EXPERIENCES 
 
 CONSTANCE SCHACK GRACIE 
 
 EDITION PE LUXE
 
 /

 
 Personal Experiences 
 
 in 
 
 Life's Journey 
 
 by 
 
 Constance Schack Gracie
 
 WASHINGTON 
 1919
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 This book was finally completed, after many urgent 
 requests from friends at diplomatic and other dinners 
 here in dear old Washington, as well as in Newport and 
 New York; when the conversation would suggest and 
 draw forth apt reminiscences of my very unusual op- 
 portunities during visits to my European relatives. On 
 such occasions they would say: "Now, Mrs. Gracie, do 
 write a book and put that in it !" 
 
 2023983
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 I intended dedicating it to my two precious daughters, 
 but my eldest was taken in Paris, France, my husband 
 next, and now my fourth baby, grown to lovely woman- 
 hood working in three canteens while her soldier hus- 
 band was overseas. She often waited on four hundred 
 soldiers a day from 7:30 A. M. to 9:30 in the evening. 
 
 Two days after her twenty-fourth birthday, the last 
 day of the old year, her life was completed seiving her 
 country. Bearing a child, whose little soul she carried 
 with her, safe into the Heavenly Life, into which she 
 ascended in a glory of love. "None knew her but to love 
 her, none named her but to praise." 
 
 There is a country wheie they form and cast one 
 beautiful vase, then they break the mould, that there 
 shall not be a duplicate. And so I regard my three. 
 
 Each was unique and stood out apart in beauty of soul 
 and body, and they will never be reproduced ! Yet I 
 have felt blessed among women, that God should have 
 deemed me worthy to lend me three such wonderful be- 
 ings as my noble husband Archibald, the hero of the 
 Titanic wreck ; my beautiful, gifted, useful Constance- 
 Ulee, and our Angel Edith, my beloved, unselfish, thought- 
 ful wonder-child. 
 
 He has taken them all three and the baby safely home
 
 6 Dedication 
 
 to develop as disembodied spirits in the Heavenly Life, 
 and to draw us nearer to that world to which our faith 
 and hope will lead us into life everlasting! 
 
 While we are here retained to have the privilege of 
 helping others in their sorrows and struggles, that they 
 may see the light which we know is so far more precious 
 than the fleeting light which goes out so surely in this 
 sweet world of earth. 
 
 Now, this edition de luxe is simply for my kind and 
 lenient-hearted friends. 
 
 Theirs Sincerely, 
 CONSTANCE ELISE SCHACK GRACIE.
 
 MY MOTHER ELIZABETH -MRS. O. W. C. SCHACK
 
 MY DANISH FATHER O. W. C. SCHACK 
 Then Ensign from Copenhagen.
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 One evening on the slippery, freshly-washed deck of 
 His Majesty's ship in Copenhagen, a young ensign fell 
 and broke his arm. 
 
 The Consul-General to New York, Henri Braem, sought 
 the young man's father, the King's Counsellor Etatsraad 
 Gregors Schack, and begged that the gifted young officer 
 (whose personality had won all hearts) be permitted to 
 accompany him to New York, during the period of his 
 convalescence. 
 
 Arriving there in due time, and in accordance with the 
 custom of those times, he boarded with the family of 
 Braems as did also William Meyer, the uncle of J. Von 
 Lengerke Meyer, Secretary of War during Mr. Theodore 
 Roosevelt's presidency. Said Mr. William Meyer left 
 this nephew in late years upon his demise the bulk of 
 his fortune, as well as a small legacy to my own eldest 
 daughter Constance-Ulie Gracie, his god-child. She 
 who gave up her young sweet life in Paris when released 
 from an out-of-order, neglected elevator. A doctor 
 out of the street entering, gave her a strong dose of 
 ether just twenty minutes before the Colonel and myself 
 returned home, and killed her. He exonerated himself, 
 he thought, when confessing to her father and myself that 
 "he did what he could, gave her ether to save her suffering 
 pain," instead of, as I told him, plunging her into a 
 hot bath to expand the compressed parts, some ammonia 
 to revive her, and brandy to strengthen her, when she 
 sighed with relief after being released by our butler, 
 and looked down upon her little eight year old sister 
 who was sure Constance-Ulee was to live and be herself 
 again.
 
 w ; 
 
 V 
 
 MISS CONSTANCE-ULEE GKACIE
 
 In Life's Journey 15 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 At a ball, at the Countess de Dion's, the young Danish 
 ensign met my gifted mother, Elizabeth Inez McCarty, 
 named by my English grandmother after one of her girl- 
 hood friends. She herself being the brilliant daughter of 
 Admiral Saunders of the Royal English navy. 
 
 Her two beautiful twin sisters, she told me, died sud- 
 denly of smallpox on their estate in St. Johns, Nova 
 Scotia, where they first lived after leaving England ; and 
 where their cousins, the St. Johns, still live in that resi- 
 dence called "The Castle" stone walls excluding passers- 
 by. 
 
 On my "Vitrene" table are the miniatures of the 
 admiral my great-grandfather on the maternal side 
 taken at 40 years of age, in his light blue velvet uniform 
 and gilt buttons, lace-frills, choker-tie, collar, wig, etc.; 
 also the miniature of his sweet and smiling wife. 
 
 Her cousins then being Admiral Nelson, Admiral Liv- 
 ingston, and Admiral Dreyer of the Danish navy. 
 
 The fair women of England were always proud to unite 
 with the noble Danes, and my own lovely mother chose a 
 noble Dane in the late Otto Wilhelm Christian Schack. 
 
 His brave and gifted brother was Sophus, whose paint- 
 ings were pronounced ideal and won celebrity. He oil- 
 painted an excellent bust of my father, as midshipman, 
 which is roughly reproduced as frontispiece of this book. 
 
 In his day Uncle Sophus' volume on "Physiognomy" 
 was translated and sold in three countries France, 
 Germany and England demonstrating the curious attri- 
 butes in human beings of the animal they often resemble 
 in their faces and phrenological developments. 
 
 Sophus became a great general at the time of the
 
 16 Personal Experiences 
 
 Schleswig and Holstein war, and led the Danish army 
 against Bismarck's Prussian horde. 
 
 General Sophus Schack fell, pierced with 32 minnie- 
 balls. He was carried tenderly from the field to his resi- 
 dence in Copenhagen. 
 
 His Majesty, King Christian, hastened to the bedside 
 to thank him for his great services, and he died in the 
 King's arms. All this is printed and on record, as also 
 the little book recording our Danish Minister's attendance 
 later, during a year's period, upon Bismarck's pleasure, 
 to receive the document as per Bismarck's promise to re- 
 turn those two islands filched by the Hohenzollerns. And 
 at the close of the year, as our Danish Minister was 
 ushered into his presence for the last time to receive said 
 document, Bismarck deceitfully smiled, and devoid of dig- 
 nity and honor remarked : "I promised to give back Schles- 
 wig and Holstein, but I did not mean it."
 
 SOPHUS SCHACK, GENERAL IN CHIEF OF DANISH ARMY
 
 In Life's Journey 19 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 On a Saturday morning in August, at a summer home, 
 Elizabeth Inez McCarty and Otto Wilhelm Christian 
 Schack were married, with a happy family in attendance, 
 and they started off for West Point. 
 
 A wee, bonnie Lassie, arrayed in her evening gown, 
 fond of dancing and all the joys of life, she stood between 
 dances with one of the admiring young officers, and as 
 he noticed her anxiously gazing away from him around 
 the ballroom, he asked: 
 
 "Pray, whom are you looking for?" 
 
 "For my husband," nonchalantly responded the little 
 girlish-looking bride. 
 
 "Your what!" exclaimed he, "And when were you mar- 
 ried?" 
 
 "This morning," she quietly and proudly answered, to 
 the amazed and incredulous gaze of her dancing partner, 
 introduced by the commandant's wife. 
 
 She returned to New York with her husband, who took 
 up his residence in a house where in later years was 
 built the Ashland Hotel, corner of 24th street and Fourth 
 avenue. 
 
 Her father, whose city residence, corner of Bond street 
 and Broadway then the most fashionable quarter as 
 printed in the City Directory of 1834, reads : "Peter Mc- 
 Carty," and his son "Saunders McCarty, gentlemen, 
 landed proprietors." 
 
 They were spoken of as two of the then 40 New Yorkers 
 who owned their horses and carriages. Being in direct 
 descent from the King of Munster and Earls of Clancarty ; 
 whose Coat-of-Arms in a quaint little gilt circular frame,
 
 20 Personal Experiences 
 
 hung for many years on the wall of my room at the right 
 of my black walnut pier-glassed wardrobe. 
 
 We had the engraved picture of Blarney Castle on the 
 first page of the family album, and my uncle Saunders 
 (grandmamma said) forwarded a large sum of money 
 through his bankers to buy back the castle and estate 
 in Ireland, but Lord Dundlo, of the older branch, held it 
 and thus it passed. 
 
 Uncle Saunders McCarty had six beautiful sisters. He 
 stepped off and married the fair Miss Gardiner, only aunt 
 of Mrs. Senator Wetmore, nee Keteltas ; she greatly re- 
 sembles her fair aunt. 
 
 After their children were born (Uncle Saunders being 
 the oldest, 21 years of age, and my mother next to the 
 youngest) found herself when a wee girl playing with 
 her tiny nieces. 
 
 In later years, one of the French refugee counts, Count 
 Jules de Dion, won their mother then the widow of my 
 Uncle Saunders and took her, and her two daughters to 
 live in the castle at Montford (on the Seine et Oise 
 rivers), celebrated for its rare specimens of roses.
 
 COUNT JULES DeDION OF MONTFORT, FRANCE 
 Who Married My Aunt Mrs. Saunders McCarty.
 
 MY AUNT "JANE" COUNTESS DeDION 
 
 Who Came Over to Take Me Back With Her to Live at Their Castle at 
 Montfort on Seine at Oise Rivers.
 
 In Life's Journey 25 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 To New York, from Newburyport, Mass., came one of 
 its clever scions, Jacob Little, one of the oldest families 
 from that town. His sagacity was marvelous; he won 
 the title of "The Greatest Financier, The Emperor of 
 Wall Street," where his honored picture hangs in the 
 Board Room of the Brokers' Stock Exchange. 
 
 A while ago, when I was down town, Mr. Borland 
 pointed out Uncle Little's picture hanging on the wall. 
 He carried the list of his investments and their respec- 
 tive purchase prices and values on no paper, but simply 
 in his mind. He made and lost a million at a time only 
 to make another. 
 
 Witty and loved by the family into which he desired to 
 marry. His marrying a most beautiful young lady of 
 lovely chartcter, took place in Grace Church, on a certain 
 date, to the exquisite Augusta Temple McCarty. 
 
 He drove off from the church in their equipage with 
 liveried men on the box and standing postilions behind, 
 admired by all ! 
 
 She used to call forth glances of friendly admiration 
 from her coterie of lovely women and men in their re- 
 spective opera boxes, as she and her beautiful sisters, 
 Mrs. 0. W. C. Schack and Mrs. William Jackson (the three 
 McCarty s) graced her box at the time when they heard 
 Alboni, Mario, Brignoli, and other great stars who reigned 
 upon the operatic stage. 
 
 Early in the mornings Mrs. Schack was wont to play 
 accompaniments to her and her husband's opera duets
 
 26 In Life's Journey 
 
 from Traviata, Lucia and Semeramide, upon their Chick- 
 ering piano. They used to liken my father's voice to the 
 great Marios, whose marvelous tenor, without flaw, fas- 
 cinated all souls. 
 
 My place at those matutinal practices, as soon as I was 
 four years old, used to be under the piano.
 
 BROTHER RUDOLPH 
 
 In His Athletic Feat Curved Upward in Mid Air, With Limbs Attached 
 Around George Montague's Waist.
 
 In Life's Journey 29 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Mr. Howard Pell, senior, who was at Greensfarms, 
 Conn, (befoie I was bo^n), with my parents and my two 
 brotners Rudolph Wilhelm, aged four years, and Albert, 
 one and a half years old, delighted (they told of it after 
 years) in teaching small Rudolph Wilhelm to swim. After 
 a number of lessons and acrobatic trials, he took the 
 youngster by the back of the belt one morning and flung 
 him far out, yelling to him : "Now, baby ; swim for your 
 life." Arid lo ! they say, the boy did well ! I was a good 
 sized child of ten when I first learned, and swam easily 
 in a fiesh water lake, and my sister learned to exactly 
 imitate the motion of the frogs which she caught in her 
 hands along the edge of Lake Luzerne, N. Y., where for 
 two years papa had a cottage with a path going part way 
 round that lake. 
 
 My pride was to imitate my athletic brothers in putting 
 up their ten-pound dumb-bells, and curling my arms to 
 please and to develop a visible muscle; for which, when 
 thirteen, I developed a modest shame for possessing, and 
 only on the sly went to the store-room, lifting a trunk 
 occasionally to test my strength. 
 
 Every Saturday, it was our wont to go down to our 
 grandparents' honored home, east of Madison Square on 
 25th Street, to greet them. To be trotted in childhood 
 days on grandpapa's foot, while he sang to me pretty 
 songs in Dutch, and he told me that his grandmother was 
 a Coeymans, and that the Queen of Holland had sent the 
 silver communion service to their church on their Coey- 
 man's estate (ten miles square) south of Albany, which 
 was a grant of land to the family by the king.
 
 30 Personal Experiences 
 
 I recall my mother telling me several times, when hav- 
 ing green-gages and egg-plums, made to stand in jelly 
 "pound for pound" for winter Sunday night tea-parties : 
 "Constance, I used to walk, not under one plum tree, but 
 through groves of plum-trees on my grandfather's estate 
 up at Coeymans, which they leased out on 99 year leases. 
 Grandfather was one of three in a Tontine, the family 
 rncied that he would die first, weighing only 4i/ 2 pounds 
 at birth ; but notwithstanding he outlived them all, dying 
 at the age of 84. He was fine, vigorous, and a humorist, 
 up to his last day when he slept away.
 
 MY BROTHER RUDOLPH WILHELM SCHACK 
 
 Marvelous Pianist, Songster, Humorist, Caricaturist and Athlete. Beloved 
 by All Who Knew Him.
 
 In Life's Journey 33 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Peter and David Coeymans were my great-grandfather 
 and uncle on grandfather McCarty's side. His parents 
 were residing in France, where grandfather was born. 
 
 His daughter, next to mamma, a lovely beauty as I re- 
 garded her when old enough to know her, had engaged 
 herself to the superbly handsome William Jackson of 
 Greenwich, Connecticut. 
 
 They told me, in the family, that the wedding was set 
 for two weeks later, and, out for a promenade, the young 
 couple thought it clever to go into an Episcopal Church 
 close by, and they were married then and there; then 
 returned home and kept silent about their little escapade, 
 and had the regularly arranged wedding, all right, two 
 weeks later. 
 
 After two years, business took Mr. Jackson down to 
 New Orleans. It chanced to be at carnival time. His young 
 wife and a year old son could not go down with him. He 
 had been advised by his business friend's hostess to use 
 two fancy costumes and change about. 
 
 The accounts from all sides were that some young 
 dame in Domino spoke to him, and after he had gone up 
 in a gentlemen's dressing room and was changing his 
 costume, a man evidently jealous of an imaginary rival, 
 stabbed Mr. Jackson from behind, who fell without a 
 murmur, dead. 
 
 He was buried down there, but his unhappy young wife 
 begged that they send his body up to New York, and 
 again he was buried twice married, twice buried. Then, 
 sometimes, I used to just wonder if such a thing could 
 come to pass that she too, my witty, pretty aunt, might 
 ever be also buried twice.
 
 34 Personal Experiences 
 
 Well, it did happen all the same. 
 
 When she passed away one summer after a sun stroke 
 I think it was her son, Charles Augustus Jackson, a 
 lawyer, wanted the McCarty family vault in Greenwood 
 Cemetery opened to place here therein ; but the Commit- 
 tee in charge there positively refused him, saying the 
 vault was full and sealed ! So, he temporarily placed her 
 in a vault until he bought and had one built for himself, 
 in which she finally rested. 
 
 So she, too, was twice buried ! 
 
 My aunts were great European travelers, and Mrs. 
 Jacob Little, whose husband adored her, and allowed her 
 every indulgence, permitted her to attach her sister, Mis. 
 Willie Jackson, to her cortege, and with Salvatori, their 
 courier, all was made easy. 
 
 If ought was overcharged, Uncle Little would briefly 
 settle the query, "What yould you do?" by simply saying, 
 "Pay him, and never go there again." 
 
 If any one questioned his opinion as to finances, "What 
 do you think about it, Mr. Little?" quick as a flash he 
 would fire the question, "What do you think about it?" 
 Unsuspecting his purpose of never giving his own opinion 
 and immediately flattered by the great man's honoring 
 them by asking theirs, they proceeded to expound their 
 theories thereupon, etc., and when they again turned and 
 asked him, "What do you think?" he'd explain mystify - 
 ingly, "Oh! that's another matter." 
 
 They had to laugh at his clever dismissal of the subject. 
 Often he'd cause even his family to laugh at it his non- 
 committal, tantalizing responses, always the same. 
 
 When Aunt's (Augusta Temple, Mrs. Little) letters 
 arrived from various stations in Europe, mamma would 
 allow me to peruse them, and their descriptions were so 
 vivid that I memorized them and later felt as though I
 
 In Life's Journey 35 
 
 really had been in those places and among those people 
 myself. So that after making my "debut" and mingling 
 with voyagers who conversed upon their travels, they 
 dilated upon them to an eager ear on my part, and, saucy 
 as I was, I chatted on as though I too knew those enchant- 
 ing scenes, always entering into their enthusiasm.
 
 MY AUNT, THE BEAUTIFUL MRS. JACOB LITTLE 
 Born Augusta Temple McCarty.
 
 In Life's Journey 39 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 My dear splendid grandmother McCarty had badly cut 
 her toe which became infected from her black silk stock- 
 ing and gangren set in. Surgeons insisted that the foot 
 must be amputated to save her. Bishop Washburn was 
 sent for from their beloved Calvary Church, and after 
 the six daughters had knelt, encircling her bed, in earnest 
 prayer and tears, the Bishop left them, understanding he 
 might be needed very soon. Later friends heard him re-, 
 mark that he had never seen a more beautiful death- 
 
 ath-bed [ 
 ther in I 
 
 with those lovely daughters all around their mother 
 prayer. 
 
 My aunt, Mrs. Little, closed the door then and with 
 her usual emphatic, though humorous expression, "The 
 doctors are all a pack of fools. I am going down to our 
 cook to make a hot bread and milk poultice." Having 
 T)rought up a cup of the mixture and continued to apply it, 
 lo ! the gangren drew out to a head, burst, separated, and 
 cleared out. The foot soon healed and grandmamma was. 
 once again about and active. 
 
 The doctor, then the bishop} dropped in to inquire, most 
 solemnly saying: "There was no crepe on the door, why?" 
 "Oh, madame is perfectly well again," said the trusty 
 maid, and beamingly stated : "It was funny to notice how 
 amazed and puzzled they both looked !"
 
 ALBERT, PRINCE OF WALES 
 
 At the Time of His Marriage to Our Princess Alexandra of Denmark. 
 From the Album of My Danis' " 
 
 Father Otto W. C. Schack.
 
 PRINCESS ALEXANDRA OF DENMARK 
 
 When Affianced to Prince Albert, afterwards succeeded Queen Victoria as 
 Queen of England, Now the Dowager Queen.
 
 In Life's Journey 45 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 My Danish father, from the time I was three years old, 
 sent me with my two big brothers each Saturday, to be 
 seated close to the stage in the orchestra chairs, which he 
 exchanged for his opera box, which he had for every night 
 and Saturday matinees. Papa's puipose was to give us 
 a true conception of the music, the Italian language, and 
 a correct ear. 
 
 By the time I was six, my facility for catching those 
 arias, and reproducing them on the piano with both hands, 
 was amusement for me. 
 
 My father had named my brothers Rudolph Wilhelm 
 and Albert, after the King of Denmark and after their 
 beloved Princess Alexandra's husband, the then young 
 Prince of Wales. When I sat beside my Danish father's 
 desk, while he often wrote his parents and sisters in 
 Copenhagen, he would laughingly turn to remark: "Little 
 Constance, I was forgetting a word in my own language." 
 
 My brother Albert w^as studying instrumental music 
 with a Russian pianist, Mr. Ricateau as I also did when 
 eleven years old in the billiard room on the Chickering 
 piano. While the large new Steinway Concert Grand 
 stood in our large drawing room for musicales. Oh ! but 
 he was a severe master, criticising with the idea that it 
 would spur us on to merit his enconium. 
 
 When fifteen, I felt far advanced and proud to have as 
 my teacher the first violinist and leader of the orchestra, 
 Herr Guppner, who taught my brothers Rudolph, Albert, 
 and myself, the piano, thorough base and motifs of both 
 Italian and German operas, etc. ; as well as teaching the 
 violin to my cousin, Lieutenant McCarty Little, later
 
 46 Personal Experiences 
 
 captain in the U. S. navy and lecturer in the naval war 
 college until five years ago, when taken ill while his son 
 Lieutenant McCarty-Little was on the White House staff 
 during President Taft's administration. 
 
 Dear Mrs. Taft had invited me to join her the follow- 
 ing afternoon for an informal tea of twenty guests, and 
 then (unconscious of my cousin's appointment on 
 the social staff of the first lady of the land) as I was 
 ushered in, lo! to my surprise, there stood my cousin in 
 full dress uniform smiling at me. His father died after 
 Mr. Taft sent Louis to Pekin to study the Chinese lan- 
 guage, as he is such a fluent linguist. 
 
