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It is a pleasure to me to speak before this department. of the Women's Club. The first meeting of the literature department met at my house soon.
Mrs. J.C. Hopkins read a delightful paper. As you ar [are] to have a review od [of] Mrs. Gertrude Atherton's book, perhaps you would like to know something of her personality. A long time ago I met her in London. She dined with me on a Sunday evening. My meeting with her was in this way. A very intimate friend who was a barister in London, when I wrote him from Italy that I was to be in London in the spring for several weeks, he at once said he would arrange lodgings for me, and presently he rented lodgings below where he lived. He was a widorer [widower] wem vacant and at once I had him arrange to take them for me. They considted [consisted] of a sitting room and two bedrooms, not a boarding house. The woman who kept them was a very good cook, and so when we arrived in Londing [London] my daughter and I we went directly to this place that seemed a home, and dinner was served in our own sitting room. This friend asked if he might bring Mrs. Atherton to dine with us some evening., and I left my card upon Mrs. Atherton and invited her to come. She was a pleasant prson [person] not very fat and not very lien, of medium height, and the most beautiful hair that I almost ever saw. It was very uncommon, not ash color as you some times see hair, nor brown but pure blond hair, very abundant and very simply dressed. Her complection had the delivate [delicate] quality of those with very light hair. Although she did not in the leqst [least] look delicate. We had a pleasant evening. She smoked cigarettes and in those days it was so common to see women smoking as it is at the present time. I met her later two or three years afterwards I met her in Washington at a reception and she seemed not as con ented [contented] as she was in London and had many doubts whether she would go back to London to stay permanetly [permanently]. She has not yet written the Conquerer. I don't exactly approve of rooting out the evil of things In the life of so great a man as Alexander Hamilton. I cannot see what good it ever does and perhaps in this case has done no harm. . Alexander Hamilton has been one of the heroes of my whole life. I have known several of his decendants [descendants] and the men all had the eccentric characteristic that seemed to have belonged to his mother's family. We had in this state a grandson or would he be a great gt ndson [grandson] of Alexander. I think he was the son of Scheiler Hamilton. When he died and the family and children gathered in New York for his funeral, and after the funeral the will was read it was found that he had left out entirely off one of his daughters whom . He did not approve of this daughters's marriage which was a perfectly good marriage to an army officer. Judge Chas. A. Hamilton arose at onee [once] and said this is not fair. I cannot let Mary be cut out of our fathers will. It was a case of noblise oblige and so the will was arranged so that Mary shared with the others. This Judge Hamilton was on the bench for a number of years and he had a favorite dog who was seldon [seldom] separated from him.
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It is a pleasure to me to speak before thes [this] department of the Women's Club. The first meeting of the literary depart-ment met at my house. As you are to have a review of the "Conqueror", you might be interested to know something of the personality of the author. A long time ago I met her in London A mutual friend asked me if he [might?] bring Mrs. Atherton to dine with me some evening. She was a pleasant person - not very fat - not very lean - of medium height, and the most beautiful hair that I almost ever saw. It was very uncommon - not ash color as you sometimes see light harr [ hair], not brown, but pure blond hair. You sometimes see the color on the head of a little child. Very abundant and very simply dressed. Her complection [complexion] had the [delicate?]quality of those with very light hair. Although she did not in the least look delicate. She smoked cigarettes an [and] in those days it was not so common to see women smoking as it is at the present time. Two years after my meeting with her in London I met her in Washington at a reception and she seemed not as contented as she was in London and had many doubts whether she would go back to London to stay permanently. She had not yet written "The Conqueror" I do not exactly approve of rooting out the evil of of things in the life of [as?] great a man as Alexander Hamilton, perhaps I cannot see the good it ever does [tho?] perhaps in this case has done no harm.
