion. I regarded the act as exceedingly gracious, but
it was in every way characteristic of the man. The circumstances under
which he succeeded to the Presidential chair were so painful and some of
his former political affiliations were so distasteful to many that the
early portion of his administration was attended with a certain degree
of embarrassment; yet, by sheer force of character, unquestioned ability
and magnificent tact he so effectively worked his way into the hearts of
the people that he left the Presidential chair as highly esteemed as any
of his predecessors and carried with him into retirement the applause of
the people irrespective of party affiliation.
I made the acquaintance of General and Mrs. Adolphus W. Greely soon
after his return from his Arctic expedition. Both he and Rear Admiral
Winfield Scott Schley, U.S.N., the rescued and the rescuer, were then
receiving the ovations of the public. During our early acquaintance the
Greelys purchased a delightful old-fashioned house on G Street, below
Pennsylvania Avenue, where they still reside surrounded by a charming
group of sons and daughters. General Greely is always an object of
interest wherever he goes and deservedly so, as scientific attainments,
distinguished bearing and engaging manners such as his can never fail to
win applause. Mrs. Greely, the bride of his youth and the companion of
his maturer years, wins all hearts and holds them.
It would be both unjust and ungrateful to make no mention of Mrs. Phoebe
Hearst, the mother of William R. Hearst of New York. She came to
Washington an entire stranger as the wife of the late Senator George
Hearst of California, but soon endeared herself to all old residents by
her personal magnetism, her social tact and her philanthropic acts.
Deeply in sympathy with the work of women, her benevolence in this
particular field was unbounded. Her entertainments were lavish and I was
often numbered among her guests. I especially recall an evening
reception given by her in honor of a company of authors attending a
congress in Washington. It was remarkable for the number of
distinguished men and women gathered from all parts of the country, some
of whom I had never met before, and among them Mark Twain, Francis
Marion Crawford and William Dean Howells.
As I lay down my pen, memories of many old friends are passing before me
and of their children, too. Then there are others with whom I formed
ties later in life of the most enduring character. This is especially
true of my old and cherished neighbors, Rear Admiral and Mrs. Francis A.
Roe. With his work well done he now rests from his labors, but his widow
is yet my valued friend. Still another is Rear Admiral Winfield Scott
Schley, U.S. N. who, surrounded by admiring friends in Washington, lives
quietly and unostentatiously and bears his laurels well; and last, but
anything in the world but least, Mrs. Julian James, a representative of
a distinguished New York family, the daughter of Theodorus Bailey Myers,
who has made her home in Washington for many years, and is now the "Lady
Bountiful" of the National Capital. Beautiful in person as well as in
character, she distributes her wealth with a lavish hand, and richly
deserves the words "well done."
In looking backward through the years of a long and active life I have
seen varied relays of humanity, all of them acting their parts and
filling their appropriate niches--great and small often standing
shoulder to shoulder and engaged in the same strife. Many of them, my
friends in childhood as well as old age, have long since passed into the
life beyond. _Vanitas Vanitatis!_ may be the exclamation of the
moralizing cynic, but to me many of these memories are a blessed
heritage, and I am grateful to the Father of All for permitting me to
catch from them the inspiration to prepare these rambling notes.
INDEX
Abert, John, 195.
Abinger, Lord, 211.
Lady, 211.
Adams, Abigail, 134.
Abigail Louisa Smith, 148.
Charles, 148.
Charles Francis, 149, 352.
Mrs. Charles Francis, 148, 149, 352.
Elizabeth Combs, 205-207.
Isaac Hull, 205-207.
John (1), 57, 134, 147, 148, 206, 316.
John (2), 214, 282.
Mrs. John, 214, 282.
John Quincy, 31, 32, 148, 149, 199, 200, 206, 214, 279, 280, 282.
Mrs. John Quincy, 279, 280, 332.
Mary Louisa, 199.
Thomas Boylston, 206, 207.
William, 180.
Addington, Henry Unwin, 279.
Addison, Joseph, 80.
Adrian, Robert, 53, 66.
Agg, John T., 280.
Albert, Prince, 163.
William T., 372.
Alcott, Amos Bronson, 158.
Alfonso XIII., of Spain, 100.
Allen, Eliza, 198.
John, 198.
Allerton, Willoughby, 324.
Mrs. Willoughby, 324.
Allston, Washington, 99.
Almonte, Juan Nepomuceno, 229.
Mrs. Juan Nepomuceno, 229.
Almy, John J., 257.
Anderson, Richard C, 239.
Robert, 239.
Mrs. Robert, 239, 240.
Andrews, Edward G., 53.
John A., 178.
Anne, Queen, 141.
Anthon, Charles, 13-16, 18.
Anthony, Henry B., 361.
Appleton, James Means, 255.
Jesse, 255.
Armistead, Richard, 145.
Mrs. Richard, 69, 146.
Susan, 73, 145.
Armstrong, John, 72.
Mr., of New York, 112.
Arthur, Chester A., 11, 390, 391.
Ashton, Henry, 215.
Astor, Dorothea, 74.
Eliza, 75.
Emily, 53.
George, 76.
"George and Company," 76.
Henry, 75.
John Jacob (1), 33, 36, 39, 72-77.
John Jacob (2), 22.
Magdalen, 74.
William B., 22, 23, 53, 72.
William Waldorf, 102.
"Astor and Camp," 76.
Atkinson, Henry, 163.
Mrs. Henry, 163.
Auchmuty, Richard Tyldin, 364.
Audenreid, Florence, 373.
Joseph C., 372.
Augustus, Emperor, 385.
Aulick, John H., 169.
Bache, Eliza Ann, 78.
Matilda, 278.
Bacon, Alice, 19.
Delia, 19.
Francis, 34.
Julia, 19.
Leonard, 19.
Badger, Miss, 374.
Bakhmeteff, Madame, 364.
Balfe, Michael William, 227.
Victoire, 227.
Ball, Mary, 377.
Bancroft, George, 171, 199, 371, 372.
Mrs. George, 106, 372.
Bankhead, James, 186, 211.
The Misses, 186.
Banks, Nathaniel P., 178, 315.
Bannister, Mr., 185.
Bantz, Gideon, 340.
Baraza, Cipriano, 297.
Barbour, James L., 175.
Barca, de la, Don Calderon, 233.
Madame Calderon, 233, 252.
Barclay, Andrew D., 142.
Bard, Samuel, 146.
William, 146.
Barker, Jacob, 43.
Barlow, Francis C., 184.
Barnum, P. T., 162.
Barron, James, 259.
Bartlett, William H. C., 123.
Bass, Mrs. Eugenie, 231.
Bazaine, Francois Achille, 278.
Beach, Moses Y., 44, 113.
Beale, Edward F., 364.
Mrs. Edward F., 364.
Mary, 364.
Bearn, de, Louis, 230, 231.
Princess, 231.
Beauharnais, de, Hortense, 258.
Beaujour, de, Felix, 51.
Beaumont, John C., 304.
Beauregard, de, Paix, 58.
Toutant, 58.