 Louis had won his advanced rank when inconceivably 
 thin and tall, and when the gates of the "Sacred City" 
 would not yield in answer to the United States ships' guns, 
 Louis offered himself to crawl under the hole just made, 
 with the fuse, I think, between his teeth. Quick as a cat, 
 he ignited it! He said he went up four feet with the 
 concussion, mentally saying farewell to earth; but the 
 gates blew open, and he saw the Chinese (in horror at 
 the desecration of their wall destroyed and strangers 
 entering their city) committing hari kari as he came 
 down again on terra firma, and gazed awe-struck on their 
 awful custom.
 
 In Life's Journey 47 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Aunt Augusta and Willie her son-r4aw were both 
 beauties of their respective sexes and perfectly devoted 
 to each other. His mother once remarked "that should 
 Willie marry, if his selection were an angel from Heaven, 
 she would be jealous of her." She and Aunt Helen fol- 
 lowed his navy ship's arrival at each successive port. 
 
 Mr. Tom Meyer used to bring us news of my aunts 
 abroad, surprising us by his returns from Europe, walk- 
 ing into our opera box, stating that they were the most 
 extravagant Americans in their choice of apartments 
 no idea of the value of money just periodically receiving 
 checks from my father, the manager then of their estate 
 after Uncle Little's death. That they always grati- 
 fied their wishes, be it in Cairo, passing the shops of the 
 court jewelers, seeing them beating out gold into coin 
 necklesses or chains, one of them with pendant design, 
 open-worked solid-shaped moon and crescent their na- 
 tional emblems when she would exclaim : "I must have 
 it." "But it is for the Egyptian monarch." "Well, make 
 another! We are leaving Cairo tonight! The price? 
 Here !" And lo, her beauty and naive persuasions always 
 conquered. 
 
 I possess two of these wonderful chains which she pre- 
 sented me, her favorite niece, one from Egypt, the other 
 from Persia, obtained just in the same extraordinary man- 
 ner. 
 
 My lovely Aunt Charlotte Amelia Ten Eyck McCarty, 
 in whom there was more marked Dutch attractive ex- 
 pressions than among my other aunts, her sisters, died 
 suddenly after an examination requested by herself, as
 
 48 Personal Experiences 
 
 she had never known an illness and felt as though from 
 a fall she had displaced her internals. The physician 
 they considered administered the ether too long, after 
 which he pronounced the examination unnecessary as 
 nothing was wrong. But the ether had (they stated) 
 devitalized her blood, and she simply faded away in three 
 months, gently inquiring from time to time: "Why do I 
 not regain my strength?" Her devoted chum and room- 
 mate, Sister Marie Antoinette, mourned her loss so deeply, 
 exclaiming that "she did not want to live any longer," 
 retired to her room, took to the bed and died while I was 
 in Pau, the south of France, visiting my mother's people, 
 Major and Mrs. Charles Hutton, who, with Mrs. Law- 
 rence and her daughter Lady Vernon, at that time did 
 most of the entertaining of distinguished English, French 
 and United States visitors to Pau. 
 
 The Hutton girls, my cousins, known as great "riders 
 to hounds," had a fine stable of horses. 
 
 As my mother had written over to them to engage the 
 best horse for me, I was riding "Lady Jane," the best 
 jumper of all of "Pau's hunters." Lord Hoathe, then the 
 master of hounds, rode back of me on a cross-country 
 hunt (as all the horses aheadof me had refused a certain 
 stone fence), he requested me: "Miss Schack, let your 
 hunter 'Lady Jane' take that wall and all the others 
 you'll see will follow easily like sheep." 
 
 True enough, they did. It was exciting!
 
 MRS. MAJOR HUTTON, OF PAU FRANCE
 
 In Life's Journey 51 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 On another occasion, when on the same evening of a 
 particular day to which I shall refer, the Baroness de 
 Longueuil of Pau, was giving a handsome dinner in my 
 honor (''The young rich American niece of Mrs. Hutton" 
 they told me I was called) , we were to ride twenty miles to 
 hounds, ten miles to Tarbes and return. 
 
 I had driven a high pony-cart early that morning to 
 the dressmakers, and wearing a heavy criss-cross cord 
 as decoration for style on my maroon cloth dress, and the 
 brake handle standing upward, caught in that cord as I 
 was descending. It held me in mid-air, and then, I 
 crashed on my chin upon the pavement, cracked the under- 
 chin bone, which the modiste bathed with hot water. 
 
 No time to lose, so I hurried home, donned my riding 
 habit, and away in the cortege, flying toward Tarbes. 
 
 On our reaching the hotel for luncheon and an hour's 
 rest, I heard that our best horse-woman, and the most 
 daring, namely Mrs. Forbes-Morgan nee Ellie Robinson 
 of New York City, had crashed over a stone wall and 
 badly injured her face. I said nothing of my own matuti- 
 nal adventure, but felt the gradual stiffening of my lower 
 jaw. 
 
 Our ten homeward miles' ride accomplished, I walked 
 to my room to dress for the dinner party, then sent the 
 valet over to the Baroness de Longueuil : "Could she par- 
 don my non-appearance, as I had had the morning's 
 accident, that my face had become stiff, the flesh was 
 turning yellow and green, and that she would, I knew, 
 excuse my absence."
 
 THE BAKONESSE DE LONGUEUI'L OF PAU, FRANCE 
 
 Now Mme. George de Tuite, and Mother of the Young Countess de Gallilet, 
 My Cousins.
 
 In Life's Journey 55 
 
 Oh, the flattering answer ! But, holding me strictly to 
 "my duty as honor guest, and that I was to sing after- 
 wards and electrify the guests with my beautiful songs." 
 
 Well, I donned my loveliest gown, I appeared, stood 
 beside my handsome hostess, received the twenty-four 
 guests! My seat was directly opposite her own, at a 
 long oval table. 
 
 I had tried to pry my teeth open, now and then, to 
 insert a bit of bread, or a taste of this or that, when a 
 voice from opposite suddenly startled me by saying, "Why 
 Constance, you are quite disfigured. Your face is swell- 
 ing as I look at you, and it is yellow and green, poor 
 girl." 
 
 "Yes," I mumbled with difficulty, now that all eyes 
 were turned to me and ears cocked attentive, "I felt that 
 it was necessary for me to come tonight in order that 
 you could realize my plight." 
 
 The next morning Pau's honored physician examined 
 it and pronounced me "negligent for not having it at- 
 tended to by him that first morning and that now it 
 would take that crack five years to knit and for the raised 
 swelling to completely disappear." 
 
 Strangely enough, it was five years before I felt no 
 more of a little raised line under my chin whenever my 
 thumb passed over it. 
 
 But, ah! that was a famous winter in Pau ! Many 
 charming residents confided to me a fact, that no one 
 ever declined my cousins', the Muttons', dinner parties in 
 their "Villa Biltiere." 
 
 They were celebrated for one dish in particular which 
 the ground-hogs of France root for, quietly followed by 
 regular men who go forward and pick out of the earth, 
 truffles, which, in plenty, the Huttons had served, stewed
 
 56 Personal Experiences 
 
 in champagne! A toothsome dish for one of their delec- 
 table courses! 
 
 Their son, Harry Hutton, my Fau cousin, a general 
 favorite on this side of the water at Tuxedo and Newport, 
 as well as over there, crossed the ocean and reached New 
 York two winters ago his first trip since he was at 
 Columbia College under Professor Thatcher, where he 
 found difficulty in learning his studies in English, where- 
 as, a most adept scholar in France, and in the language 
 of that country. 
 
 My cousin Harry expressed dismayed surprise at his 
 New York managers, not keeping their family property 
 in downtown New York in perfect condition, when he 
 was confronted with a wise response from my sister, that : 
 "How could they expect them to keep up concentrating 
 , their interest so much on the property of those who never 
 I came across the waters to concern themselves in anything 
 ' except unconcernedly spending everything that was an- 
 nually collected and sent over to them without question?" 
 . It was amusing to note his ruminating thoughts, when he 
 remarked before taking his steamer home, that he 
 imagined that he would have to come over again, as, 
 with his charming manner, and unconscious habit of 
 washing his hands with invisible soap when in conversa- 
 tion, he bade "good-bye" and away. 
 
 His charming wife (nee Miss Post of Pau) was await- 
 ing his return across the Atlantic. He informed us that 
 the French government had requisitioned all their hunt- 
 ers, and carriages and horses, save two, as well as their 
 motor cars.
 
 In Life's Journey 57 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 My father's shell-like finger nails of his quite perfect 
 hands were always particularly polished by himself and 
 never by a manicure, and which he especially perfected 
 before home Sunday school for my big brothers, where I 
 was permitted the privilege of sitting with him and recit- 
 ing a few Bible verses and listening to papa's spiritual 
 interpretation of the New Testament and its hidden par- 
 ables. 
 
 The lesson over, he would lead me beside him to church 
 and up in the choir where he sang tenor so clear and 
 marvelously inspiring. 
 
 In the afternoons, often, Mr. and Mrs. Chester A. 
 Arthur would come to our house and sing the "Grace 
 Church Quartettes." President Arthur's wife had a 
 lovely voice! He lost her before he entered the White 
 House as the Chief /ftFtrieTUnited States, and lovely Mrs. 
 McElroy, his sister, presided for him.
 
 58 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Mamma's plans were all completed for taking me on to 
 Washington, when Aunt Antoinette was ill, and she 
 allowed me to ask Mrs. General Pierson (nee Augusta 
 Rhodes of Newport, who did not know that administra- 
 tion) to chaperone me. 
 
 Mamma gave me her personal letter to deliver to 
 President Arthur and to Attorney General and Mrs. 
 Brewster. Mis. Pierson took another young girl, to keep 
 her company she said, and sight-seeing, while I should be 
 occupied with pre-arranged delightful engagements. 
 
 She seemed to invest me with something above the 
 others as, while in the dining room, a uniformed messen- 
 ger from the White House would be led to my chair with 
 a note from the President or Mrs. McElroy, and stating 
 that his gallant secretary, Mr. Phillip's, carriage awaited 
 me to go to the blue-room for tea with the President and 
 to sing "Faust," etc., for him. Then, through the con- 
 servatories, ladened with enchanting scented roses. The 
 carriage then conveyed me back. 
 
 On another occasion a sort of White House picnic, when 
 Mrs. McElroy and the President's young daughter, took 
 me up on the second floor and showed me their wardrobes 
 and rooms so engagingly furnished, then off with their 
 brother Allan, on top of his coach-and-four on a snow 
 drive. 
 
 Many another uniformed messenger from Attorney 
 General and Mrs. Brewster, who gave delightful picnics, 
 lunches, etc., and when Senator Miller's ball came off, 
 Mrs. Brewster brought me an invitation. My beautiful 
 fancy costume of Euterpe the muse of music was expressed 
 on to me (which I had for the great Delmonico ball among
 
 In Life's Journey 59 
 
 ba 
 
 our New York friends that winter) with its key-picture 
 in real gold braid with cerulean blue braid within on 
 creamy white English barj^e; angel sleeves caught up 
 with a jewel on each shoulder, and my gold band pliable 
 belt (which I have in safe keeping), a lyre of crimson 
 roses and gilt strings, appeared for me to carry. So with 
 my sandels tied securely, I descended to the Secretary's 
 carriage to heartily thank Mr. Phillips for so perfectly 
 completing my costume with his gift of the lyre of roses. 
 A short while ago, that same Miss Miller (for whom the 
 Senator and Mrs. Miller gave the ball) who Is now Mrs. 
 Admiral Clover, gave the wedding and reception for her 
 lovely young daughter, Beatrice, in Washington ; and, as 
 she herself sat down to rest, I asked her while chatting 
 if she had her photograph in costume from that ball, and 
 when she answered "Yes, indeed!" I said that "I have 
 mine in a miniature, standing on my front drawing-room 
 table, in the folding case, quite as natural as life."
 
 60 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 I recall a ball in Paris, where Lady Constance and 
 Lady Napier her sister, were dancing most gracefully 
 with their partners, and as they stepped beside me I 
 noticed that Lady Constance spoke only in the deaf and 
 dumb language, whereupon I began to speak with her in 
 the mute way, and inwardly thanked my Danish father 
 for one day in the past bringing in a pamphlet of the mute 
 language, handing it to us children, saying, "Learn it, 
 children, it may be of use some day and we'll all try it 
 together." 
 
 So, in my ambitious spirit, I mastered it, and, indeed, 
 it brought me good luck with Lady Constance's influ- 
 ential mamma who thanked me enthusiastically for being 
 able to converse and brighten the days of her sweet 
 daughter who, when I asked her how she could dance so 
 rythmically in step, described it by saying that the vibra- 
 tions came to her through her feet and thus up through 
 her whole body ; so that is one of God's provisional mys- 
 teries and marvels!
 
 In Life's Journey 61 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 My father used to have beautiful dinners -for young 
 men whom he instructed in their coming initiations into 
 their next higher degrees in Free Masonry. 
 
 How proud I felt to see him so tall and handsome, with 
 his noble carriage and bearing, start out (after trying 
 on his black silk gown and mitre as "High Priest of the 
 Rosecrusian Order of Knights Templar, and Knight of 
 Jerusalem, thirty-third degree attained") on certain eve- 
 nings to be driven to his lodge. 
 
 One of his young men admirers told me one day how 
 my father was wont to join them during luncheon hour 
 in Wall Street, and instead of idle conversation, he would 
 instruct them for their next initiation. "That he him- 
 self was not, but that Brother Schack was a perfectly 
 pure Mason."
 
 OTTO WILHELM CHRISTIAN SCHACK 
 In Rose Croix High Priest Robes.
 
 In Life's Journey 65 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 My father never permitted a vulgar eye to rest upon his 
 beautiful "Bessie" as he called her, so like the Danish 
 ladies of his order, who were guarded against intrusive 
 eyes. 
 
 He never allowed her to go to a market, but took me, 
 a ten-year-old, to market with him every morning, be- 
 fore he returned me home ; or to my French school at 
 Mine. Don Bernard's, after instructing me in the mys- 
 teries of marketing. 
 
 The cuts of meat, only the pure white asparagus like 
 it was in Denmark ; and when Farrington, the favorite 
 butcher for Madison Square patrons, used to say, "Mr. 
 Schack, you won't eat this green asparagus which you call 
 'grass.' Others don't appreciate the white kind, I can't 
 sell it, and not less than six heads will the Long Island 
 growers take for an order, so I'll have to send all six to 
 you." Papa would take them as well as a half a lamb, at 
 a time, to hang in his wine cellar to grow tender enough 
 to cut up and suit his epicurean palate. 
 
 Then he would show me his wine cellar treasures : 
 Chateau Lefitte, Chateau Margot, Chateau Larose, 
 Mumm's Extra Dry, and Pomeret Sec, and Heidsic and 
 Ruinard Brut Extra Dry, and have me taste the "bouquet" 
 as he designated the true flavor of his choice claret. In 
 answer, I'd tell him that "it tasted to me just like ink." 
 
 He'd catch his forefinger with his quickly raised hand 
 between his pearly teeth (it being against his thorough- 
 bred ideas to laugh aloud) and simply beam a silent laugh 
 at my originality. And when he would be instructing me 
 in astrology or anatomy in a large chart-book spread out 
 
 ^_- 7
 
 MI'SS CONSTANCE ELISE SCHACK 
 At Ten Years of Age. "The Ugly Duckling.
 
 In Life's Journey 69 
 
 on his dining room table, oflr phrenology by the aid of a 
 plastered bust on every bump of which head had a printed 
 stripe gummed on it, indicating our various propensities 
 and weaknesses which needed either developing or sup- 
 pression through our given knowledge of it thereby, he 
 turned and, showing his very deep dimples aside of his 
 rich sweeping tan-colored moustache, exclaimed : "Little 
 green fruit, when will you grow up and be my comrade?" 
 That gave me an early ambition. 
 
 One admonition of his made a great impression upon 
 me. He told us all that the way to advance spiritually 
 and gain a lovely expression of face was to always re- 
 member when correctly to turn and thank our parents 
 and to reflect upon their doing so because they were train- 
 ing us to become as free from faults and tricks of face 
 and form as possible. And to make a point of never 
 ridiculing others because those very same defects might 
 be visited on ourselves, and never to lose our tempers, so 
 that we would not have to feel sorry afterwards. 
 
 Really, looking back, I never heard my father and 
 mother say a cross word to each other, nor my two big 
 brothers either, who had their large room beyond the 
 long row of intermediate closets ; where I could hear them 
 lehearsing Dockstater's minstrels' jokes, etc., for Christ- 
 mas, family and other entertainments. 
 
 I never lost my temper to my sweet sister, thinking 
 that I was setting the lovely looking girl an example. 
 My ! but I was proud of her, and was told by Papa that I 
 must never let her know how beautiful she was "for fear 
 of spoiling her," he said. So that I, seeing how proudly 
 he used to look at her, fully considered myself "the 
 ugly duckling." But without knowing the slightest 
 thought of jealousy I'd pray God to show me how to 
 make my father love me as well as he did lovely sister
 
 70 Personal Experiences 
 
 whose name "Augusta" I stoutly took up to please her, 
 and started the servants calling her "Miss Augusta" in- 
 stead of "Daisy," as she wanted them to do. 
 
 I used to make the doll clothes for her various dolls 
 to amuse her, so fond was I then of sewing; and how 
 we enjoyed a troop of Swiss carved, good-sized wooden 
 animals, wonderfully wrought out, and sent us by my 
 "Fairy Godmother" as I dubbed my beautiful aunt, 
 Augusta Temple, Mrs. Little.
 
 In Life's Journey 71 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 I had played with rare coral and India shells in guilded 
 lacquered boxes, seated at my grandmother's feet, often 
 with wonder and love, gazing up into her clear brown 
 eyes with a far away expression in them; seated in her 
 crimson plush high backed mahogany chair, as she told 
 me she was memorizing Young's "Night-Thoughts." 
 
 I recall so well, during the week I was allowed to spend 
 at her handsome house, full of grand, big, solid mahogany 
 furniture and pineapple-carved four-post bedsteads with 
 their satin gathered overhead canopies and valances. 
 Their blue-fluted plates at table, pretty custard cups, etc., 
 from India. I was told by grandpapa that he had ordered 
 them to be made in India, when his son who loved to 
 travel and had plenty to do so, sailed around the world! 
 
 The crest was on each piece of china and they seemed 
 to have a whole chest full of dishes: tall jars, plates, plat- 
 ters, fish dishes, gravy-boats, etc., which I used to peer 
 at with wondering eyes. 
 
 Now, they are of great value, and in the family division 
 of our mother's many treasurers, that set was generously 
 sent me by my sister who only retained a few platters, 
 saying: "With her own exquisite china collections" she 
 did not need them. 
 
 I wish I could reproduce a lovely picture of my sister, 
 with her little head shaved after scarlet fever. Shorn of 
 her curls, her prettily shaped head was like a billiard balL 
 She seemed to feel mortified, but I thought she certainly 
 looked the cutest. 
 
 At ten years of age, I was sent to Madame Don Ber- 
 nard's French school, where not a word of English was
 
 72 Personal Experiences 
 
 supposed to be exchanged between the scholars. At 
 home, not a word of English was I permitted to speak 
 as soon as we were seated at the table for meals, until 
 we arose therefrom. 
 
 Euphrasie, the fine honest-hearted young French nurse, 
 came for me each day at school, at Madam Don Bernard's 
 on Madison Avenue, the block below our house. 
 
 I recall some one saying: "Little girl, if you want to 
 hear a lovely singer at lunch-time, I'll take you into the 
 next study room," and there on a desk among admiring 
 schoolmates sat a tall oval-faced, slender-looking pretty 
 girl, who sang with a lovely contralto voice. And the 
 pretty girl's name they then told me was Ella Flagg. 
 
 Oddly enough, in after years, we met in New York 
 society, to become great friends. She was married to 
 Mr. George de Witt, a clever and popular lawyer. When 
 I married and left all, to follow my husband, she became 
 my sister's devoted friend. 
 
 It was so nice to find that gradually my friends became 
 my sister's friends, so that they were never lost. But 
 when I could go back to New York, and my now dead 
 sister would give a beautiful luncheon and a handsome 
 dinner in my honor, there would be my young women and 
 men friends, just as whole-souled, loyal and happy in 
 our reunions as ever. 
 
 After my sister was eight years old, she and I were 
 taken by Euphrasie to "Mons. et Mme. Prevost's school," 
 also on Madison Avenue. 
 
 Edgerton Winthrop had closed up the nice light open 
 lots opposite by building a house for himself and his 
 brother-in-law Mr. Frederic Bronson, and wife (the 
 perfectly beautiful Sara), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Archibald Gracie King, whose own country residence 
 was at Weehawken across the Hudson River (in a feudal
 
 In Life's Journey 73 
 
 looking brown stone turreted castle it appeared to my 
 sister's and my eyes), so each evening we used to run 
 to the top of our Madison Avenue Block at the 34th Street 
 corner, and admiringly watch the picture of the setting 
 sun. Little dreaming that in after years I'd marry the 
 cousin of our opposite neighbor, Mrs. Frederic Brown- 
 son, born Sara Gracie, now married to Mr. Adrian Iselin, 
 a son of mamma's friends, Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Iselin, 
 born O'Donnell of Baltimore, who lived in our favorite 
 Madison Square, with others, Mr. and Mrs. Courtland de 
 Peyster Field nee Hamersley, and Bishops and Abercrom- 
 bies ; beyond on 23rd Street the John Rutgers Marshalls, 
 Wm. Schermerhorn, etc., etc., all in a little friendly circle.
 
 74 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 All through our growing years, Papa had taken sum- 
 mer cottages for two years often at a time. 
 
 At Lake Luzerne beyond Lake George ours was called 
 "Hazelnut Cottage" because of its grove of hazelnuts 
 growing around our lake-walk, where I learned to swim 
 in its clear, lovely waters, and my little sister would 
 catch the croaking frogs in her active small hands and 
 run up with them to the cook. 
 