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-2When I was a very little girl my home was in Washington. The wife of the [widower?] oof [of] Alexander Hamilton lived there the latter years of her life. She lived to a very great age . and once I was in the street with either a member of my family or a friend who said to me "look at this lady sitting on the veranda of the house we are passing". She was very much wwrapped [wrapped] up to prevent any drafts touching her and one could see that she was very old. I looked as a child will in passing and at first I could hardly tell what she was like but whoever was with me said - "that is the wife of Alexander Hamilton". Her hranddaughters[granddaughters] used to say to her - "Grandmama, are you well today?" She would reply "yes." And Grandmamma, are you happy?" And she would say "Yes", but I want to see Hamilton. He has been such a long time gone. She always called him Hamilton. We have had more writers in the Consular service than in the diplomatic service. As long ago as the administration of President Pierce, Nathianel Hawthorn was consul to Liverpool. When there he wrote a book called - "Our Old Home", which deeply offended English women. He called them fat and red and he didn't seem to realize that they were among the finest women in the world. Good wives, excellent mothers, cultivated people. At one time there was published a most amusing book, I fancy now it is out of print, called " The Adventures of An American Consul". It was anonymous but it was said to have been written by a professor in Harvard University. Anything more amusing I have never read in my life. In London, there was John Hay who was cultivated, diplomatic and tactful, and his wife was a perfect mate for him. She was a woman of large wealth and they could afford to fill the position with [illegible] to our [country?]. I don't remember
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[Scratched out text: Until Lowell? resubmitted? the NP? at the [illegible] of [Illegible]]
knowing of another literary man who ever represented this country at Paris, unless Governor Morris could be called a literary man from his great assistance in [calling] working out both the constitution and the monetary system at the beginning of these United States. An interesting fact is that during the reign of terror in Paris he remained at his post [and] where all the other diplomats departed from Paris. That was the case with three diplomats who have represented the United States in Paris. I cannot remember the name of one of them but Washburn remained at his post during the Franco-Prussian war [and] when all the other diplomats departed. Morris was the close adviser of Louis XVI., and his ill-fated queen Maria Antoinette.**
At Berlin we all know of the diplomatic services of Andrew D. White. His wife was very lovely to look at, was perfect in her position, and was in every way a representative American woman.
Thomas Nelson Page represented the United States in Italy and he was [the] a most charming man who has written many books and stories, and his charming wife were most adequate for the position.
Long years ago Washington Irving represented the States at Madrid. He received special honors from the Spanish government. He was permitted to occupy a suite of rooms in that wonderful place the Alhambra, where he wrote those adorable tales of the Alhambra and various other books [and I cannot remember what else he wrote while he occupied rooms in the Alhambra] in more modern days.
James Russell Lowell represented the States in Spain. His wife was the most interesting, cultivated woman. She completely lost her health, however, during their sojurn
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in Madrid, from an attack of Typhoid Fever and when Mr. Lowell was sent to London she never was able to take part in society. She lived very quietly just out of London but she never recovered from Typhoid Fever. A curious thing happened at that time. General FairchildMy husband was Consul General at Paris when he was appointed by the President to fill Lowell's place at Madrid. The Fairchilds had General FairchildIn preparation for the change of post, he had given up his house, dismissed his servants, and was in readiness to go as soon as ordered, when Mr. Lowell wrote to General Fairchildhim and begged that he would postpone his coming to Madrid as long as possible as Mrs. Lowell was very ill in-deed with Typhoid Fever. Mrs. FairchildI then decided to take hermy youngest child, hermy baby, and go to GermanyBrunswick, Germany and visit for a forthnight her three my older children who were there in a Germany failiyfamily to learn to speak German. TheBrunswick is a place where the Grand Duke lives and it is now the young Grand Duke of Brunswick is the one who married the only daughter of the Kaiser. TheMy little child was not well in the train at night, she had some fever and when MrsI Fairchild arrived in Brunswick sheI sent for a physician. He looked very grave when he examined the child and said - "I will come again tomorrow". When he came the next day and again saw her, he said - "It is Typhus", and so the minister who was leaving Madrid was kept there on account of his wife having typhoid fever and the new minister who was to goo was detained because his child has Typhoid fever. Mrs. Lowell was at least well enough to be moved from Spain and the new minister went to Madrid to take up his duty. Mrs. FairchildI was detain was detained a month in Germany until the child recovered and she could join hermy husband.