 Mrs. Tiffany Dyer and I would cull the hazelnuts. 
 (She lived on the adjoining place where her handsome 
 father, Mons. Labau, much beloved by my father, and 
 her mother, born a Vanderbilt, presided among the older 
 contingents.) 
 
 She and I would climb the arms of the big pine 
 trees overhanging the lake, armed with our pails of 
 nuts, a paper of salt and two stones. 
 
 There aloft, we'd crack and eat the toothsome fresh 
 green nuts in salt, and watch the boats of young 
 couples and older people start out for a row. 
 
 My little sister and I, stealthily started out at five 
 o'clock one beautiful morning to row across the lake, and 
 gather waterlilies so white and fragrant. When, start- 
 ing to row back, a shower quite drenched us, and at our 
 wharf, there stood our anxious French nurse, frantic 
 with fear, as our little young weakening hands and arms 
 plied the oars to reach shore. 
 
 She did not worry our beautiful mother by telling her 
 of our escapade until the following day, which was most 
 thoughtful of her; but we children felt proud of those
 
 In Life's Journey 75 
 
 lillies when they graced' the center of our parents' dinner 
 table that night. 
 
 Another year at our summer cottage and an advertise- 
 ment from Patterson, New Jersey, took the eye of my 
 father. It read : "Twenty-six cherry trees, as many quarts 
 of strawberries a day, and vegetables all planted in the 
 garden." 
 
 It proved, however, a cherryless year, and but four 
 quarts of strawberries that summer, and because our cook 
 discovered some enormous underground sweet potatoes or 
 yams, and used some, the owner sent us a letter of indig- 
 nation after our vacation. Ha, ha ! for an audacious cheat 
 he was great! 
 
 There, however, in the Passaic river, down at the foot 
 of a steep hill, on the top of which stood our house, with 
 lovely paths, I ran one afternoon to greet my stunning 
 looking father as he appeared from town in his grey silk 
 alpacca trousers, vest, coat and high grey beaver hat as 
 they wore in those days. 
 
 A cry from way down below arose where our maids 
 weie bathing in the river. 
 
 "Katie is out beyond her depth, drowning!" 
 
 Cane, hat, coat and vest were instantly cast off by 
 papa. He threw himself down the bank in a rolling 
 athletic astounding way, and into the water he fell and 
 plunged after Katie, our waitress, and saved her as she 
 was sinking into a quagmire hole, unknown by us to be 
 there. 
 
 How I did adore him ! 
 
 My birthday, the 31st of August, broke bright and 
 clear for me the next morning. 
 
 I found papa searching in the garden for a rose, he 
 had watched for a gift to me, and which he culled and
 
 76 Personal Experiences 
 
 placed in my hand, saying, "Here; my little 'last rose of 
 summer.' " His other birthday gift did not produce the 
 thrill which his rose and words had done. 
 
 Oddly enough, in Patterson, N. J., my brother Albert 
 was given a church in later years, after he took his min- 
 isterial course.
 
 MY BROTHER ALBERT P. SCHACK 
 At His Military Academy.
 
 In Life's Journey 79 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Albert and I were always very religiously inclined and 
 I, with my Italian at my tongue's tip, was greatly influ- 
 enced in my enthusiasm of youth to join the Protestant 
 sister-hood, imagining that I could be an Italian mother 
 superior irrespective of my youth. High aims! 
 
 All this was through a girl friend, Manetta Gardiner- 
 Thompson, god-child of Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix, rector of 
 grand old Trinity Church, Broadway, facing Wall Street, ,' 
 which edifice stands an everlasting monument, beckoning 
 the business men of Wall Street to daily prayer and Godly 
 worship at noontide. 
 
 I was strong in my idea of going into the nunnery, 
 knowing absolutely nothing of life, when one day I felt a 
 hand on mine and beside my bed my exquisiternother, 
 begging me "not to do so, that it would shatter jnylife." 
 That instant, in my appreciation of my being so honored 
 by holding such a place in her heart, I laid aside all 
 thought of the "Italian mother superior" idea and basked 
 in the happiness of mamma's and my perfect understand- 
 ing which existed throughout our lives. 
 
 My young girl friend, gifted in music, painting, and a 
 soft heart for a young boy friend gone West to seek his 
 fortune, fell easily into the Episcopal nun's life, playing 
 the chapel organ for services ; suspended in air on a 
 painter's cot (a la Italienne) decorating with cherubs the 
 ceilings and walls of said chapel ; visiting other sensitive- 
 hearted maidens within the nun's precinct. All this 
 flattered and broadened her views which had been very 
 narrow and severe so Marietta told me in one of our 
 later year talks.
 
 80 Personal Experiences 
 
 Her exquisite wavy Titian hair, cropped short, and con- 
 fined unhealthily under those regulation head-bandages 
 of the nunnery-order, had changed its loveliness to black 
 in color, so her dear loving mother told me while Mariet- 
 ta was on a visit to her. 
 
 Odd! Why do they not make the monks and priests 
 bandage up their own heads in the same manner which 
 would only make them bald a little sooner, than do the 
 everlasting brushes, loosening the roots of one's hair ; 
 instead of boys being taught to comb it every night when 
 the girls of their family always comb theirs before retir- 
 ing. Instead the young and older men are persistantly 
 brushing flat nature's gift of soft, wavy locks which were 
 so effective in their ancestor's distinguished looking por- 
 traits. Young fellows take off their soft moustaches 
 which, if allowed at first to progress in their pristine 
 growth, after a few shaves of their neophital down would 
 
 I at sight classify them apart and above waiters and coach- 
 men, etc., for which, in older nations the laws of distinc- 
 tion, order the latter "in service" to appear shorn of that 
 adornment of the upper lip. 
 
 Our class of men when growing older, should not 
 when turning grey give way to weak vanity to try and 
 hide the sign of their passing youth, by shaving off the 
 graceful moustache, for it gives a drawn look to their 
 \ mouths and really ages them, with a flat expression of 
 the upper lip.
 
 In Life's Journey 81 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 My playmate sister and I had bade each other "good 
 bye," after our last "tag" around those delightful tail 
 doors and rooms on the third stoiy, 173 Madison Avenue, 
 our ideal home, where centered our happy childhood. As 
 she once said of late years (while reflectively reminisc- 
 ing), "Constance, you and I had an ideal childhood." 
 She, now twelve years old went to Fort Hamilton with 
 her aunts Antoinette and Charlotte, wheie papa who 
 doted on her and her (to his critical eye) superbly devel- 
 oped head phrenologically promised everything wonder- 
 ful. 
 
 He was able to run down to her week ends from New 
 York, while too far away from us for him to come but 
 twice, at Sharon, our destination. 
 
 Mamma and the maid had locked and dispatched our 
 trunks, and papa smiled approval as we all "were seated on 
 the train, off for Sharon Springs, as a prelude to New- 
 port, before making my debut that next winter, when I 
 should have attained my 18th birthday. 
 
 An old bachelor had met me at the wedding reception 
 and dance of one of the Depaus, in their wonderful gal- 
 leried mansion, extending through from sixteenth to fif- 
 teen streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, now the 
 New York Hospital, where, after my marriage (through 
 my anatomical studies with my father, and under old 
 Doctor Baner) I was allowed to work in surgical cases 
 with the late Doctor Frank Markoe, dubbed "the Prince 
 of Operatois," a dear friend of my noted brother Rudolph 
 Schack.
 
 82 Personal Experiences 
 
 This old bachelor, while down town, heard papa say 
 we were off for Sharon so he followed suit, and was on 
 the train with flowers and bonbons. Mamma said after 
 our arrival that afternoon, that he had confided to her, 
 that he "wanted her to .give him a chance with Miss 
 Constance," but after my smiling as a joke at the idea of 
 my marrying him or anyone; that I had not begun to fly 
 yet, or compare one with the other of his sex. Upon 
 rejoining the aspiring swain, she told him "'twas in vain, 
 that I was too young for him," and while we were prom- 
 enading after five o'clock country dinner-hour, he ap- 
 peared with a long (though born-round) face, pressed my 
 hand mournfully good-bye, jumped off the four hundred 
 foot longipiazza into the grass, causing himself to be 
 observed y^ all the hotel guests, and ran like a deer to 
 avoid speaking to anyone, and disappeared like a meteor 
 toward the side-entrance and off with the railroad bus. 
 
 Miss Emily E. exclaimed in hot indignation within 
 ear-shot (not knowing then, how innocent of the accusa- 
 tion I was, for I had simply liked to listen to his older 
 mind's accounts of historical events and the improving 
 subjects with which he had always entertained me) : 
 "Fancy, little Miss Schack so heartless as to bring Mr. O. 
 all the way up here to Sharon Springs for the pleasure 
 of refusing him !" 
 
 I was always particularly nice to her after that, so 
 that sometime I could tell her that my principle was to 
 strive not to allow a man to offer himself, so I might not 
 cause the suitor a moment's feeling of humiliation by 
 "being refused" as girls called it.
 
 UPPER: (UNKNOWN), DELANCEY KANE, CHAS. MAY OELRICHS, 
 HARRY OELRICHS, (UNKNOWN. LOWER: WILLIAM WAL- 
 DORF ASTOR, CAMPBELL STUART, JOHN HONE 
 
 At a Dinner Given by Senators Kean and Mrs. Griffin in 15th Street, N. Y.
 
 In Li.e's Journey 85 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 My devoted maid wanted to see me walk down the hotel 
 stairs with my first train-gown on, and to watch how I 
 acted. Mamma's error, I later realized, was in her dear 
 fancy to bi ing me up with no thought of love of dress or 
 to hear that word, but for me to simply stand up, mentally 
 studying my next day's lesson, or memorizing poems of 
 immortal Longfellow or the woids of my Italian songs as 
 my voice developed. 
 
 On said occasion, it resulted in that maid's utter dis- 
 gust, at my reaching the last staircase step with no 
 noticeable pride in my young-ladyish appendage. Upon 
 my leaching the last step of the staircase, I was greeted 
 by several waiting swains at its base. Off I danced, un- 
 conscious of any train (for in those days with a stiff 
 buckram flounce underneath and around their edges no 
 one held up their "train"), which moved in unison, float- 
 ing gracefully behind us as couple after couple glided 
 along to the entrancing strains of Strauss' and Chopin's 
 ever engaging waltzes. 
 
 I had to meet and become acquainted with all the 
 girls, daughters of mamma's friends, and as I had never 
 known any, nor had I been allowed to play with any but 
 my little sister and our nurse, then our maid, in Madison 
 Avenue, unconscious of any invitations to children's 
 parties, which were received for us by our mother. 
 Neither were we allowed to attend dancing school, but 
 were taught those very best steps by our graceful Danish 
 father on afternoons in our long drawing room, standing 
 up before him all attention, which we thought great fun. 
 After my debut, it was given out to the young men that
 
 86 Personal Experiences 
 
 none of them should ever join Miss Schack on the Fifth 
 Avenue promenade if she were alone, not unless her 
 brother or her mother were with her. And never allowed 
 even at Newport "on the Avenue" to drive along with 
 gentlemen in their tandems with groom behind or other- 
 wise. Rather a strict order of things, but when asked : 
 "Is it your idea or your mother's and don't you lose a 
 great deal of pleasure, Miss Schack?" I answered: "My 
 ideas and my mother's are exactly alike, and I have so 
 many, many pleasures I am quite satisfied." 
 
 The Danes are most graceful dancers, and dance as 
 long as life lasts at all their balls and entertainments, 
 which are graced by a deferential mingling of old and 
 young together. 
 
 Papa impressed upon my brothers and myself that his 
 uncle was such a dancer and steady of nerves that at a 
 Court dinner, as they arose and the waltz music rang 
 out, he encircled the waist of his lady partner, and with 
 the coffee to the brim of his cup in his other hand danced 
 around the table, never spilling a drop of the liquid. As 
 the other couples followed him, he gracefuly returned his 
 smiling partner to her seat, amid the hand clapping of 
 the enthusiastic dinner company.
 
 In Life's Journey 87 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 To go back. I had not acquired any small-talk when I 
 first was thrown with the girls, and felt quite at a loss 
 upon one girl asking me if I had read in that day's paper 
 of a terrible murder, etc. I was ignorant of it all, and 
 when my girl friends crowded around asking: "What 
 do you read in the papers?" I softly answered: "The 
 Diplomatic News;" for that seemed each morning (as I 
 sat at my father's side after breakfast) to be the news of 
 interest which my parents alternately read aloud to each 
 other across the table as they were wont to divide the 
 newspaper after completing that meal. 
 
 The sarcasm in the voices of those girls mimicking "the 
 diplomatic news" struck me. I shrunk within myself, 
 metaphorically speaking, mentally classing myself as a 
 stupid little fool not to read about murders and thrilling 
 things besides the subject which most interested my 
 father, whose country was still engaged in strenuous 
 efforts with Bismarck, the iron-willed Prussian ruler over 
 all the Germans, for self-aggrandizement. 
 
 My uncle Sophus Schack, father's celebrated brother,, 
 the general of the whole Danish army (against this man 
 with the heart of stone who stole away from us our two 
 islands of Schleswig and Holstein), having fallen with 
 honors, had awakened in my soul a swelling pride as I 
 gazed often at his picture in the Danish uniform, which, 
 hangs in our corridor by the fireside. 
 
 These undercurrent thoughts were ever in my mind,, 
 and I used to wonder as a little girl how it would further 
 our cause about those two islands when Bismarck should 
 die. But his power was not to be ended by only his
 
 88 Personal Experiences 
 
 death! My childhood's wondering amazement was 
 aroused by the present Kaiser ascending the throne, as 
 one of his first acts was that of humbling and humiliating 
 Bismarck by relegating him to his own domains and grant 
 of property, away from the active life and power of dip- 
 lomacy ! 
 
 In the then young Kaiser, the intention of his own 
 right to rule and dominate all and every one of his sub- 
 jects under his own plans and projects, developed the 
 iron-power he wields in these momentous days, months 
 lengthen into years. How long, oh, Lord ! 
 
 Those fine stalwart German peasants, all led to the 
 slaughter. No gentleman's mode of warfare iron hand, 
 iron weapons, iron balls men of both sides the "ten- 
 pins." A game of soft tender flesh (many noble souls 
 within that flesh) standing at unknown distances, re- 
 ceiving their shattering, or their mortal wounds, dealt 
 from unseen hands. 
 
 No glorious warriors hand to hand dividing honors as 
 in cultivated warfare from the Holy Wars, down to our 
 Civil and Spanish Wars ! 
 
 No, instead, savagery ; "wooden heads and wooden 
 hearts from babyhood" have been trained under that 
 hardening influence to devise Machiavellian methods to 
 destroy, never to create.
 
 COUNT ADOLPH SCHACK 
 
 Became Blind. Papa Schack's Cousin Who Settled in Munich, Whose Celebrated 
 
 Art Gallery Opened Twice a Week to Public. He Left it to the 
 
 Emperor, Who Gave it to Munich.
 
 In Life's Journey 91 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 A description of summer life at Sharon, in the face of 
 stress like the present, seems suddenly puerile, but hav- 
 ing begun, I take up my pen to describe many amusing 
 and interesting incidents. 
 
 The first "afternoon cotillion" as was then the custom, 
 in which dance figures were formed by a leader, in the 
 center of the ball rooms, and so many couples taking the 
 floor at a time. 
 
 The young ladies gave this one, and / was left out. 
 Well, I did not mind, as I did not yet know them, new- 
 comer as I was, fresh from my tutors and my music and 
 singing masters. I had not even met but a few of them. 
 
 So I was pleased the following morning as one of two 
 favorite brothers, sons of men of leisure, walked to my 
 side, stating that the young men who had been invited 
 to yesterday's dance had missed the sight of me and were 
 giving a cotillion of fifteen couples that afternoon at five 
 o'clock, and / was to lead with the taller and wittier of 
 these two brothers. 
 
 When it came to the flower figure, for which the young 
 men had purchased bouquets between them, I sat at the 
 head of the large circular room in front of some empty 
 chairs, and, to my surprise, as one after the other of the 
 young men walked up and presented their bouquet to me, 
 I, in consideration of other girls' feelings, placed some 
 behind me on those chairs until thirteen out of the fifteen 
 bouquets were presented to me. 
 
 Mr. W. F. who quizzically looked down at my pleased 
 embarrassment, answered my questioning eye. I divined
 
 92 Personal Experiences 
 
 it was tne lesult of a preconceived plan on their part for 
 the benefit of the other girls of yesterday's cotillion. 
 
 The girls learned to like me as cordially as I learned 
 to like them, for each had an individuality and magnetism 
 all their own. There are many of them living in dear 
 old New York now, and very devoted in their giving 
 charming dinners and luncheons in my honor, whenever 
 I notify them of my going up to New York. 
 
 Those Sharon "lemonade paities," after evening dances, 
 given in turn, in the girls' rooms exclusive of men. 
 
 Mr. Gardiner had asked permission of mamma (as my 
 being the newcomer among the old habitues and their 
 daughter) to present the specially tempting cake and 'ade, 
 for my turn in giving that lemonade night party, "with 
 the proprietor's family's compliments." 
 
 Such fun! We all sat around on chairs lifted up on 
 the back of the bed all around the wall of my room. 
 
 Bright, amusing, simple stories, soft laughter, hospit- 
 able replenishing of the sandwiches, " 'ade" and cake, 
 um! so good and refreshing! 
 
 The knocking on the door from teasing young men out- 
 side climbing up to the two high transoms (for their 
 ceilings and doors were built very extra high), and notes 
 playfully thrown over, causing little shrieks of amuse- 
 ment, all fun. And then a good night to all, and a quiet 
 dispersal. 
 
 No one was ever disturbed by those young daughters' 
 lemonade parties 12:30 was the limit. 
 
 My horse used to await me around at the side door, 
 and one or another of the couples accompanied me very 
 frequently. 
 
 One of my kindest and cleverest admirers was a young 
 lady, Miss Louise McAllister, only daughter of Mr. Ward 
 McAllister, author of "New York's 400." She knew about
 
 In Life's Journey 93 
 
 everyone and everything socially. As I appeared at the 
 side door with my five-feet-two-inches long hair in 
 braids (which I used to cross and loop in front of my 
 waist, wom that way so as not to pull on my head or 
 uncomfortably fall about in confusion). Miss McAllister 
 had told many to assemble there to see me. But they 
 quite dismayed me at sight on my descending that back 
 staircase, so I told Mary, my maid, to run and order my 
 horse to be taken to the front deserted piazza. Where- 
 upon a sound of scampering feet, and the crowd had all 
 appealed, a snappy voice rang out: "Well, Sharon has 
 come to a pietty pass when its guests will run from one 
 piazza to another to see a girl mount her horse." 
 
 The great event, however, was Mr. Peter Marie's fancy 
 dance, dinner and masked party at "The Sea House," 
 and subsequent supper at the long-table which climaxed 
 the season. He was very attentive to the cleverest of the 
 older girls, Miss Charlotte Wise, our beloved and valuable 
 promoter of so many noble charities in Washington, now 
 Mrs. Archibald Hopkins. 
 
 At that affair I put a couple of small pebbles in my 
 mouth, then I talked with an Irish bar-maid's brogue, and 
 assumed a limp which seemed to please me keenly, though 
 now I should fancy it a bit stupid. 
 
 Miss Ellie Evans told me later that she dressed her 
 hair like my daily coiffure and imitated me, having 
 nume.ous adorers at her feet, one of them she said 
 "sprouting poetry." 
 
 Guests being all seated according to cards, now came a 
 soft note of Mr. F's from way down the table. I blush- 
 ingly ignored it then, and also when the swain joined me 
 in the Virginia Reel. Finally, ere we rose from that 
 bountiful table, our most hospitable host read aloud a 
 poem by himself, descriptive of each lady guest. The
 
 94 Personal Experiences 
 
 beautiful Mis Sara Grade King, Miss Beekman, Miss 
 Kitty Hamersley (the late and beautiful swan-like mother 
 of the present Mrs. Sam Hinckley), Miss Livingston, Miss 
 Swan and Miss Wise. Mr. Marie's verse to the last name 
 ran as below: 
 
 "Would you know a large soul, a bright mind, 
 
 A garland of stars in her eyes, 
 One magnetic, unselfish, most kind, 
 
 Turn, enchanted turn, to Miss Wise. 
 
 "If we want what to Nature belongs, 
 
 We must wait till Miss Schack rustles by, 
 
 For the nightingale dwells in her songs, 
 The gazelle in her melting brown eye." 
 
 Regretful not to have the other verses.
 
 In Life's Journey 95 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 OFF FOR NEWPORT. 
 
 My handsome father appeared the previous evening 
 for the purpose of escorting us safely through, and as I 
 joyously left all my kindly congregated friends to greet 
 him, and quietly returned to them later, Mr. James Cut- 
 ting joined me (having watched my act) and remarked: 
 "Miss Schack, you have never known a sorrow!" "Never," 
 said I, brightly smiling at him. "It will come some day," 
 he added prophetically, and a feeling of deep resentment 
 toward him for what seemed a ruthless and heartless 
 prediciton, rushed over me. 
 
 I could not know how soon my beloved, ideal father was 
 to be stricken away from me in my young life ! 
 
 To Newport and the Porter Villa (called "the stone 
 villa") to be met by my wonderful aunt, Mrs. Jacob Little. 
 Mrs. Parans Stevens and her daughter, beautiful Miss 
 Minnie Stevens, entertained most lavishly at that time 
 and were very kind to me. Her daughter later became 
 Lady Paget of England. I had an old time chat with her 
 at our mutual girlhood friend's, charming Belle Wilson, 
 then gracing the British Embassy, as Lady Michael Her- 
 bert, who phoned to me, on learning I had arrived in 
 Washington during President Arthur's reign, and at 
 once sent me an invitation by messenger to her ball for 
 the following night. And what a superb ball ! 
 
 Since that happy time her husband, too, has gone out 
 of this life, though her sons are left to her. Luscious 
 hot-house grapes, by generous old Mr. Stevens, were 
 brought to me in Newport, because he liked my having 
 filled their tableau of "Ophelia."
 
 96 Personal Experiences 
 
 I, in my filmy tulle and silk gown and my waved hair 
 down to the ground covered me, the wreaths of wild 
 flowers in my hands, held over an imaginary sea, I was 
 supposed to be bereft of reason for Hamlet. 
 
 The future Duchess of Manchester who married Kim- 
 bolton, Lord Manderville, nee the beautiful Miss Con- 
 suelo Yzoraga, was there visiting the Paran Stevens. 
 She was often with us when they came up from their 
 plantation in the South, and mamma was at the dinner 
 given by Mr. Luckemeyer, a wonderful affair, in honor 
 of Consuelo, at Delmonico's. In a tin, oval fern-flanked 
 pan full of real water, down the center of the table, 
 small swans glided on its surface, while music softly 
 played, and pretty souvenirs were bestowed upon those 
 happy diners. 
 
 The great Neilson also was visiting the Paran Stevens. 
 In her winsome way with the young girls, she had one 
 girl's arm linked in her own right arm, and mine in her 
 left one. Sweetly turning her fine fair Swedish face 
 toward me she spoke : "You must learn to love me just a 
 little." That winter, as innocent Margherite, in Faust, 
 and in her impersonation of pure, noble Elsa, in Lohen- 
 gren, I felt in all girlish enthusiasm that I loved her "just 
 a little."
 
 In Life's Journey 97 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 What a summer ! Those swims, early in the morning 
 with my aunt and mamma in attendance. A white muslin 
 mask covered my pearl white skin, so careful were they 
 that I should have no speck. My long white silk barege 
 vei! covered a huge white specially woven mohair sun- 
 hat, lined with pale blue silk, and a wreath of wild flowers 
 bent down at the side, formed my usual head-gear. 
 
 My walks, but never was my face allowed to be ex- 
 posed to the sun's burning rays. Only in the house, at 
 the dinner and evening functions did my white tulle 
 gowns and my neck "vie with each other." So said dear 
 Mrs. James Kernochan, with whom I stayed a fortnight, 
 visiting her splendid daughter "Kate," now Mrs. Her- 
 bert Pell. 
 
 Mrs. Kernochan, a witty, generous and hospitable 
 friend, always opened the Newport season the 4th of 
 July, and on that occasion she introduced Mr. and Mrs. 
 Thomas Walsh and their daughter. 
 
 Her last two vividly recalled entertainments (one in 
 my honor, a large, handsomely appointed Sunday din- 
 ner, and later, a luncheon in honor of my daughter, Edith 
 Temple Gracie), and Dunbar Adams' engagement, were 
 the "last social functions given by our deeply lamented 
 and loved Mrs. James Kernochan." Thus wrote a fine 
 old chevalier habitue of Newport in a note to myself. 
 
 I recall once, while there in Newport, they had gotten 
 up two plays, one a French one in which Mr. Beckwith 
 and the daughter of a lady from England were filling the 
 roles.
 
 98 Personal Experiences 
 
 Also a Continental Play called "Mercy," the role filled 
 by Mr. Parnell's sister from Ireland on a visit; she was 
 tall, stately and prim. 
 
 'Twas written by Mrs. Dr. Wheeler, the daughter of 
 the first governor of Rhode Island, Governor Lawrence, 
 whose wife was "Miss Grade," great aunt of my husband 
 to be, but at that time I never dreamed I'd be in the 
 family ! 
 
 The time of said play was during the "Tea Act" and its 
 being thrown overboard in Boston Harbor. The young 
 sister-in-law of Captain Wm. McCarty Little considered 
 the second part as too small for her talents and refused 
 the role of the young ingenue daughter of "Mercy" whose 
 young officer fiance leaves Mercy with outraged feelings 
 and disgust at her serving tea the very afternoon of the 
 "Boston Tea Act." Then "good bye" forever, and he 
 disappears. 
 
 The second act opens supposed to be after twenty 
 years and Mercy the widow of Comte de Liancourt, 
 one of General Lafayette's followers, is out driving with 
 Mme. Lafayette when into her house walks an officer, 
 Mercy's first fiance. 
 
 The pretty scene as he stands (thrilled at sight of a 
 perfect reproduction in MfeHe. Marie de Liancourt of his 
 Mercy), he extends his arms, and calls her name ten- 
 derly. 
 
 "That is Mamma's name, I am Marie," which I related 
 to her on her return from her drive, as I in my empire 
 soft, silky gown (which had belonged to the Kane's grand- 
 mother and loaned me for the occasion, a black sash 
 for mourning in honor of my father, the cour(t), with a 
 French accent recounted in the third act to my eagerly 
 listening mother the recent scene with her former fiance 
 returned to life and hope, till the tears were in both of
 
 MR. HENRY MAff, SR., OF BALTIMORE 
 
 At Newport. Assistant of Importance in Theatrical Play of Mrs. Dr. 
 Wheeler's Play "MercJw' Continental Time of Boston Tea Party.
 
 In Life's Journey 101 
 
 our eyes. "You are crying Mamma," I exclaimed, then 
 I glided to the spinet on the stage with my singing master 
 at the real piano facing me, hidden in thevring. 
 
 My voice rang out, my feet unconsciously beating time 
 on the spindle pedals. I was frightened at the applause 
 and the voices: "Marvelous, bringing such sweet music 
 out of that old spinet!" 
 
 Applause continuing after I had withdrawn and I, 
 feeling that I had finished all that I was called upon to 
 do, and also in fear that my very particular and absent 
 father would be horrified to learn that his young daughter 
 had acted on a stage (even tho' 'twas in amateur) , having 
 always cautioned us that it would be a disgrace to his 
 Danish family for a child of his to do anything in public. 
 Tears welled up in my eyes, when I was persistently 
 urged to go back on the stage and bow to the audience. 
 
 Mr. Henry May, a great friend of the family gently 
 whispered: "Miss Constance, they are all waiting for 
 you to appear, and there are also a number of beautiful 
 floral pieces awaiting you, one a stunner from Mr. Peter 
 Marie." 
 
 I reluctantly followed him out, and while bowing 
 glanced over all the mass of Newport's society (whose 
 heads looked only like balls above their chair-tops), and 
 happily my eyes lighting suddenly on the three faces of 
 mamma, Aunts Helen and Augusta, I spontaneously 
 kissed my hand, smiling relievedly at them, then vanished 
 quickly behind the scenes. 
 
 Aunt Augusta once back home, remarked with amuse- 
 ment, "What do you think! Mrs. Beckwith, seated be- 
 hind me, when you, little girl, kissed your hand to us, 
 as soon as you recognized us in our chairs, exclaimed, 
 4 Too stagey for me !' Funny, wasn't it?"
 
 102 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Back to New York and our beautiful home, 173 Madi- 
 son Avenue. 
 
 My sweet sister after our fond first greeting looked at 
 me questioningly and sadly asked, "Aren't you going to 
 play with me any more ?" 
 
 She continued her schooling with Laura D'Oremieulx, 
 now Mrs. West Roosevelt, Emily flLgston, who married 
 Dick Mulligan of Elizabeth, N. J., closest friend of Mrs. 
 Admiral Clover, and who built with care a home at the 
 corner of 16th and R streets, but never lived to occupy 
 it ; the Bulkley girls, now Mrs. Roland Redmund and Mrs. 
 Prescott Lawrence of Boston ; and many sweet young 
 girls whose weekly dancing class she joined, forming a 
 life-long coterie of most charming friends. 
 
 While I, with my daily tutors, the great Florentine 
 Italian Master Rocchietti (pronounced Rukkittee), look- 
 ing like a long-bearded patriarch, put me into Dante, he 
 said "to make me think in the language." Errani, in 
 his last old days of purest Italian method in singing, and 
 Professor Frobisher in history, with mamma putting me 
 through "Plutarch's Lives," Prescott's "Conquest of Mex- 
 ico," "The Stones of Venice," to enable me to appreciate 
 architecture; and Mme. de Staels' "Corrinne," that I 
 might have an idea of the most polished ways of olden 
 society, etc. ; my mornings were always filled. 
 
 I very seldom read a novel, always selected by my wise 
 and witty mother, and never have I read a French novel 
 to this day, oddly enough. She did not advocate the exist- 
 ing French style, and morale therein contained.
 
 In Life's Journey . 103 
 
 I really never had any inclination to do what she ad- 
 vised against. Perhaps that is why my heart has always 
 remained young, and, yes, happy throughout years of 
 shadows, as well as sunshine. 
 
 One rebounds from the awful crushes (when beaten 
 to the earth) like a Phoenix arises from the ashes, one 
 arises purified and strengthened through faith in God's 
 cleansing fire, that fire which is intended to clarify our 
 vision into heavenly things and purposes. However, many 
 resist, with a spirit of obstinacy, so strongly developed in 
 many of us struggling brothers and sisters on earth.
 
 104 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 MY FIRST RECEPTION To MAKE MY DEBUT. 
 
 "At Home from Four to Seven. 
 Cotillion at Ten P. M." 
 
 The splendid collations as given in those days, with a 
 huge salmon covered with maillonaise, pyramids of 
 meringue filled with rich whipped cream, great dishes of 
 jellied pate de fois gras. Mumm's extra dry champagne, 
 and old Madeira; with all the little dainties and confec- 
 tions, furnished by Trusty, the then great caterer for 
 Washington Square and Fifth and Madison Avenues' 
 private entertainments. 
 
 Landers' Band had arrived. 
 
 The thrilling event was really start/ing. Mamma in 
 her crimson velvet square necked gown, with rare old 
 point de Venice lace and diamonds against her crystaline 
 skin, was lovely. I stood beside her, a proud admiring 
 daughter, loaded down with bouquets from the Howlands, 
 Beekmans, Livingstons, Stuyvesants, Ketelfas, Wetmores, 
 and, oh, so many of the friends of my beloved parents. 
 My aunt, Mrs. Willie Waterman of Providence, so fair, 
 and together with the beautiful Miss Mary Keteltas, sis- 
 ter of Mrs. Senator Wetmore, were in the receiving line 
 beside mamma. The last named Miss Kettetfas often 
 chaperoned me at balls, when mamma wanted to stay 
 home with my father. 
 
 That evening's cotillion was led by Mr. Richard Irving, 
 and seconded by Mr. William P. Douglas, the handsom- 
 est and most distinguished looking Scotchman, the most 
 sought after in New York's circle of athletic and opera
 
 MRS. BRADLEY-MARTIN 
 In the Gown She Wore at Her Famous Ball in New York City.
 
 In Life's Journey 107 
 
 beaux of that day. He is my daughter, Edith Temple 
 Giacie's, godfather. His own lovely girlish looking daugh- 
 ter, Edith Sybil Douglas, now Mrs. William Whitehouse, 
 with whom I chatted a few months ago, and my Edith, 
 are devoted to him. 
 
 He often sits wearied and discouraged by his illness, 
 which no doctor can locate, though still witty and humor- 
 ous. Handsome now, with perfect features which time 
 cannot change, his soft white curly hair and well-trimmed 
 white beard, always well groomed, he sits ruminating 
 upon the mystery of it all. 
 
 His daily solitary walks do not reinstate his health 
 and blueness oft returns to his heart, true blue to its 
 core, and truthful in his soul as was my own noble hus- 
 band. Few there be, and far between, are those who 
 lie not, so says the world, and those two I have had the 
 pleasure of knowing. 
 
 I met and came to enjoy the acquaintance of many de- 
 lightful girls, who, in turn, used to give "stand up" 
 luncheons of sixty of our own set, the tall ones with 
 handkerchiefs around an arm would be the gentlemen 
 partners. A leader would take out couples to form pretty 
 squares and circles in the center before dancing to the 
 music of Landers' musicians. 
 
 What a happy season, closing with Mr. and Mrs. Brad- 
 ley Martin's ball. 
 
 I was around at their houses that of her mother, Mrs. 
 Sherman, and her own to watch beside her (Mrs. Mar- 
 tin) as the two gardens were being covered over with 
 awnings, strung with lanterns across the beams over an 
 impromptu floor for supper tables, while the dancing was 
 to be in their two ball-rooms. And such a ball ! The bril- 
 liant hostess in her satin and lace, soft light curly hair, 
 and dancing eyes a picture of happy enjoyment of it
 
 108 Personal Experiences 
 
 all; she always communicated her whole-souled glee, I 
 may say, in whatever paity she participated in. 
 
 Her dinners were par excellence! And the splendidly 
 carved high backed oak chairs around her table inspired 
 us with a dignity, as we seated ourselves on them to 
 listen to the wit and merriment which flowed as freely as 
 did her Moet and Chandon champagne. 
 
 Mamma and I had our passage taken for England on 
 the same ship with her friends the Bradley Martins, but 
 my Aunt Antoinette falling ill, and mamma's conscience 
 as to her family duty being strong, she sent for Mrs. 
 Bradley Martin. She passed that evening with us, and 
 sweetly discussed taking me under her own wing on the 
 steamer, and chaperoning me safely to London. After 
 two nights with her at Claridge's Hotel, she gave a dinner 
 there in her own handsomely appointed apartment (the 
 table luxuriously decorated with roses which, she told 
 me, she had selected at the large London market that 
 morning while she let me sleep), which gave me an in- 
 sight as to her marvelous executive ability. 
 
 She had planned taking me down to Balmaj^an, their 
 Scotch hunting preserves. But I postponed her alluring 
 invitation, as she had to deliver me into the hands of my 
 sister and her bride-groom husband (then on their wed- 
 ding tour) who were to leave me safely in Denmark in my 
 father's family with whom I was to reside. And who were 
 anxiously awaiting my arrival in time for the King's 
 Races. 
 
 How we traveled, and reached Copenhagen just the 
 night before. In the starlight I noticed the tall manly 
 soldierly figure of my cousin Julius Holmblad, advanc- 
 ing toward us aboard the little steamer which had brought 
 us across between Keil and Kosor. That was a joyous 
 meeting.
 
 CONSTANCE ELfeSE SCHACK ARRIVES IN DENMARK.
 
 f 
 
 MY SISTER, MISS AUGUSTA TEMPLE SCHACK 
 Now Mrs. William DalHba-Dutton, New York City.
 
 In Life's Journey 113 
 
 We were driven in his handsome equipage with his 
 cockaded coachmen atop, and footman behind with our 
 valises, to the Hotel d'Angleterre until the bridal couple 
 should start for Stockholm, then Christiania, and "The 
 Land of the Midnight Sun," (where they became great 
 fi iends with Lord Montague Guest and Sir John Lubbuk, 
 who were up there for salmon fishing on their "pre- 
 serves") . 
 
 There was a thrill of realization that I had actually 
 gotten my brother-in-law to Denmark! (He who had 
 been educated in Dresden, Germany, where he used to 
 study six hours a day at the piano, rewarded by posses- 
 sing an exquisite touch, and his selections most lovely.) 
 
 He had been instructed in Dresden by his teachers to 
 have a contempt for what they told him "was a little 
 country, insignificant looking on the map." Thus had he 
 spoken of it to me, and lagged behind in starting and 
 traveling toward it, my goal !, which meant so much to me, 
 from all my devoted father's teachings, and pride in that 
 splendid country of science, art and wondrous collections. 
 The great Thorvaldsen, our painter and sculptor, whose 
 orders in Carrara Marble, came from all over the Eu- 
 ropean world for figures, bas-reliefs and friezes around 
 the tops of various capitols, opera-houses. Luzerne has 
 the reproduction of his powerful marble Couchant Lion. 
 
 His Kneeling Angel, and Shell Baptismal Font, ordered 
 for many cathedrals and in as many lands ! His gigantic 
 full-length statue of our Savior Jesus with hands extended 
 in benediction stands in our Freu Kirke, the cathedral of 
 Copenhagen. Now, also, in our own beautiful Washing- 
 ton, St. Thomas Church, it has been reproduced; its 
 beatific marble features have an especial light upon it. 
 It was marvelously elevated into an octagon hollow in the 
 masonry, up in the arch of the ceiling, in front over the
 
 114 Personal Experiences 
 
 altar, where one's eye cannot resist gazing upward as we 
 sit in silent wonder and adoration. Episcopaleans do 
 not adore statu/tes, but we involuntarily invest them with 
 the spirit divine, while dreaming of our Savior's life and 
 deeds on earth. 
 
 Thorvaldsen's Museum, he had built with his own for- 
 tune, which poured in during his marvelously assiduous 
 seventy years at painting, but mostly scufture. The de- 
 signs, beauty and historical action of which, causes one 
 to stand in wonder from room to room as one moves tak- 
 ing it in. 
 
 Day after day did my fair, witty aunt, comrade and 
 wife of her cousin Etatsraad Lauuritz Holmblad, the 
 King's Counsellor, drive up to that museum for study 
 and contemplation.
 
 In Life's Journey 115 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 THE KING'S RACES. 
 
 I had selected in London a very pretty, black lace little 
 bonnet, two lovely pink roses were nestling up on one 
 side and lace streamers tied coquettishly under my chin. 
 I advanced toward my cousins, as their equipage below 
 was in waiting, while I knew I stood under inspection. 
 
 As their eyes lighted up, and the bright smiles seemed 
 to pronounce me all right, I followed their lead, as out 
 of their adjoining rooms came my beautiful sister the 
 recent bride and her husband. 
 
 We started arrived, amid a murmur. We were es- 
 corted to the box directly adjoining that of Her Majesty, 
 Queen Louise. At a fitting moment I was presented by my 
 cousins who were very close to their Majesties. 
 
 A sudden trumpet blew and my stuning looking cousin 
 Julius in full uniform, with three other young officers, I 
 noticed had rushed down the steps. Those four being on 
 the King's staff, and were standing at attention at the 
 arrival of His Majesty, King Christian. 
 
 He descended from his equipage and outriders in at- 
 tendance at the base of those very steps. Everything was 
 thrilling. There was pretty Nina Moulton, married to 
 Baron Raben. Her Majesty had been so pleased over 
 that marriage for she had learned to love the mother, born 
 Miss Lily Grenough, of Cambridge, Mass., and my own 
 mother's warmest friend. She had first married Mr. 
 Charles Moulton, and was so often back and forth at my 
 mother's lovely house at 173 Madison Avenue, New York. 
 Weekly meetings of the Shakespeare Club, with Mrs. 
 Barclay Parsons, Mrs. Montague Ward, Mrs. John Rut-
 
 MISS CONSTANCE SCHACK 
 At the King's Races, Denmark.
 
 In Life's Journey 119 
 
 gers Marshall, and many others of our social leaders with 
 their husbands filled the various characters, while the 
 musicales with those of great talent participated there. 
 
 Miwtwifflfi&S Moulton was the star the night of which 
 I here speak, and I recall the tones of her voice, like 
 breathing music over velvet. Ah ! delirious was its en- 
 chantment, and I, a little eighteen year old, was to sing 
 the Brindisi of "La Traviata." Mamma had so cautioned 
 me not to fail, and saying "that if I should, it would be 
 because I'd be thinking of myself," that, indignant in- 
 ternal denial of such a thought, spurred me on to do my 
 darndest, and I did it. 
 
 Mme. Moulton, who had come from a dinner and de- 
 preciated her own singing therefrom, walked graciously 
 and encouragingly toward me, saying "Child, you sang 
 better than I did tonight, for my throat was full of din- 
 ner." She entranced us all just the same with her ren- 
 dering of lovely songs. The following day, she and 
 mamma went down to the photographers, and had their 
 pictures taken. And each, separately painted, were fitted 
 in narrow crimson velvet and gilt beaded oval frames, 
 which were placed on one of our two front drawing room 
 grape-carved Carrara-marble mantle-pieces. 
 
 I have that of Mme. Moulton, left me by my mother, 
 now reposing upon my front drawing room piano. 'Tis 
 the one from which Mme. Moulton, now the beloved Mme. 
 de Hegerman Linden Krone (wife and widow of the late 
 minister to many large foreign countries in turn) has 
 chosen to have reproduced as the frontpiece in her book 
 called "At the Court of Napoleon." 
 
 For a long time, mother preserved Mme. Moulton's 
 letters in which she announced her engagement to M. de 
 Hegerman Linden Krone, saying: "She knew papa and
 
 120 Personal Experiences 
 
 mamma would congratulate her upon her having accepted 
 one of my father's Danish compatriots." 
 
 Mme. de Hegerman was at the Berlin Court when 1 
 used to receive letters from Mme. Gonzales de Quesada, 
 wife of the Cuban Minister and resident in Berlin which 
 city and surrounding country remains untouched by aero- 
 planes or gun-fire !
 
 A MORNING RIDE THROUGH THE DEER FOREST
 
 In Life's Journey 125 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 To RETURN TO DENMARK THE KING'S RACES. 
 
 My cousin Julius suddenly was by my side, informing 
 me in an awful tone, "that the Princess Marie of Paris, 
 our Danish Prince Waldemar's wife, is sitting on the race 
 grounds smoking a cigarette with one of the officers. Hor- 
 rible!" All spoken with his little Danish accent in Eng- 
 lish. How differently do people look upon such customs 
 now! 
 
 Then, a cheery voice again beside me : "Constance, I 
 have bought a horse at the King's races for you. You 
 know I wrote before you left New York, asking you what 
 sport you preferred, and you answered 'horse-back rid- 
 ing.' So, they say you are an Amazon on a horse you 
 and I shall ride each day from 6 :30 a. m. till 8, through 
 the deer-forest to the sea and return to breakfast of Quaa- 
 brodt (Bonnie Klaber), artichokes fresh from our gar- 
 dens, with whipped sweet butter from our dairy." Those 
 morning rides delicious breakfasts and lunches arti- 
 chokes twice a day Danish soups ! 
 
 That diplomatic dinner my first one! 
 
 They had placer the Italian Ambassador on one side of 
 me, the French Ambassador at my right, as I was fluent 
 in five languages, for papa had had me educated to be 
 beside him in Denmark when he should succeed his father 
 as "King's Counsellor." But the real notice, when it came, 
 mamma dissuaded him, with her dread of probably leav- 
 ing for ever all her devoted relations in New York; to 
 cross the then sixteen-days water trip over that North 
 Sea. with small ships not then built large enough to
 
 126 Personal Experiences 
 
 override the terrible roughness and seasickness so irre- 
 sistible to nearly everyone making that crossing. 
 
 The recognition in my aunt and uncle's minds that I 
 was equal to the occasion. That I was to make them 
 proud of me aroused my mentality to a realization that 
 now I must concentrate and lead the conversation to ques- 
 tions of diplomacy bearing upon their individual fields of 
 work and interest. Endeavoring also to intersperse a 
 few witticisms which I had learned from my French idiom 
 professor Mauzer, and that grand Italian master, Signer 
 Rocchietti. 
 
 My efforts seemed to succeed for my people patted me 
 and said very pleasant things which had been told them 
 by those diplomats. Dear old Mons. de Bille came up to 
 welcome me, he being one of papa's old friends who had 
 dined at our house in New York. 
 
 A very formal luncheon was to be given out at my 
 uncle's villa on the Island of Amager, after driving 
 through the court of kingly statues in front of the Winter 
 Palace. 
 
 That next day proved very interesting. We were in 
 turn passed the cream to pour on our compote or fruit 
 of some sort, when a voice praisingly exclaimed : "Ah ! 
 she is my own darling child she chose the right kind of 
 cream the goat's cream." Unconsciously had my hand 
 taken the nearest to me, of the two silver pitchers with 
 top of a goat on one, a cow on the other, held on a silver 
 tray at my side by one of their lackeys in blue coat, light 
 buff vest, gilt buttons, and white knee-breeches holding 
 them toward me in silence. 
 
 So, I smiled confusedly at Uncle Lauritz way down at 
 the end of the table, as I then noticed for the first time 
 the goat atop the chosen cream jug, out of which I had
 
 In Life's Journey 127 
 
 helped myself. That seemed to drive away all his fears 
 that he had entertained against a Danish girl who had 
 been educated in New York, as he said. I wonder how 
 he would look upon the present license which the young 
 girls now are allowed.
 
 128 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 Mons. Tietjen planned an expedition on one of his 
 steam-boats. It ran all day and all night; a delightful 
 trip to an entire mountain of real chalk, upon the top 
 of which we all walked, and realized in a measure the 
 vast resources therefrom, also its value and uses in the 
 world. 
 
 The wife of the present Chevalier Kaufmann at the 
 Danish Court (born Fernanda Holmblad, sister of Count 
 Lauritz Holmblad, my cousin) was my companion in the 
 stateroom allotted to me. Mons. Tietjen seemed to take 
 pleasure in singling me out, and putting questions of 
 moment relative to governmental and historical matters 
 for me to answer. 
 
 I had to reflect carefully upon my answers, for they 
 had told me that he was somewhat of a power and a 
 clever member of their Chamber of Deputies. Julius in- 
 formed me later that I had acquitted myself well with 
 Mons. Tietjen, who had said : "Your cousin always reflects 
 before she answers my questions, and answers very wisely 
 and satisfactorily." So I smiled. 
 
 Our first visit was to my precious Tanta Marie ,out 
 at Amager, where she wished me to repair with my sister 
 and her husband before they started for Stockholm and 
 Christiana. 
 
 She led us into her superb rooms of rare art and china. 
 
 All down a tall cabinet stood thirty-two figures each 
 a foot in height, baked in a former Queen's special Royal 
 fabrique (since pulled down). These figures represented 
 the various Danish costumed peasants of olden times; 
 most interesting, for those Danish peasants were rich
 
 In Life's Journey 129 
 
 and their clothes 'were fine in colors and materials. 
 
 Tante presented us each with a rare gift dater 1716-17, 
 dated by mother to daughter on wedding days. Fine 
 silver sugar dishes with flat curved handles, beautiful 
 engraved silver sifters. 
 
 We regretted time flew so swiftly. The equipage was 
 waiting. My cousin in full uniform called for me. 
 
 My sister and her husband were to follow as soon as 
 ready, for he was not a Dane (that race is trained to be 
 punctiliously on time) and my brother-in-law was in- 
 clined to linger in dressing. 
 
 Off I was driven with the cockaded postillions holding 
 their finely-groomed steeds well in hand, when suddenly 
 in front of a jewelers we stopped. 
 
 "Constance, you never wear rings?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Well, you must have one, it is the custom here." He 
 slipped a diamond solitaire on my hand, which the clerk 
 seemed to have all ready, with a little diamond and ruby 
 guard. 
 
 I earnestly demurred, but so it had to be to please him. 
 
 "Julius, that beard must come off!" I had said the 
 first evening when he came to meet us. And lo! that 
 evening his chin was clean-shaven, and with his light 
 brown curled mustache I found myself looking up very 
 proudly at his aristocratic beauty and courtliness of 
 bearing. He led me again to the carriage, and speedily 
 arrived at the dinner party, given by Minister de Bille 
 and his magnetic, attractive wife who was a New York 
 lady.
 
 130 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 King George of Greece was expected to arrive in Copen- 
 hagen within a few days for his annual visit, and Cousin 
 Julius, his aide (always during the yearly visit of His 
 Majesty from Greece), was expected to be at King 
 George's side daily and nightly. They loved each other 
 like brothers. 
 
 At that dinner I well knew that I was under fire, so 
 that I had to weigh well my answers and remarks; for 
 they had all known my splendid Danish relatives, and 
 expected myself to prove a worthy descendant. 
 
 I always awaited approval in Julius' eye, or a nod 
 for was^he not doubly my first cousin, as Tanta Marie 
 Jirpiack (Papa's beautiful sister, herself a great court 
 diplomat and most estimable) was married to her own 
 first cousin Estatsraad Holmblad, the King's Counsellor, 
 I told my Cousin Julius that I was so proud of him that 
 I thanked God in my prayers that he was born my 
 cousin, for did he not prove equal to all the many honors 
 showered upon him? So young and vigorous brained. He 
 was president of the Peoples Night School, also vice- 
 president of this and of that institution. President of 
 the Suhr's great bank of Copenhagen. When, upon his 
 acceptance of this last honor, his brother-in-law (who 
 had married Julius' "princess-typed" sister Therese) 
 Count Robert Graverhorst Lovenstjerne, owner of the 
 splendid estate "Wegeholm," remarked to me: "Con- 
 stance, Julius has all these honors thrust upon him now. 
 There will be nothing left for him to receive when he is 
 forty years old."
 
 JULIUS HOLMBLAD 
 
 Called the Handsomest Man on the King's Staff and Always the Chosen 
 Companion of King George of Greece When in Denmark.
 
 In Life's Journey 133 
 
 Then Julius came to me and in a little annoyed tone 
 exclaimed : "I told Robert why should he rebuke me for 
 charging myself with the many affairs I have under- 
 taken do I not perform my duties satisfactorily? You 
 see, Constance, I love my duties and never tire." And so 
 the matter rested, though at forty-three, from over-work, 
 his heart artery, or rather the flap which falls over the 
 heart, weakened and fell occasionally inside instead of 
 outside, causing excruciating suffering. One night, in 
 his bank office, his clerk reported that Julius stood with 
 his back against the wall, arms extended, fighting hard 
 by vigorous breathing to cause the flap to strengthen and 
 drop correctly out over the heart-valve. Closing his pri- 
 vate office door, that the clerk should not see him suffer, 
 he had at five in the morning fought his last brave fight 
 in silence ! 
 
 I was married to Archibald Gracie who strongly re- 
 sembled Julius, and living at Staten Island, when the 
 crushing news came to me from across the waters. 
 Julius was married and had lost his own and only little 
 daughter, five years old, with diphtheria. As had also, 
 my cousin Lady Steele, in England, lost her own "Tottie" 
 five years of age. Each having a tube inserted below 
 the fatal closing throat web and each had succumbed, 
 whereas a new treatment was given my own precious 
 youngest daughter, Edith Temple, seven years old. When 
 our giant Dr. William Walser, President of the Quaran- 
 tine Health, tried the newest system on Edith (who had 
 developed a terrible case of diphtheria from our new 
 house's waste pipes built lower than the street pipes and 
 filling my children's basement gymnasium with fumes), 
 I plunged Edith into a hot bath which opened her pores, 
 enabling her thus to breathe instead of through the re- 
 maining pin-hole opening of the fast closing throat web.
 
 134 Personal Experiences 
 
 Dr. Townsend "pinioned" her arms, after a hot glass of 
 milk which she slowly imbibed Walser's long fingers 
 plunged down her throat, tore the entire web out, and 
 quickly inserted a tube through which the child readily 
 breathed. While for ten days the poisonous mucous 
 passed out of her lips, which she wiped away with little 
 squares of cheese cloth until quite well. 
 
 Julius had received photographs of my Constance-Ulee, 
 holding beside her the little Edith Temple, both so hardy 
 looking; and Julius had enviously written: "Constance, 
 you have such splendid children!" 
 
 Ah! well, one of the great lights of my life seemed to 
 go out at the news of his having left this world. Some- 
 times I seem to feel his presence, as I do that of my 
 wonderful Archibald ; of my adored father (whom those 
 two both greatly resembled) ; my mother; my Constance- 
 Ulee, and dear Miss Ketellas of whom I dream sometimes. 
 She was so unselfish and a great character, so good to 
 me, and chaperoned me devotedly at many a beautiful 
 ball given by the Wells, the Rives of Washington Square, 
 the Ward-McAllisters; fancy balls at Mrs. Stuyvesant 
 Fish's the Edward Tailers, and the James Kernochans. 
 
 Delmonico's then was the only celebrated "assembly" 
 and ballroom building, with its succession of long pier 
 glasses, encircling the dancing room, around which it was 
 the graceful custom of the numerous couples attired in 
 their handsomest (all girls wore circular trains sweeping 
 the floor) to promenade two and two all round the ball- 
 room between dances, seeing their bright reflections as 
 they walked.
 
 MRS. STYVESANT FISH 
 
 Daughter of Judge Anthon, the latter a dear friend of O. W. C. Schack, 
 Mrs. Gracie's Father.
 
 In Life's Journey 137 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 Back to Denmark a party to Tivoli wondeiful 
 Tivoli ! 
 
 The Rauschbaum first, after making a short tour to 
 note each large booth, and its attractions. 
 
 That was the very first I had seen of the swift running 
 boats over spring-boards up and down heights, then up 
 again, filled with people in mad delight at the very daring 
 of it and exhilaration 'till the boats came to their stop- 
 ping places. 
 
 We listened to concerts of perfectly attuned and finely 
 played instruments, watching the batons of their leaders 
 waving time in the rendering of Lizst, of Chopin, of Verdi 
 Belline and Rossini, in his Merry Operas, and so on. The 
 marvelous cantatrices, giving their concerts in the can- 
 vas-covered summer tents. Passing on to a fourth booth 
 to find the delicious afternoon sandwiches of tiny, raw 
 fish, seasoned rare cheeses, finely flavored tea, or other 
 beverages, very refreshing, though not inebriating, and 
 away looking forward, in our hopes, to many more such 
 treats of an afternoon. The evenings passed out there 
 were quite as great a summer's entertainment. 
 
 Another day off in the second story seats in the forest 
 trolley. Long seats back to back, extending the length of 
 the car, with the tree branches brushing our cheeks, as 
 we went out to the bathing place "Marienbad," where 
 one had a fine swim, dressed, walked to the stone cemented 
 pyramid, topped with growing plants and flowers, built as 
 a tribute to the great English Shakespeare's character 
 and creation, that oft visited monument named "Ham- 
 let's grave." After which interesting experience one 
 dines in their respective party, amid rich foliage of
 
 138 Personal Experiences 
 
 plants, at tables well served by uniformed waiters, with 
 entrancing strains of music filling one's ears, till they 
 must fain have a dance in the ballroom with its open 
 windows, before the homeward trip is contemplated. 
 
 The next day out to the palace in the lake where the 
 king in those days had been careful of the kingdom's 
 coffers. He had a strong room built below his private 
 study, where, in the floor, was a moveable square, and he 
 would pour the gold down into the room below for safe- 
 keeping. 
 
 The appointments were most royal, and as we were led 
 into the magnificent cathedral adjoining, a baptism of 
 some wonderful child was taking place. 
 
 The priest was in fine lace and crimson robes, while 
 the altar was shown us particularly as being in pure ivory, 
 a marvel of art, fine work and beauty. 
 
 Back to shore we were conveyed, and gazing as we 
 sailed away from that great pile of architecture in the 
 center of the lake, we were depely impressed. 
 
 Then we were shown the cathedral in which Robert 
 Count Gravenhorst and Cousin Therese Holmblad were 
 married. Its spiral outside staircase pointed out to me 
 with its hundreds of steps round and round, I dared to 
 walk up to the top pinacle. I wound up those steps, never 
 allowing my eyes to look down till I stood aloft in triumph, 
 gazing over that most truly beautiful land. How my 
 heart swelled with pride as I viewed it and felt that the 
 blood of pure noble Danes flowed in my veins. 
 
 Another day we walked within and up the great tower 
 of broad staircases up which King Frederick drove his 
 four horses abreast, so said the legend. It is told as 
 actual fact, and I firmly believe it, since I inspected that 
 celebrated Danish wonder of construction with my own 
 eyes. 
 
 The building is in the heart of the City of Copenhagen.
 
 MISS CONSTANCE SCHACK AND HER COUSIN JULIUS HOLMBLAD IN 
 CHARLOTTENLUND, DENMARK, ON A PICNIC
 
 In Life's Journey 141 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 Lo Rosenberg palace, which has been made into a 
 museum containing most valuable collections of the be- 
 longings of all the past crowned heads dresses, jewels, 
 and weapons. 
 
 The^e were the blood-stained uniform, covered with 
 lace, and accoutrements of King Christian II. The solid 
 silver arm-chair with high back and flowered edges, set- 
 tee, and tall standing fire screen, all wrought in fanciful 
 designs by hand in the solid silver wonderful! 
 
 Scientists have pronounced Denmark possesses the 
 greatest productions and results. In science, most scien- 
 tific ; in arts, most glorious ; in music, equal to the loved 
 Norwegian composer, Grieg, whose sweet compositions I 
 memorized, though his songs, my critic Tante Marie 
 Holmblad pronounced cold and not soul inspiring. 
 
 Charlottenbund was the forest "Tea House," a former 
 summer palace. A party there we made a picnic, too; 
 where brave and gallant cousin strained his knee badly 
 down one of the stoney and rather sudden declivities in 
 our climbs and descents. 
 
 I searched, and found a white, strong stick upon which 
 he had to lean all day, and limp sadly, but it also was a 
 day of instruction through a massive fortress, gazing 
 on far scenes, from the old fort gun holes. 
 
 When the last day of that one of my visits to Denmark 
 arrived, Julius handed me that stick as a souvenir of the 
 picnic. He had had it beautifully polished, mounted with 
 a deep ferule of silver at the bottom, also an unscrewable 
 raised round top with my initials. Beneath the unscrewed 
 cover, it showed the original rough stick slightly split as 
 it was when he gratefully accepted "my find" and had 
 leaned upon it in his pain that other day.
 
 142 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 My birthday anniversary, the 31st of August, was near, 
 and I had gone over to visit my cousins in Sweden on 
 their estate "Wegeholm." 
 
 Upon entering their gates, I had been driven in under 
 the upper floor of their stone castle, and alighting with 
 their flunkies in attendance, up the stone steps at the 
 side. I mounted to the second story rooms, built in a 
 circle with glass-encased windows looking down from the 
 upper circular stone corridors, upon that inner court be- 
 low, where equipages drew up, covered from storms. 
 
 Then I was shown into their living rooms. Through the 
 royal suite retained for the pleasure of His Majesty, 
 King Oscar's annual visit with his suite, to hunt the 
 splendid antlered stags which were on my cousin's pre- 
 serves from the forest down to the sea. Robert, my cou- 
 sin, was King Oscar's chamberlain. 
 
 Their ballroom was of immense length, with its hand- 
 paintings of cherubs and lovely floating angels, over ceil- 
 ings and over doors at each end. Upon its polished floors 
 stood a grand piano! I seated myself at it and accom- 
 panied him, he singing operatic arias in his rare tenor 
 and pure resonant tones, while he and she stood side 
 by side, each a picture of beauty in height and coloring 
 and love, and grace ! 
 
 I used to watch them wending their way arm in arm, 
 through the shrubbery. Always lovers together, like 
 Tante Marie and Uncle Lauritz ; like also my own blessed 
 father and mother. 
 
 We inspected the room where the flax-linen thread had 
 its loom women by the year weaving sheets, bed and 
 table linen.
 
 In Life's Journey 143 
 
 On to the cheese room, with shelves filled with big, 
 round winter cheeses. 
 
 Into the cream-extracting machine room. 
 
 Forward we moved to the polished brown pigs in their 
 stalls in a row, where, odorless, they stood and awaited the 
 coming flow of entirely creamless milk, into their long 
 loaded troughs for their beverage night and morning. 
 
 Such fine pure cream was served for our berries, such 
 luscious hot-house fruits served each night on silver sal- 
 vers, while Robert and Therese played their organ and 
 piano side by side. 
 
 Beyond this the dining room where their two young 
 sons and daughters had their honored turns of saying 
 "grace" before we began each meal. 
 
 Their peaches grew on vines trained against the outer 
 walls of the green-house, the same as in France to pro- 
 tect the fruit against winds and weather the flavor of 
 nectarines, hot-house grapes and plums so truly luscious, 
 were fit for Lucullus ! 
 
 Then came Saturday night when we three walked down 
 the boxwood scented path, out of their entrance gates. 
 There a sight unique and unexpected met our eyes. 
 
 The weekly custom was for the peasants on the estate, 
 and there were many who had litle cottages along that 
 inside road toward the gate (for the men tilled the ground 
 in parcels, rented to them by the owner, Robert, their 
 young "father" as they called him.) He had built a min- 
 iature banking house for them and he taught them to 
 save and bank their accounts, and when the harvests were 
 poor, or failed, he had to take care of them and give them 
 sufficient employment to repay him for his kind provision. 
 
 So there they stood in their best holiday velvets and 
 colored embroidered attire. One in the center of the 
 circle, with his violin, awaited their "First Lady of the
 
 144 Personal Experiences 
 
 Land" Therese, to dance with her lord the first waltz, 
 within their open circle. Following which they began, 
 while we delightedly and enjoyedly watched the scene. 
 
 At 9 P. M. a horn blew. 
 
 Like magic they turned, vanished almost instantly as 
 though none had been there, and the pretty Saturday 
 night's peasants dancing party was over until the next 
 week.
 
 COUSIN ROBERT GRAVENHOVST LOVENST.JERNE 
 His Castle "Wegeholm.'' Chamberlain to His Majesty, King Osca 
 of Sweden.
 
 In Life's Journey 147 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 The following day Cousin Julius Holmbold arrived for 
 the coming deer-stalking. 
 
 We all sat that Sunday night back of the piano and 
 organ amid musical renderings by each in turn. 
 
 I was begged to sing an English song, after singing in 
 Danish, as Therese had taught me (after outgrowing the 
 childish ones taught by my father) . My Spanish, French 
 and Italian songs had pleased them, but now, it must be 
 an English one! 
 
 At last, I gave them those wondrous words of self- 
 abnegation and purest love by an unsuccessful suitor to 
 his ideal of womanhood as portrayed in "Resignation" 
 with the glorious harmonies composed for it by Korbay 
 (pronounced Corbai) the Hungarian composer, and sing- 
 er, who had gone to Newport when I was there, and 
 taught it to me. It ran thusly : 
 
 "RESIGNATION" 
 
 I. In silence would I suffer only 
 
 My grief thou even shouldst not guess 
 For not one tinge of melancholy 
 
 Should overcloud thy happiness .... 
 Near thee, my lips so long unbroken, 
 
 My grief I could not conquer, quite ; 
 My eye the secret thought hath spoken, 
 
 Alas! a tear brought all to light! 
 Once, but once, I fain would tell thee 
 
 How very dear to me thou art, 
 How I shall live thy faithful lover 
 
 As long as beats this constant heart.
 
 148 Personal Experiences 
 
 II. No single word shouldst thou reply; 
 
 But kindly look at me and smile. 
 Nay, with a gentle drooping eye, 
 
 Thou'll stand in silence still awhile. 
 Then, would I rest my hands on thy head, 
 
 And blessing thee, the prayer would say 
 That God may bless for thee the quiet, 
 
 Which from my soul thou stolest away. 
 Once, but once, I fain would tell thee 
 
 How very dear to me thou art ; 
 How I shall live thy faithful lover 
 
 As long as beats this constant heart! 
 
 As I was concluding these thrilling words and music 
 Julius rose restlessly walking in front of us to the high 
 shuttered window and fussed with the slats to hide his 
 emotion. 
 
 Something in the sing had stirred the depths of his 
 souiful heart, and all were silent! 
 
 Then Robert, the following day, begged me to give 
 him a copy they all were evidently "taken with it." 
 
 On the second visit which I paid "Wegeholm" before 
 going to the United States that year, Robert showed me 
 those verses pinned upon the wall beside his desk, say- 
 ing: "I love my Therese, and I love you next, and those 
 words will cheer me, till you Constance (I fear and feel 
 you may never) come back." 
 
 "Yes, Robert, I promise, I know, I shall." And I did, 
 with darling mamma; when, she was honored by being 
 given His Majesty's, King Oscar's, apartments. He and 
 his suite arrived the very day following, and my third 
 departure from beautiful "Wegeholm" which (since 
 Robert's going out of this life, on one New Year's Eve 
 while he was bestowing his last blessings upon each of
 
 In Life's Journey 149 
 
 his children, and upon his heart-rent beloved wife) was 
 sold and purchased by a wealthy American. 
 
 I still have my cherished memories. An old lady once 
 remarked to me "Life would not be worth living to me, 
 if I did not have my memories !" 
 
 Our faith in God, and our memories and the great 
 boon, "a sense of humor," sustain us on our way heaven- 
 ward.
 
 150 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 The morning of the stag hunt broke clear and sweet 
 (quite a party it was who assembled at breakfast). Every 
 woman at the left of the seated gentleman had her sand- 
 wich to make for that swain to carry, well wrapped, to 
 refresh his inner-man while hunting; and that superb 
 stag which they caught, all had a shot at it. 
 
 Venison and currant jelly we had ere the morning of 
 my birthday, when I descended the stairs I found await- 
 ing me, after the family hearty greetings, a fine old gold 
 lined Sweedish cup with base of Frederick IV coin. An 
 aqua-marine (like fine opals) cross, mounted in gold, and 
 various other gifts. 
 
 A Sweedish baron, on his horse, dashed down to bid 
 me sad "farewell," as shortly after we proceeded by boat 
 to Copenhagen for our dinner-party. 
 
 The Chamberlain and Therese, my cousin and I, were 
 all dressed in our evening attire beneath our wraps, and 
 at the portals of the doors at Amager, the welcome guests, 
 by host and hostess, Uncle Lauritz and Tanta Marie Holm- 
 blad greeted us. He in his blue-silk-lapelled dress-coat 
 and decorations, Tante in her lace-covered gown and 
 jewels looked her handsomest. 
 
 For was it not my last night among them, and they 
 wished me to carry away the most brilliant memories, 
 the deepest regrets at leaving them. 
 
 Gifts were handed me: a large black and gilder four- 
 tiered photo-frame, folding up in tall fashion, contain- 
 ing sixteen valuable colored photographs of the finely 
 costumed peasants in holiday attire, of the three Norse 
 countries.
 
 In Life's Journey 151 
 
 A real antique large five-inch gold vinaigrette on a 
 standing base with heart-shaped center and a pink ame- 
 thyst. The extra top opened for the gold or silver coin 
 always carried therein for the contribution plate at 
 church, whither the rich Danish peasants of former years 
 drove in their carriages, seated upon hair stuffed oblong 
 hand-embroidered mats. One of which, of the year 1763, 
 was presented among other gifts to carry to New York 
 with me, and is nailed up over my doorway each winter 
 in Washington, to be/admired and appreciated. 
 
 A gilded silver n^aillon necklace had been ingen- 
 uously inverted by Tante Marie's orders to her jeweller. 
 The chain was tacked round a crimson velvet frame sur- 
 rounding a photograph qf my father now hanging in 
 my room. 
 
 An ingenious device of a movable silver scaled fish 
 completed the portable tributes of their affection, while 
 gorgeous roses filled my hands and were worn at my 
 belt. Thus was I escorted to the brilliantly lighted table, 
 where wit and love reigned and where tears and regrets 
 filled our eyes and hearts at last.
 
 LADY STEELE, BORN MISS ROSALIE McCARTY 
 Aunt of Mrs. Constance Gracie.
 
 GENERAL SIR THOMAS STEELE 
 General in Chief of the Armies in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
 
 In Life's Journey 157 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 The last good-byes from Copenhagen were said. The 
 Swedish and Danish cousins all gathered to unite in one 
 request, that if I were not thoroughly appreciated by my 
 mother's English relatives, and should feel homesick, I 
 should send word, and either Cousin Robert Lovenstjorne 
 or Julius Holmblad would come at once and take me back 
 to my father's land. 
 
 Also, "Constance, never forget that Denmark con- 
 quered England." Seven times, at intervals, had I that 
 
 fact impressed upon me. 
 
 * * * 
 
 I met with a thoroughly cordial welcome among my 
 mother's people. They had gone from their London house, 
 70 Eaton Square, quite near Buckingham Palace, to Dub- 
 lin, established magnificently in "The Royal Hospital" 
 mansion, as my cousin, Lady Steele's husband. General 
 Sir Thomas Steele had been made General in Chief of 
 all the forces in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, while the 
 Duke of Cambridge, his best friend, was in command of 
 all the forces in England, Australia and India. 
 
 The headquarters of each succeeding General in Chief, 
 as Sir Thomas, are always in that beautiful castle called 
 "The Royal Hospital." Because beyond you walk out into 
 a square hollow block around which are the quarters of 
 the veteran soldiers almost every day a funeral occurred 
 as they "passed over" and one could hear a gun fired 
 
 from the distant burying ground. 
 
 * * # 
 
 Led impressively through the different rooms, 1 was 
 conducted finally into the great oak-carved ball-room and 
 up to the raised dais.
 
 158 Personal Experiences 
 
 Pointing to a large full-length painting at the back of 
 the dais, a voice spoke: "This is the portrait of King 
 George and Queen Anne of Denmark." 
 
 "Yes," I quickly exclaimed, "my parting injunction as 
 I left Danish shores was, 'Constance, never forget that 
 Denmark conquered England.' " 
 
 In smiling assent they said: "And a mighty race of 
 brave men and soldiers they were on land and sea, and 
 you are the little Dane," they playfully added. 
 
 I certainly felt a pride in being a Dane heart and 
 soul. 
 
 It seems that Cousin Rosalie and Sir Thomas had both 
 been mourning. She, her mother, Aunt "Jane, Countess 
 de Dion (as she always had signed her letters to mamma, 
 her sister-in-law), and Sir Thomas, five months before I 
 arrived, had lost his fine brother, Colonel Steele, of the 
 Cold Stream Guards. 
 
 Their six months' cessation from giving official enter- 
 tainments (for which the English government allows a 
 fixed sum), had been longer than the Court's allowance 
 for "three month's mourning." 
 
 Therefore, Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, so adored by 
 all her subjects, had sent a mandate to Sir Thomas to 
 that effect, and Dublin had been bidden of its choicest 
 residents to a Ball! So I was to be in the midst of the 
 delightful excitement, and seven hundred and twenty 
 guests came ! Twenty cloaks were called for and ex- 
 changed in the dressing room the following morning. 
 That ball was a wonder! Many beauties, glorious uni- 
 forms. "The Throned Chairs" as they stood upon that 
 dais at the top of the ball-room had awaited their honor- 
 able occupants. 
 
 A trumpet sounded ! Down one aisle came General Sir 
 Thomas and Cousin Rosalie Steele, disappearing beyond
 
 In Life's Journey 159 
 
 the front portals as was the custom. They met "The Red 
 Earl Lord" and Viscountess Spencer, on the first step 
 without, then up the aisle, after the aides, preceding the 
 procession. 
 
 Exquisitely attired, Cousin Rosalie, arm in arm with 
 Lord Spencer; behind, Sir Thomas, escorting the then 
 gloriously beautiful Countess. On her lovely brown wavy 
 hair shown her superb diamond tiara, as she graciously 
 smiled upon all within sight of her glowing eyes. 
 
 In the blaze of light and burst of music they reached 
 the dais and stood bowing, then seated themselves. 
 
 In turn, every one filed up and were greeted by him, 
 the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and Lady Spencer. 
 
 Suddenly Mrs. Captain Mac (whose husband was one 
 of my Sir Thomas' Aides de Camp), came hurriedly to 
 my side, whispering: "Did you see that Captain Mac 
 had to drag Lord Clourmell down from the dais? His 
 head was almost upon the shoulder of the Countess as he, 
 the noted sherry-tipler, had been conducted to the pan- 
 try!" 
 
 All was over in a moment, and "on with the dance, let 
 joy be unconfined" was the order of the night. 
 
 Lady Steele's chef had taken two weeks to prepare the 
 pastry forms, etc., etc.; but it was a famous feast and 
 ball, while all made merry with grace and moderation 
 until four o'clock in the morning.
 
 "THE RED EARL" VISCOUNT SPENCER 
 Lord Lieut, of Ireland.
 
 VISCOUNTESS SPENCER 
 Wife of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Given Me by Her at Dublin Castle.
 
 In Life's Journey 165 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 Now came the Dublin Court presentations at the Castle, 
 where Queen Victoria was represented by Lord Spencer, 
 and not Lady. 
 
 His office is to kiss the cheek of every lady presented, 
 young, middle or old of age. 
 
 My court-train, four-yards regulation length, was 
 upon my arm ; I had known how to catch it. After the 
 presentation when one of the aides has to gather its end 
 in his hand, and fling it dexterously aiming at your 
 arm, which you extend in anticipation, and fail to catch 
 it at your peril! 
 
 Being with my favored party in the small blueroom, we 
 were, of course, ushered in first. Our part was soon car- 
 ried through after I entered the grand presentation room, 
 and heard each aide on the walk-up calling out my name 
 till I reached Lord Spencer. 
 
 Sure enough, as he took my hand in his, he bent low 
 his head and imprinted the predicted kiss upon my cheek ; 
 then smiled graciously. My hand was, in turn, taken by 
 Countess Spencer and pressed to give me courage, for 
 she was so fond of my cousin, Lady Steele, that she felt 
 partial to me. 
 
 We were then allotted seats facing the throne. Amid 
 the rows of seated dames who were watching the suc- 
 cession of presentations, arose a howl, and turning, a 
 lady not far from me rolled up her eyes in agony, then 
 fainted ! Quickly she was lifted and carried out and up 
 the castle staircase. Further tradition sayeth not, but we 
 all felt for her, and what she missed!
 
 166 Personal Experiences 
 
 The pomp and ceremony were most interesting and 
 very similar to the presentations at Buckingham Palace. 
 
 The following day was cool, and, as always each after- 
 noon at 5 P. M. many of the gentry and aides-de-camp 
 came in to Lady Steele's for the usual refreshments, ex- 
 claiming as they rubbed their hands together English 
 fashion: "I must have my tea and bread and jam," at 
 which I always had to inwardly smile. 
 
 Cousin Rosalie confided to me that one advantage 
 granted to her in her position was that she never was 
 expected to return a single one of the visits of her callers ; 
 unless they were the Lord Lieutenant, his Lady, and the 
 ladies-in-waiting yet, all came to her! 
 
 It came to pass that Cousin Rosalie was giving a 
 dinner party to His Lordship. She asked me if I would 
 be pleased to accompany her shopping for its prepara- 
 tion. Off together we were driven to the fruiterers for 
 pineapples; a pound apiece, which she selected in num- 
 ber. Thence for plover-eggs, a shilling a piece, and of 
 which she had three on each plate upon a bit of toast. 
 They hard-boil them, shell them, and lo ! they are bluish- 
 white, the size of one-third of a hen's egg a great deli- 
 cacy and delicious! Other delightful supplies ordered, 
 she remarked : "Now, we will drive to the iron-mongers." 
 It was what the United States' people call "the hardware 
 shop." There forms of tins, etc., were purchased. As 
 I stepped forward, I tripped on one of two girls' heels, 
 saying "Excuse me." A mimicking voice sounded : "Ex- 
 cuse me! How American!" Lady Steele laughed and 
 said: "The correct words are "Beg Pardon" with the 
 ending inflection upward." So the day went on till night 
 came.
 
 In Life's Journey 167 
 
 We all descended attired in our daintiest, and the 
 guests assembled. Finally the procession moved toward 
 the banquet room. 
 
 On one side of me sat Lord Clour mell (poor soul, his 
 sherry-tiding took him off some years ago) ; Captain 
 Harmond, Lord Spencer's aide on my left. It was^ery 
 brilliant and witty feast of reason, and flow of soui, as 
 well as of delicious courses. We were obliged to await 
 the rising of Lord Spencer who led the recession with 
 Cousin Rosalie to the drawing room ; second only, walked 
 Lady Spencer with Sir Thomas, and the couples followed, 
 two and two, all bowing in front of the "Red Earl" so 
 dubbed for his auburn colored wavy hair and beard, cut 
 square.
 
 168 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 The first of the Castle balls (all of which we attended 
 that season) was coming off and Sir Thomas' aides had 
 become acquainted with me. As I was being put into my 
 tulle ball gown (here and there dotted with lovely crimson 
 silk jacqueminot roses) and satin slippers (with remark- 
 able toes going into an absolute point which Aunt Rosalie 
 had insisted upon my accepting from her), a box came 
 up, with five gardenias and their leaves woven into a 
 straight bar, as was the fashion then at their English 
 florists. 
 
 Bessie, my pretty and snappily witty cousin, walked 
 into my room with a similar box, exclaiming: "Was it 
 not dear of Captain So and So, to send you and me these 
 lovely bands of gardenias?" 
 
 "What do you do with them?" I asked. 
 
 "Why, tack them sideways from your shoulder down." 
 
 "How odd," I remarked. 
 
 "Well," said she, "I think it far better than when 1 
 was over in Newport at a grand luncheon, where a bou- 
 quet at each plate was afterwards pinned by each girl 
 on the side of their stomach!" 
 
 Then we both burst out laughing and decorated our 
 respective corsages with said fragrant gardenias. 
 
 Into the carriage we were placed, and out-riders on 
 horses with the clanking of their scabbards and drawn 
 swords, and two others behind fully mounted, escorted our 
 equipage in safety back and forth from the castle as they 
 did for each successive ball there given. 
 
 Over from London had come Lord and Lady Randolph 
 Churchill, sprightly Lady Cornwallis West (and her
 
 AICT W. HARMOND 
 Captain and Aide of Lord Spencer.
 
 In Life's Journey 171 
 
 sister), saying: "I told the dressmaker to do what she 
 could for my young sister with such a figger." I thought 
 the younger sister was sweet, and most modest, like a 
 daffodil. 
 
 Many notable personages, all of us standing in the 
 dressing room together, chatting unconcernedly. Then, 
 we started and entered the ball, going through the uni- 
 form presentations. 
 
 I (from force of my father's training in reading the 
 diplomatic news and court proceedings), had made a 
 practice of always going through the little printed after- 
 noon paper of whatever question had come up daily for 
 discussion and disposal by Lord Spencer in his office. 
 So, of course, I was not lacking of interest when he would 
 join me and laugh with me over many of his subjects 
 handled during that particular day. 
 
 When, later, Captain Harmond, his blunt, square-headed 
 aide, joined me with the question: "Pray, young lady, 
 may I know what you find to entertain the Earl so well?" 
 
 "Oh, we always chat over the points which he scores 
 in his official debates, and questions of moment of which 
 1 apprise myself each afternoon in the 'Daily Budget.' " 
 
 "Ha, ha ! that's the secret !" he exclaimed. 
 
 Then the first quadrille started, and I was honored. I 
 danced right opposite Lady Spencer in her set; she was 
 such a beautiful, queenly and gracious being to gaze at, 
 as she smiled encouragingly, chassaying back and forth. 
 
 That castle supper, and our special group, as we sat 
 at our long, narrow sociable table! That music, as I 
 watched my sweet Cousin Bessie dancing every dance ! 
 
 And the polka ! with the two hundred couples ; two and 
 two, regularly stepped forward two, then back two steps, 
 all the way up the square ball-room, in regular order, two 
 and two across the square. Then down the other side,
 
 172 Personal Experiences 
 
 always in regular order, and a hollow square in the center. 
 
 It was an unusual sight for one who had seen a ball- 
 room in New York where bumpity-bump, and the polka 
 dancers went every way, with no order of regularity in 
 their couples. 
 
 "Bessie, you'll have heart trouble. You are so pleased 
 at the fact that you danced every dance straight through, 
 and it is strenuous work with those quick steps !" 
 
 Many sought her, but she exclaimed: "No, I am the 
 granddaughter of the Duke of Manchester, my own 
 mother was Lady Emily Montague, yet I would not marry 
 one of the English aristocracy; they haven't a stitch of 
 character left. But I wish I were the belle that you are, 
 Constance, in favor w r ith the Lord Lieutenant and Count- 
 ess Spencer. You are clever to post yourself on all the 
 Dublin diplomatic procedures. 
 
 And we laughed unconfinedly and freely.
 
 MISS ELIZABETH MONTAGUE STEELE 
 As She Was at the Balls in Dublin Castl?.
 
 In Life's Journey 175 
 
 CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 Then came the Punchestown races. 
 
 We started out in the four-in-hand coach. Reaching 
 the large enclosure, and well placed, we eagerly watched 
 young Featherstone-Haugh win the first race with his 
 jockey on the fine mare. Then the second race came on, 
 his steed stumbled, fell, broke his shoulder and had to be 
 shot. 
 
 There was a tear in Featherstone-Haugh's eye as he 
 passed with his dog at his heels. I was subsequently 
 taken across the field and lifted up on the mounds, and 
 stood on one of the two which constitute what is known 
 as "the double jump," I saw and counted seventeen jockies 
 on mounts of rare beauty coming at this very jump. It 
 was a thrilling hour! 
 
 I watched several jockies who whispered and swerved 
 out, as the rest came straight toward the mound on which 
 we were standing. Pretty spryly we jumped down to one 
 side and gazed in awe at the graceful double- jumpers 
 and winners. 
 
 A gorgeous day an excitement in the air, and redfern- 
 gowned smart looking ladies with well-groomed notables, 
 formed a picture, indeed, to carry in my memory! 
 
 Sir John and Lady Power had asked my cousin to lend 
 me for a visit to them, as I was invited to "Fairy House," 
 a private race-course where Lord Spencer's coach and 
 ours, the Power's four-in-hand coach, were the only two 
 there. 
 
 I have a huge grouped photograph taken of our party 
 on their coach. I, in my smart fitting redfern brown 
 cloth and crimson-front vest, with little smoked buttons
 
 176 Personal Experiences 
 
 on either side, holding it snugly from neck to tapering 
 waist. 
 
 Those races were all the more thrilling to me, as the 
 Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and Countess Spencer singled 
 me out to bestow some of their kindly converse and courte- 
 sies upon me. 
 
 Sir John Power, I must remark, had a most attractive 
 high-bred Irish brogue, to which I found myself listen- 
 ing, which later I caught myself unconsciously imitat- 
 ing. 
 
 His beautiful Hebe-like, tall and slender wife, and 
 little five-year-old girl trotting beside her, were walking 
 behind us. When distinctly came her remark to her 
 escort: "My little girl has such a brogue, and I cannot 
 fancy where she gets it." 
 
 I turned to see if she were joking; but, no; quite 
 seriously. She was entirely unconscious of her very own 
 Sir John's lovely brogue never had noticed it until I 
 called her attention to it. We had fine trips upon that 
 coach on my ideal visit and went all through the wonder- 
 ful Ginness Breweries (for Sir John was a Ginness). 
 His elder brother was then Lord Ardelon, a fine man, 
 created a noble for his beneficient gifts to the church. 
 
 I visited for two nights over the week-end, at Si:' 
 Edward Grey's castle. 
 
 Escorted up the palatial stairways, lined with full 
 length oil painted panels of their family ancestors and 
 ancestresses. I certainly was impressed by the time I 
 was led at night to my room by several of the lady guests 
 who wished to see me snugly tucked in the four-poster 
 bedstead with its footboard running around it. A means 
 of not overstretching one's limbs in clambering up to the 
 height of its mattresses from the floor. They were all 
 pumping me about life in New York, and my impressions
 
 178 Personal Experiences 
 
 of my wonderful home with my cousins in Dublin, when 
 a knock sounded at my huge bedroom door. 
 
 My trunk, I omitted to state, had miscarried, and for 
 the famous dinner one of the young girls, even more 
 slender than I was at that time, had loaned me her corn- 
 colored gown. 
 
 In those days, they squeezed in their English waist- 
 lines to look like a wasp. So I had to gasp as I gratefully 
 donned that gown, for I was placed in the seat of honor 
 on the left of the host. 
 
 I hardly dared to breathe though endeavoring to smile 
 and respond quite unconcernedly to all sprightly remarks, 
 or badinage as it flew back and forth from the delightful 
 guest* and our host. 
 
 I diverged from the scene that night at my bedroom 
 door. 
 
 Two flunkies in full uniform, similar to those at my 
 aunt's villa in Denmark, stood like wooden statues, their 
 eyes unblinking, holding between them by each handle, my 
 missing steamer trunk. 
 
 Forward! They marched to the left of the blazing 
 fire and deposited it silently beside the fireplace. Then 
 military fashion, out they walked and the silence was 
 broken by "Oh, do open your box, and let me see your 
 gown." But I was too anxious to say "goodnight," clam- 
 ber into bed and to sleep "To sleep, perchance to dream." 
 
 They had said some people pronounced the house 
 haunted by a wandering soul, their ancestors. Ah ! How 
 could they believe in aught but vivid dreams, which some- 
 times come to us before the sleeping earthly body is 
 aroused to daily life again, and in memory we feel that it 
 was reality ! 
 
 I believe that while the body rests and sleeps only 
 then, can our souls meet the souls of our beloved ones.
 
 In Life's Journey 179 
 
 Who are only permitted to come to us when danger is 
 near us, so that they may strengthen us to resist impend- 
 ing evil, by preparedness. Or to strengthen us against 
 temptations which may assail us. 
 
 God gives man strength equal to his manhood to resist 
 temptation if they listen, stop and heed in time, even as is 
 given to girls. 
 
 Womanhood alone should not hold up the standard of 
 purity and honor! 
 
 That is why this wave of suffrage has swept through 
 the indignant women, with a righteous contempt of weak, 
 debased and oft time, bullying man. Who has "fallen 
 from his high estate" by being taught that "every young 
 fellow must sow his wild oats'" and be nasty before win- 
 ning some pure, unsuspecting young wife. To defile her 
 too, and subtly convince her that all men are alike, be- 
 cause of his own unwarrantable sins of the past, present 
 and future, only too often! 
 
 Thus, thus has spread the contempt for many a hus- 
 band and the thraldom felt therefrom. A desire develops 
 to rise above this degenerate mate. Psychology finds that 
 the father element born in them, gifted by some error of 
 conception, causes them to rise above the traits of the 
 mother born in their weaklings. 
 
 Also that girls should be taught the falsity that all 
 men are alike, irrespective of their strong mentality. 
 That they must be considered as weak sensualists, apart 
 from their often great parts in the world's affairs. 
 
 Whereas, with their greatness, thanks be to our Hea- 
 venly Father, they are given the strength to resist temp- 
 tation ! And woman should be their ideal to inspire them 
 to obtain to the highest standard.
 
 180 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 From Lady Poweis I returned to the Royal Hospital 
 most happy to be with my own people. 
 
 The time was growing short. 
 
 The last of the castle balls had been enjoyed and a 
 thrilling invitation had come for me to attend the great 
 and favored dinner of foity odd, at the "Vice Regal 
 Lodge" in Kilmainham Park, where the Lord-Lieutenant 
 and Countess Spencer had removed for the summer, and 
 Dublin Castle was correspondingly closeci. 
 
 Kilmainham Park had afforded me exciting rides with 
 Sir Thomas and Bessie. I mounted upon one of the tall 
 Royal Dragoons Guards' horses, sixteen hands high, and 
 away we would start, as one is freely permitted to ride 
 up and over the hills and downs of the park. Many a 
 ride had I revelled in. Oh! I could have shouted with 
 glee at its sport! 
 
 Kilmainham Prison was just without our Royal Hos- 
 pital gates, and our sentry boxes were scattered at equi- 
 distances around our splendidly kept grounds and path- 
 ways. 
 
 Many a night beneath my great domed and stain- 
 glassed windows (which I had observed, extended from 
 the floor of the dining room below, up through my floor to 
 the top of my own bedroom at that point, the floor was 
 allowed to cross unattached to aught, until at each side of 
 those windows, again the plaster and beams sustained 
 said floor with marvelous masonry). As I lay silent and 
 pondering in the darkness, I listened to the pacing of our 
 sentrymen ; and peered down at them patrolling in their
 
 LADY JOHN POWER 
 In From a Bide to Hounds, Returning My Visit at Her Castle, County Wexford.
 
 In Life's Journey 183 
 
 uniforms, guns on their shoulders, through "the watches" 
 against any escaping prisoners of state or murder. 
 
 It was the time of the murderous assaults by the stone- 
 cutter. I forget his name and the band of lawless plot- 
 ters, who drew for the number, to assassinate the inno- 
 cent Lord Cavendish and Sir John Burke as they were 
 walking homeward at dusk through Kilmainham Park. 
 And the lot fell upon that same stonecutter, who (it was 
 learned through detectives), had gone to confession with 
 his wife and boy; then leaving them, promptly hied him 
 to the spot where their lordships daily passed. 
 
 He had to have the unoffending victims of that band's 
 political grudge pointed out to him, and behind them he 
 slunk and gave the deadly blows. 
 
 Those were the sort of men confined in our Dublin 
 prison. A shot had indeed been fired even at Lord Spen- 
 cer on his daily horseback rides through "Dublin Town," 
 but his bravery and geniality had so endeared him. He 
 himself was fearless and surely God protected him. 
 
 When they drove out, his Countess always sat in the 
 carriage, for she so dearly loved to protect him better 
 perchance from murderous hearted prowlers.
 
 184 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 The evening of the state dinner arrived. The equipage 
 was waiting as I donned for the last time my lovely nile- 
 green tulle, with moss rosebuds dotted here and there 
 among its billowy folds, with a few tucked aside of my 
 hair, always waved from my brow to the nape ol my 
 neck, and my thick braid with its ends doubled back and 
 woven into a finish, made it thick all through ending in a 
 circle round my head much as I wear it now. Off we 
 were driven into that richly wooded beautifully laid out 
 park. 
 
 "To the Vice-Regal Lodge." 
 
 Sir Thomas never looked better in full uniform, sword 
 and^sh the breast of his gold braided coat covered with 
 many handsome decorations for glory attained in the 
 Cold Stream guards, on fields of battle in honorable war- 
 fare man to man hand to hand, skill and honor to the 
 vanquished as to the victor. 
 
 Yes, none of this Hun, wild Indian, "stab you stealthily 
 in the back," and ten-pin strikes, upon unsuspecting sol- 
 diers, of warm human flesh from far unsighted distances 
 and ambush ! 
 
 When bullets fly, and truly like ten-pins, down fall men 
 whose bosoms had thrilled with anticipated glory in the 
 hope of a real fight and chance for life and promotion with 
 honor ! 
 
 Alighting at the summer castle, as it was, and ushered 
 formally into the salon, after making our courtesies, Lord 
 Spencer came to me and confided an interesting incident 
 of the day, namely, that pretty Mme. Marie Rose, wife of 
 Mapleson, the manager of Grand Opera, had sent a note
 
 In Life's Journey 185 
 
 to him requesting the privilege of coming to the Vice 
 Regal Lodge after the grand dinner, which she learned 
 was to be given tonight. And could she be allowed to 
 sing there? His Lordship told me his answer was "Only 
 a private dinner, and regrets that it would not be in 
 order." 
 
 "A second, and a third beseeching note of request, and 
 he had yielded and that she was coming." 
 
 Before the long, light day, in the month of May, had 
 gone out, I was led to a window of their back drawing 
 room. And from that window, where they pointed down 
 through the park to a certain spot, I was told that there 
 was where the stonecutter had cut down the lives of Lord 
 Cavendish and Sir John Burke. And that Lady Caven- 
 dish, at her sorrowful request, had been granted the per- 
 mission for a portrait painter to paint in oils, that the 
 sad, sad scene revived. And from that window to possess 
 it as the last spot where had stood her Lord and lover- 
 husband, innocent of all wrong. 
 
 Led into the gorgeously illumined dining room, I was 
 entranced at the dignity of age, with the jewels of the 
 ladies, blended with beauty and the simplicity of a few 
 young people seated at the wonderfully appointed table, 
 making a dazzling scene. 
 
 The vista from my end of the table was all that I might 
 have dreamed. 
 
 Strains of tender music from finely strung instruments 
 held my ear. Unseen by my eyesight I turned to 
 note that at my left was a large folding doorway. The 
 width within it had a very long box out of which had 
 grown luxurious Ivy over an entire wire net. From be- 
 hind that came those lovely strains "like linked sweetness 
 long drawn out," which made a tender undercurrent and 
 accompaniment to the many voices, whose modulations
 
 186 Personal Experiences 
 
 were trained. I observed not to overtop the sounds of 
 those musical instruments. 
 
 The dinner (my last "in dear Ould Dublin'"), had to 
 come to an end. 
 
 After reassembling in the larger drawing room Mme. 
 Marie-Rose appeared rich in coloring, and decorated 
 with jewels "till you could not rest" as the slang phrase 
 goes. And, led to the piano, the preparatory chords of 
 Robert Le Diable rang out from the piano by her accom- 
 panist. 
 
 Then came her voice ! 
 
 She rent the air with the agonized tones of one who 
 yearned for "Robert toi que j'aime," till the shrieks for 
 his absence, the longing for him to return from no one 
 could guess where ; the flinging of her vibrating figure 
 and heaving bosom produced its effect upon the wounded 
 ears of a tender audience. 
 
 The room was too small for the sounds which displaced 
 much air! Window panes did not crack as some have, 
 when the grand voice of Mme. Lilly Lehmann tried it in 
 an ordinary sized ball room. Some of the tympanums of 
 our guests' ears did almost crack applause of course 
 whenever there is a foreign element. 
 
 North Americans in the United States have not, many 
 of them, wakened up to that necessary and expected en- 
 thusiasm and hand-clapping which all artists yearn for, 
 and are dampened in their ardor and efforts to please the 
 cold, unresponsive yet earnest listeners of this young 
 country. 
 
 Odd, too, but that is bound to develop in this grand 
 amalgamated race and nation. 
 
 His Lordship advanced to me, and asked : "Miss Schack, 
 would you greatly object to giving us a song yourself?" 
 I hesitated.
 
 JULIAN MCCARTY STEELE 
 
 Now General Steele.
 
 CHARLES MONTAGUE STEELE 
 At the Royal Hospital, Dublin. Now Colonel Steele.
 
 In Life's Journey 191 
 
 I looked at Sir Thomas planted at the head of the room 
 in all his superb beauty and stature. Evidently his per- 
 mission had been asked and granted, so I took courage, 
 pondering swiftly in my mind that if I sang in Spanish 
 as taught me by General Agramontes' son of Cuba, that 
 lovely song "La Paloma" (the Dove it means) , I might 
 not have any comparison drawn between me and the 
 professional artist. I modestly turned to the piano, gave 
 the English explanation so pretty, then sang out richly in 
 Spanish that rythmic aria. 
 
 They were all kind and tolerant of youth, prolonging 
 their applause, and many coming forward to press my 
 hand, caused me to look up. 
 
 Theze, like a statue stood Sir Thomas, his eye flashing 
 his fine nostrils dilating, and I saw that he who had in- 
 deed been so good and hospitable to me, was gratified at 
 my having acquitted myself with credit. 
 
 Lord and Lady Spencer were simply too sweet for 
 words, and inwardly, as usual, I sent a soft blessing to 
 my far-away adorable mother who had, with papa, in- 
 spired me to study attentively. She, who had always 
 accompanied me to my famous old singing master for 
 each lesson, so well knew how to weigh my every note, 
 and she was my most severe critic, as also with my assidu- 
 ously studied languages for which I had admirable mast- 
 ers. I really almost studied my nose off and its is very 
 small now. 
 
 Many an early dawn, as I awakened at home, had I 
 seemed to see the piano notes which I invariably practiced 
 in imagination in the air, with my fingers at the dress- 
 makers, standing unconscious of fatigue, while mamma 
 and Mme. Convers planned, draped and pinned, and I 
 calmly memorized the Italian verses of my aiias. For 
 they would never in those days allow me to sing English
 
 192 Personal Experiences 
 
 "tame music" as they pronounced our ballads of that 
 period. Wonderful accompaniments now almost cover 
 up the few simple singing bars of the new style of Eng- 
 lish "balladry" a little word of my own ! 
 
 Sad, regrettable last farewells; kindly requests for 
 my future return to hospitable roofs. 
 
 Lady Hutton, in her handsome always square-necked 
 black velvet gown, recalled pleasantly the many dinners 
 we had both attended with her fine captain husband and 
 my own devoted relatives, politely regretting 'twas our 
 last. 
 
 All those clasping of hands in "good-bye" were ended. 
 "Sir Thomas' carriage stopped the way," my last night 
 to enter it. 
 
 I slept and dreamed and packed with an aching void 
 within. I was overwhelmed with many lovely gifts from 
 my three young boyish cousins in their eton jackets: 
 Julian, George and Charlie. 
 
 The youngest (in his perfectly appointed Scotch kilt 
 leggings and buckled Tartan plaid at shoulder) had so 
 beautifully danced the "Sword Dance" for me, to the 
 music of "The Highland Fling." 
 
 Those three boys are now General Julian, General 
 George and Colonel Charles Steele, I have been informed. 
 From fighting bravely as did Julian and George in the 
 Boer War, they have proved themselves and promotions 
 have followed quickly in this war of nations.
 
 CROWN PRINCE FREDERICK OF DENMARK 
 Sent Personally to Me in New York.
 
 In Life's Journey 195 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. 
 
 The Matthew Wilkes, great friends of my parents stop- 
 ping on the Irish coast awaiting my appearance, had 
 made known that they were to chaperone me safely aboard 
 the steamer back to New York City. My precious mother's 
 face could be seen beaming with love, where she stood on 
 the dock, while I gazed rapturously down. Mamma and 
 1 promptly planned going over to Denmark and Sweden 
 untrammelled in the Spring, which plan we carried out. 
 
 'Twas in the month of May and the ocean was smooth 
 like a lake. 
 
 Several times on crossing in that month back and forth 
 I noted the smoothness of the sea. We, as usual, however, 
 had a terrible voyage from London through that rough 
 and tumbling North Sea with every one but the captain 
 lying low. I was fearful that my mothers' fresh beauty 
 of which we were all so proud would be impaired badly 
 by that implacable sea-sickness ere reaching beloved Den- 
 mark. 
 
 They all seemed to love mamma on sight, and every 
 one of papa's relatives quite adopted her. 
 
 Each place of beauty of rare or historic interest we 
 visited again and again. 
 
 How much happiness from each one, radiated round 
 the brilliant mother, of whom I was so justly proud for 
 was it not her clear eye of truth and justice, her learn- 
 ing and words of wisdom, her spurrings on to ambition for 
 excellence and whom we could not fail to strive to emu- 
 late! 
 
 She was admired even to that artistic draping of her 
 finest point lace upon her evening square-necked velvet
 
 196 Personal Experiences 
 
 gown. A receipt as to how it was done, was asked of me, 
 in an aside, by my aunt Marice, wife of the King's Coun- 
 sellor, at the Court of Denmark. 
 
 We were all included in a tempting invitation to His 
 Majesty, King Christian's, shooting match in a pic- 
 tuiesque and most private royal enclosure. 
 
 My cousin, Fermanda Holmblad (later married to Cap- 
 tain Kaufman, the Kings Equery), with a sort of awe 
 was watching mamma engaged in sprightly conversation 
 with the then Crown Prince Frederick. He was soon 
 to succeed our beloved King Christian whose death so 
 shortly followed after that of his sweetheart wife, Queen 
 Louise, of fifty-two happy wedded years. 
 
 Then Frederick reigned, till he too (the former witty 
 and favorite King with his happy sunny-faced queen, the 
 princess of Sweden), occupied the throne of Denmark 
 awhile. Then suddenly his life flickered out, and he was 
 found difi ing their majesty's travels, where he had (with 
 his weak-heart effection) quietly seated himself in a door- 
 way in the street to rest. 
 
 Now this son reigns. 
 
 But then Crown Prince Frederick wrote his name 
 across his upright photograph "Frederick," and had my 
 cousin the Consul General from Greece to Denmark (his 
 own country), Julius Holmbald, send it over to me with 
 Julius' own latest. They are framed together in my salon. 
 
 When we were bidded for a visit to "Wegeholm," where 
 once again Therese and Robert welcomed us, I quietly 
 reminded him : "I have come back, Robert, as I promised, 
 though you with your earnest and kindly wishes, deemed 
 it impossible." 
 
 The delight of those days ! Our rides, our drives, our 
 wanderings over the farmlands!
 
 MRS. O. W. C. SCHACK 
 
 'Mother of the (4) Schackii." Who Like "Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchii, 
 Desired Above be on the Tombstone, as We all Four had her Brown Eyes.
 
 In Life's Journey 199 
 
 In Robert's office, he was consulted, and dubbed the 
 "young father" of his farmers, who paid yearly so much 
 for the leasing out of Robert's lands, and then, over and 
 above their wants, they deposited their surplus funds in 
 the bank which Robert built. 
 
 Through all these utility buildings, Mamma and 1 
 proudly walked baside that adorable pair of lovers. 
 Therese so fair and stately, with a perpetual twinkle in 
 her clear blue eyes; Robert, the princely figure, in his 
 dark brown velvet coat and pumps, his fine limbs well 
 stockinged and shod in harmony. And when his wife 
 would seat herself in the court drawing room, accompany- 
 ing his songs, his voice, rich and mellow in its perfect 
 training, a rare tenor like my father's, I watched mamma 
 draw in her breath and listen entranced. 
 
 She was well placed in His Majesty King Oscar of 
 Sweden's specially reserved suite of rooms, for yearly he 
 and his suite came for stag hunting through their pre- 
 serves.
 
 200 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 A diplomatic dinner was given, and my Cousin Julius 
 came over for it. He was placed opposite my seat at the 
 dinner table. 
 
 I had dropped one of my white slippers large for me. 
 When I later put my foot down, feeling for it, it was 
 gone. A twinkle in Julius' eye opposite (always in for 
 a joke), I guessed he had slipped his long limb quickly 
 under, and slyly, as he felt it, he whisked away my foot 
 covering, while, as the moments drew near for rising, I 
 could note his enjoyment of my discomforture. 
 
 A swinging hit on my ankle, and lo, I had it back, just 
 in time ! 
 
 Therese and Robert drove us to a rare old Swedish 
 silver-curio shop, and many lovely bits did mamma pur- 
 chase. 
 
 The afternoon prior to our departure, they presented 
 my mother with an exquisite amethyst brooch in the 
 shape of a heart of three finely cut extra large amethysts, 
 surrounded with pearls and a tiny tail as a stem, reminded 
 one that it might also represent a three-leafed clover. 
 
 Their gift to me was a Swedish cup with date 1700, 
 and some initials in succession. In the peasants families 
 of former years 'twas the custom to inscribe below the 
 parent owners' initials that of the daughter next in 
 descent, and so on down. They are handed down as wed- 
 ding gifts. 
 
 This was our last sight of and farewell to "Wegeholm." 
 
 Off we drove, leaving the noble cousins to make ready 
 for the following day for King Oscar and his suite, for
 
 In Life's Journey 201 
 
 which Robeit had whispered to me: ''Constance, it is a 
 great honor, but a little expensive !" 
 
 We were en route for Stockholm, truly the "Venice of 
 the North!" 
 
 There, on that late afternoon, in the big Cursaal tea 
 garden, sat Dr. George Lefferts in company with Mr. and 
 Mrs. George DeWitt of New York. 
 
 They exclaimed: "Oh! you dears! you must come on 
 board with us and sail off to wonderful St. Petersburg. 
 The Fair is on at Nijni Novgorod!" 
 
 So, after obtaining our special permit, and with their 
 court courier, we passed one more day of enjoyment in 
 Stockholm, and again went through the winter palace, its- 
 private sitting rooms, inspected all their courtly Lares 
 and Penate ; thence, out to the summer palace, where from 
 the windows of the second floor, we looked out upon the 
 terraced gardens like those at Versailles a perfect repro- 
 duction in fact all but the "playing of the waters." 
 
 At the foot of the staircase, stoor His Majesty, King 
 Oscar himself, Alpine hat in hand, to greet us as Cousin 
 Robert's cousins. 
 
 That is another delightful memory! 
 
 We slept the sleep of the just at The Hotel de 1'Europe, 
 after the pleasing experience of crossing by daylight and 
 re-crossing by night the interesting canal which runs 
 through that beautiful City of Bridges across said water, 
 quite, as I before stated, like Venice.
 
 202 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER XLVI. 
 
 Off, from Stockholm to St. Petersburg, kind Dr. Lef- 
 ferts chaiged himself with all the labor of securing the 
 best of couriers (in some way related to one of the higher 
 attendants in the Czar's Palace) . 
 
 As the ship upon which we embarked neared the Rus- 
 sian half-way port, we noticed the first drflske, or Rus- 
 sian small carriage, with its coachman in his heavy 
 cloth, greenish colored coat, edged with a strip of crim- 
 son ; his head topped with one of their black beaver hats, 
 cut only half the usual height, giving a really odd ex- 
 pression to that style of tall hat. 
 
 We were allowed an hour's halt, and engaged one of 
 these drdskes for a drive to various peasant cottages to 
 see their life and customs. 
 
 Back to the ship we hied to sleep, to be awakened at 
 4:30 A. M. 
 
 Quickly dressed, curiosity and expectation drew us up 
 on deck; and as the sun burst forth, while gazing ahead, 
 the real gold covered dome of St. Isaac's church or cathe- 
 dral, loomed up before our eyes. 
 
 The sun struck full upon it, dazzling us with its wonder 
 of glistening light. 
 
 On landing, and after the perfunctory customs-house 
 examination, we were quartered in the Grand Hotel de 
 1'Europe, where we matured our plans. 
 
 Wandering through the mazes of streets lined with 
 cotton covered bazaars, wares of all sorts and values, we 
 examined the unique Russian enameled spoons (jeweled 
 sometimes), tea-strainers in rich dark blue and gold, one 
 of which I have a beauty.
 
 In Life's Journey 203 
 
 Purchases were made freely, till at last we landed in a 
 tea house, where stood on a pedestal in a corner of the 
 room, a tall huge samovar of brass, with red hot, live 
 coals brought inborn time to time, in claW-shaped large 
 iron fire tongs, by Russian peasant maids-in-waiting, 
 capped and prettily costumed, who replenished the dying 
 
 coals linmrht in frnm tiinr 1ir linn-, in il Inipnd larj^ 
 
 at boiling point. 
 
 Slices of lemon in the hot tea, were served in tall 
 glasses, and seveial times replenished. 
 
 Mr. deWitt was deeply impressed by the container and 
 with the conviction that he must purchase a large samo- 
 var, upon which he seemed sure that happiness depended. 
 That was the next subject to be considered. 
 
 Mamma and I were impressed when noting the devout 
 worshippers move in numbers, of the male sex rather than 
 of women, at St. Isaac's cathedral, where we sat the next 
 morning taking it all in. 
 
 There, we first saw Ikons, and like Roman Catholics, 
 the worshippers knelt before them. 
 
 Mamma secured an Ikon, a fine porcelain, painted and 
 brass-framed picture of the Madonna and Christ-child; 
 where the face of the mother, then one hand, the head 
 and feet of the Christ-child, showed in those places 
 where the brass was cut out. 
 
 We chose a very pretty frame, also a brass branch of 
 openwork design to screw into the side wall of her Turk- 
 ish room at home, which room is filled with embroidered 
 cloth seated arm-chairs and others in her New York 
 house. From that bracket on a strong brass chain a hang- 
 ing lamp contains a crimson glass cup within, to hold its 
 chunky candle customarily kept ever burning by Rus- 
 sians in front of their Ikons.
 
 204 Personal Experiences 
 
 Mr. DeWitt with the courier in attendance, next morn- 
 ing found just a samovar to his liking. He went from 
 one end of the city to the other, in search of the place 
 where he could entrust it to a transferring express com- 
 pany lingering to have it well encased. 
 
 That little enterprise depleted his pockets of "just fifty 
 dollars," he said; but he and pretty Mrs. DeWitt laugh- 
 ingly spoke of the real fun and pleasure they were to 
 have with it in New York. 
 
 Odd how, after their safe return home, they waited 
 long (though it was supposed to have gone ahead of them) 
 in vain ! 
 
 Searchers on this side, and in St. Petersburg were em- 
 ployed ; never up to this day has a sight of it been granted 
 to either of them! 
 
 As to the Ikon's fate, we packed it nicely in the very 
 bottom of soft things in a trunk or box, and it hangs in 
 my own second and crimson-walled drawing room in 
 Washington, D. C.
 
 In Life's Journey 205 
 
 CHAPTER XLVII. 
 
 The winter palace had just been the scene of a birth- 
 day anniversary of the Crown Prince. 
 
 The Vienese glasses, golden and silver plates, with nap- 
 kins aside of them, lay upon the table from which we 
 had heard the royal personages arise, and file out of those 
 doo-s to the grand salon, while we were quietly ushered 
 in by another priviledged entrance. 
 
 One of their royal fetes, was next to be celebrated 
 that very evening out, at Tzarsko Zelo, the little palace 
 beyond the park along which we were being rapidly driv- 
 en, noting on either side, overhead (at equal distances 
 beside the telegraph wire), hanging Chinese lanterns, to 
 be lighted that night for the royal cortege to pass to the 
 said palace. 
 
 We reached the little stream which separated it from 
 us, and were surprised to find only a small wooden move- 
 able bridge (over which we in turn crossed). It was 
 pulled back and forth by a round very thick rope running 
 through rings on the railing of this narrow and short 
 lengthed bridge. 
 
 Soon we each landed on the Palace side of terra firma, 
 looking back curiously at that novel construction, by 
 which we should have to return. 
 
 After our inspection of the lovely Palace, we were 
 led out to some prettily wrought iron benches, beneath 
 finely leaved iron-trees. These were ordered by one of the 
 Russian queens, who was elevated to her queenship from 
 a peasant possessing rich wondrous beauty. And in order 
 to visit her fine humor and facetious spleen upon some 
 of her lady subjects, she would conduct them, or perhaps
 
 206 Personal Experiences 
 
 have them led to these benches, ordered to be seated, 
 and then in an instant, a fine spraying of drops of water 
 from every leaf on those small trees, would drench them 
 nolens or volens to her gleesomeness. 
 
 We were next led to a tree called "The George Washing- 
 ton Tree." Planted from the slip of a famous tree over 
 in this country which is authentically known to have 
 been planted by our President Washington. 
 
 From this Russian tree we each were given a leaf, and 
 mine I pressed in my red leather scrap book. 
 
 They told how Peter the Great was wont to retire and, 
 while whittling with his knife, he built the boat, which is 
 exhibited still perfect, within the hut which he also built 
 and lived in very frugally. 
 
 At the triangular left hand corner, facing the doorway, 
 has existed for a long time a most cleverly constructed 
 altar. Draped with fine Russian lace, handsome candel- 
 abra, with many candles and holy objects on those small 
 shelves; cleverly built up from a broad base to a point 
 triangularly reaching the ceiling of the corner. 
 
 A stalwart priest in robes (who lives there) appeared, 
 and in conversation remarked : "More worshippers and 
 more tribute moneys are annually received here at this 
 altar than in any city church." 
 
 Peter the Great's father, Alexander, had indulged in 
 an odd pleasure : 
 
 A space on the capitol palace floor was pointed out to 
 us, whereon two beautifully constructed coffins had rested 
 for several years until his demise. And into which it was 
 his wont to daily escort his queen, and bade her lie down 
 within it to show how she would appear, when reposing 
 there after she should have actually passed away. 
 
 He also treated himself frequently to that gruesome 
 experiment.
 
 In Life's Journey 207 
 
 CHAPTER XLVII1. 
 
 We hastened back to the city, for Dr. Left'erts and the 
 Dewitts were off for Nijni Novgarod and Moscow, 
 while we were due in Berlin, thence to Paris, where 
 mamma had engaged an apartment for one month before 
 catching our steamer to New York. 
 
 Before leaving Stockholm for Russia, we had sent 
 all our trunks (but one large brass bound) to Denmark, 
 for they had been preparing for our return to my father- 
 land. 
 
 With two expensive tickets to Berlin, I was to obtain 
 our stateroom on the train, about to start upon a thirty- 
 eight hour ride to Berlin. In line I stood, and once at 
 that desk, I was told "twelve dollars for extra luggage." 
 "What?" said I I could not credit the clerk's demand 
 while disgustedly fumbling for my gold coins, when a 
 comely gentleman spoke at my elbow : "Mademoiselle, 
 permit me to serve you. Twelve dollars, the overweight 
 charges are heavy ; everyone is allowed only fifty pounds 
 of luggage, and your two tickets allow but 100 pounds 
 they naturally charge as they like. I always carrry my 
 strong carpet-bag, paying boys a few pennies from cars 
 to conveyances, for I collect many books in my travels and 
 they weigh, you know. So I am sorry to say you will 
 have to pay that twelve dollars." 
 
 Thanking him, I drew forth those cherished coins, 
 pathetically parting with them. 
 
 Once seated in our compartment, mamma and I espied 
 outside our windows in a vendor's hand, delightful look- 
 ing nectarines, grapes and plums grouped together in 
 their little wooden holders.
 
 208 Personal Experiences 
 
 We looked out longingly. That same gentleman had 
 seen us, and brought in a basket, quickly remarking: 
 "Allow me to bring them in instead of the vendor and 
 I will go now to get one for myself." 
 
 We placed the cash in his hand and thanked him. 
 
 While the train sped along, a figure stood in our 
 doorway, along the green carpeted little corridor running 
 aside of all our compartments a voice from the smiling 
 cavalier: "I have no one to introduce me but here is my 
 card." It read : "Captain Lumley of Lumley Castle, the 
 Queen's Secret Messenger." 
 
 He proved a most delightful traveling companion, and 
 relieved us of all orders for the German servants. 
 
 Much to the sorrow of our whole party of Danish and 
 Swedish relatives, we just had to change all our plans by 
 having gone to Russia so unexpectedly. Unable to fill 
 our engagements with them, we had telegraphed to for- 
 ward our trunks which they had kindly been holding for 
 us in Copenhagen, and to freight our luggage to Berlin, 
 for which they mailed us the checks. 
 
 What a hunt for them after due time for their arrival. 
 Captain Lumley proved a trump ! In a carriage we drove 
 far, far off to their depositing depot, and after a number 
 of days of primal inquiries, we discovered their resting 
 place and engaged a trusty man who safely conveyed them 
 to the train for Paris, sending them wisely again by 
 freight. 
 
 We had read of the walks and beauty of Unter der Lin- 
 den, but how overrated all that had been! It seemed 
 from our hotel, a convenient starting point only for our 
 little expeditions, and returns to good repasts. 
 
 Final adieus made, we were off for Paris !
 
 MISS ANNIE CUTTING 
 
 Daughter of the Beautiful Mrs. Hexward Cutting of New York and Paris. 
 Now Madame Constantinevitch.
 
 In Life's Journey 211 
 
 CHAPTER XLIX. 
 
 He. e our life-long friend, Mrs. Hey ward Cutting always 
 beautiful and witty, with her lovely daughter, now Mme. 
 Constantinovitch, met us and were perfectly devoted. 
 Their luxurious apartment on the Champs Elysees No. 
 73, was the scene of delightful treats, music, happy 
 reminiscenses, and helped us greatly on our shopping ex- 
 peditions. 
 
 A devoted Viscount, planned the most enchanting trips 
 to Fontainblau, Versailles, on Sundays, for only on that 
 day did they turn on the pipes and have "the playing 
 of the waters" in marvelously lovely forms all the way 
 down the terraced heights of its gardens. To, oh so many 
 charming places did he take us. 
 
 On our return from Cluny, one Sunday afternoon, a 
 number of persons stood without our apartment building 
 not daring to enter the rez de chausse, or apartment level 
 with the street, while smoke was pouring out through the 
 closed and locked windows and door. 
 
 Not a fireman could presume to make an entry. No, 
 indeed. The Paris laws forbade any entrance by any 
 one unless the family or occupant were there and opened 
 unto them. 
 
 We three sat on the staircase, pondering; not daring 
 to go up for fear the fire might burst forth, and as we 
 were on the fifth floor, to be trapped up there did not 
 appeal to us. The Viscount suddenly exclaimed : "I never 
 realized that we French could have any stupid laws, but 
 now I see how perfectly ridiculous and unreasonable this 
 law is and meanwhile how that fire is amusing itself! 
 Mamma and I smiled broadly, for his was a comic view 
 to take.
 
 212 Personal Experiences 
 
 After a long three quarters of an hour the family 
 returned to allow extinguishers and water to destroy some 
 of their belongings, but at last the fire was out, and no 
 further danger to us. 
 
 Viscount d'Hauterive gave us a superb dinner at "The 
 Lion d'Orr" everything served on gilded service. The 
 statuary, rare, wrought vases, etc., were a surprise. 
 
 Dinner and theatre boxes to hear the two Coquelins in 
 comedies; to the grand opera, where we sat and listened 
 for the twenty-ninth time to a magnificent presentation 
 of Gounod's "Faust," and Verdi's "Aida" and Wagner's 
 "Lohengren." 
 
 We had the good fortune to be taken to an almost un- 
 noticeable door (but only by rare and special permit) in 
 the very heart of Paris, where one of the Louis had had 
 constructed a veritable reproduction of a Pompeiian 
 palace, with its rich, vermillion-colored and wall panelled 
 porphoy pillars, its square marble baths, sunk beneath 
 the level of the floor. 
 
 The magnificent, gigantic, seated statues in fine carved 
 white marble chairs of the great kings Solomon and David 
 with their profoundest expressions of wisdom placed 
 on either side of the decorated space in the great square 
 central hall. 
 
 Upstairs, were daintily fitted-out boudoirs and bed- 
 rooms for the King to enjoy; and the wondrous appoint- 
 ments for dining and wining his favorite court circle, 
 when he sought rest and diversion. 
 
 At the Cluny palace, a small building, were lace ex- 
 hibits of exquisitely needled laces for sale. Mamma was 
 an especial connoisseuse on laces, her eyes were very 
 discerning.
 
 COUNT CHARLES D'HAUTRIVE OF FRANCE 
 My First Fiance. C. S. Gracie.
 
 In Life's Journey 215 
 
 The Viscounte was wont to exclaim enthusiastically: 
 "Votre belle, et spirituelle mere, eMine lueur dans ses 
 yeux bruns, qui parle vivement!" 
 
 He was quite as lovely to her as to myself, but such 
 extravagant tastes as he was afflicted with. 
 
 I decided (as we fled to Hombourg and to other places 
 to which he hied in search of us always to learn that 
 we had left a day or two previous) to finally write him, 
 and I thus closed that chapter. Kind, generous and 
 chivalrous cavalier, he married, some years after a 
 divorced May his soul rest in peace. He has gone to 
 that bourne from which no traveler returns.
 
 In Lije's Journey 217 
 
 CHAPTER L. 
 
 Mis. Cutting influenced us to t.ip off to Hombourg. 
 The King, Albert Edwaid, was there with his suite; 
 Queen Alexandra was in England. 
 
 He sat just above us in the Coursalle. He was wont 
 to invite, through his aide, a few ladies and gentlemen 
 to dine with His Majesty. 
 
 The dinner over, a tray was always passed to the guests, 
 and seven francs was collected from each one. An origi- 
 nal custom, after obeying a command to dine with His 
 Majesty, the then King of England. 
 
 At six of the clock each morning we were all down at 
 the spring either to drink or to see others drink of those 
 waters ; we did not. 
 
 But, from His Majesty down to civilians, ladies and 
 gentlemen, many drank for healing purposes. 
 
 A lovely looking newly-wed, Mrs. K and her proud 
 
 young husband had arrived, with quarters just opposite 
 the handsome stone villa in which the Giberts of New 
 York were quartered. 
 
 His Majesty had set his eyes upon that sweet bride 
 and ordered that he should, each morning at the springs, 
 lead the procession of walking .couples with her as his 
 partner. Two and two, everyone walked for half an hour 
 between drinking each glass of water. 
 
 One day, we all stood in the Gibert's grounds with a 
 camera, and as His Majesty appeared and his feet sped 
 toward the young bride's apartments opposite, we caught 
 a snap shot of him, and one of these photos I have in a 
 brass oblong frame in my drawing room table inscribed 
 thus :
 
 218 Personal Experiences 
 
 "His Majesty, King Edward, in rapid strides, to cross 
 the street for his visit to Mrs. K ." 
 
 He gave orders that it is customary for the husband to 
 absent himself when His Majesty calls upon his lady. 
 
 This was reported to the bridegroom's home in Eng- 
 land, and promptly came a telegram from his father: 
 "All income ceases at once if you do not immediately re- 
 turn home," which they did. 
 
 I also have a group of ourselves taken at the Gibert's 
 gateway. 
 
 The following incident of the former Mrs. James 
 Urquhart Potter relates to her sending a note to beautiful 
 much admiied and respected Mrs. George Peabody Wet- 
 moie, wife of Senator Wetmore from Rhode Island. 
 
 Mrs. Wetmore was out when mamma and I were 
 ushered into their Hombourg apartment. 
 
 Mr. Wetmore advanced to greet us saying that Mrs. 
 Wetmore had been suffering with a terrible headache, 
 and had gone walking; since when a note has been sent 
 awaiting her eturn ; a second one has followed, inquiring 
 why had not Mrs. Wetmore answered the invitation ten- 
 dered through Mrs. Potter by His Majesty King Edward 
 to join him with Mrs. Potter at luncheon ; but he said that 
 he was unable to send Mrs. Wetmore's answer until her 
 return. 
 
 A third messenger met Mrs. W. as she re-entered her 
 quarters. It was passed out by the indignant Mrs. Pot- 
 ter that Mrs. Wetmore had written that she must decline 
 the luncheon invitation, as she never accepted invita- 
 tions where other gentlemen were, which did not include 
 her husband.
 
 MRS. GEORGE PEABODY WETMORE 
 I'n Pau-Bassc Pyrinaes, France. Wife of the Senator from Rhode Islam

 
 In Life's Journey 221 
 
 His sister Mary, the adorable Duchess of Teck, en- 
 thused over the noble and womanly stand which Mrs. 
 Wetmoie had taken, which elevated our lovely Mrs. Wet- 
 more to a high standard of New York womanhood, and 
 set a noble example to her compatriots. 
 
 We were wont to go into Hamburg at the little 5 P. M. 
 railroad train for seven o'clock operas, returning to Hom- 
 bourg in good time that same night. 
 
 We spent some days in the city and stood upon the 
 bridge which divides the old town and the new Ham- 
 buig a very quaint city on one side, and on the other a 
 bright active new Hamburg. 
 
 At night, from the hotel piazza., it presented a lovely 
 scenic effect with myriads of lighted boats and points of 
 moorage and the sky full of stars with a brilliant moon. 
 
 There at the hotel we met Mr. and Mrs. de Courcey 
 May, one of the brothers of Mr. Henry May of Baltimo:e 
 and Washington, the brothers having married the two 
 Misses Coleman. Mrs. May and my mother became so 
 attached to each other that our travels were again de- 
 flected to Wiesbaden. 
 
 Time was growing short. Old silver inspections and 
 collections filled the last day of our shopping travellers, 
 then to Paris we speeded, collected our completed outfits, 
 caught our steamer, and at last we reached New York.
 
 222 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER LI. 
 
 Oh! how hot was the shore atmosphere! Friends in 
 greeting us, advised Bar Harbor. 
 
 We obtained a cottage on the road-sidenear the beau- 
 tiful bay attached by a grape-harbor to the side of the 
 Newport Hotel, where we, my Aunt Helen Jackson, dainty 
 and pretty, with my greatly admired mother established 
 themselves. 
 
 This brings back a pretty vivid scene from opposite, 
 we thought, just two days after our arrival, comfortably 
 unpacked and settled. 
 
 In the night, out of a profound sleep, I awoke. The 
 sound of crackling wood struck my ears, a bright light 
 through the shutter slats, flames across the narrow 
 street. 
 
 There stood, wrapped in flames, a wooden hotel of three 
 stories a dry old wooden structure. 
 
 An Italian workman frankly explained that he had lit 
 his pipe, threw the match on the floor, and fell asleep; 
 and while he heavily slept, a blaze indeed had burst forth 
 which nearly overpowered him. 
 
 The wind was toward our cottage my room faced that 
 way. 
 
 Across the corridor and around the circular rail of the 
 stairway I went and awakened both mother and aunt. 
 
 In their dark rooms only lighted by the light from the 
 hall I helped them dress, and assisted them down stairs, 
 saying that I would follow soon. 
 
 To the beds of each in turn I went and off with a sheet, 
 which I laid upon the floor; I opened the wardrobes and 
 bureau drawers.
 
 In Life's Journey 223 
 
 Gowns, shoes, coats and parasols, with hats all were 
 thrown in with lightening rapidity, tied, and on "my 
 deadly left wrist," I drafed them along. 
 
 Three times in turn a^id down those stairs I deposited 
 the fruits of my labor upon the piazza. 
 
 Then for the silver! Back into the .steamer trunk I 
 quietly packed it as carefully as my remaning wits helped 
 me to do for afrming shouts came through the windows 
 "here's another ball of fire on the roof." Five brands 
 fell on our roof in succession while I listened to the sound 
 of ladders being placed at the side of our cottage. 
 
 Firemen were taking up blankets soaked in water to 
 lay on our roof. 
 
 My aunt had sometimes stated that she would always 
 know just what to do and where to lay her hands on her 
 things of value in case of fire. 
 
 I had found that in her haste on this occasion, her 
 waist bag of jewelry had remained quietly hanging on 
 the back of her bedroom chair I carefully placed it in the 
 silver trunk and dragged that also down stairs. 
 
 My wrist for ten days was sore and sadly strained. 
 
 Mr. Allen Townsend appeared saying "Your Aunt 
 Helen is safe up at our hotel with mother, and she has 
 saved an ivory hair brush which she tenderly holds in 
 her hand; while I promised to run down and let you 
 know where she is." 
 
 I heard the following morning that at the Newport, 
 flying cinders ignited the roofs and piazza sheds beneath 
 bedroom windows; and that pitchers and basins with 
 the water in them had been thrown out by excited guests. 
 Funny pictures were drawn of excited ladies in various 
 costumes, hopelessly appearing in dread of the worst, 
 only to finally retire and assemble again at late break- 
 fast and compare notes.
 
 224 Personal Experiences 
 
 A house thief had made his first and only appearance 
 at Bar Harbor. 
 
 One of New York's yacht owners had just had his 
 family's cottage piazza-roof painted and oiled his idea 
 of making it fire-proof. 
 
 Oddly enough that rendered it most slippery for a 
 robber, who (after the family with their young lady guest 
 had retired, with lights out) had climbed a trellis and 
 entering that same young lady's room, grabbed up the 
 jewelry on her bureau, which awoke her. 
 
 She dashed for the arm of the thief and held on, till 
 through the window, his hasty retreat slid him too quickly 
 off that slippeiy oiled roof, resulting in a sprained ankle. 
 
 The following day he was discovered in hiding, as well 
 as in pain, beneath the piazza of a lady's cottage adjacent 
 to our "Newport Villa." 
 
 She tremulously recounted the fact to us saying: "Only 
 think! There I sat at my desk writing letters all that 
 evening, unconscious of my danger." 
 
 The thief met his deserts. 
 
 Witty Mr. Irving Ball of Philadelphia, who was pleased 
 to fiequently call and make me his confidante in his 
 courtship of a young lady across at Sorento, appeared 
 the following afternoon with a terrible looking "Wooden 
 Brainer" (he called it) and had painted on it scarlet 
 letters "Burglar Exterminator." Its appearance caused 
 much merriment. He had dug up a tree-root, leaving 
 its shaip points, polished the wood, after scraping it 
 pure white with dashes of black and scarlet, then painted 
 on the following clever verse : 
 
 "Thrice is he blest who hath his quarrel just 
 But four times he who gets his blow in fust."
 
 In Life's Journey 225 
 
 There is a neat cap of silver with a ring through it to 
 hang it by one's bed or fireside, where it rests in my 
 Washington home. I show it to my friends sometimes and 
 have a good laugh over the incident. 
 
 Upon my wall also hangs a lovely water-color which 
 he painted of a Bar Harbor nook. 
 
 He certainly was deft with his fingers. Out of a 
 piece of oak he carved a long, more than square, box, 
 polished it, had a Bar Harbor jeweller carve four silver 
 topped edges and a tiny silver lock and key; then filled 
 it with ivory, red and blue chips, and packs of cards. 
 
 Accompanied by his friend, an orange grove owner 
 from Florida, they taught us the game of boaston, a 
 very clever game. 
 
 Most agreeable acquaintances were they to all three of 
 us. 
 
 From the orange grove the following winter came a 
 case of luscious fruit. 
 
 Mr. Ball married the gifted young lady, who seconds 
 him in all his aims and ambitions. He said that his 
 father was wont to boast that none of his ancestors had 
 ever been "in trade."
 
 226 Personal Experiences 
 
 CHAPTER LIL 
 
 Two months later, with the vivid memory of my father's 
 superb features and of my Danish cousin, the consul- 
 geneial from Greece to Denmark, Julius Holmblad, I met 
 his prototype at a delightful Sunday night dinner given 
 by the William Rhinelanders. An extremely handsome 
 man, of soldierly bearing and magnetic blue eyes, was 
 Archibald Gracie, IV, whose resemblance to my afore- 
 mentioned relatives was startling ! 
 
 Having granted himself two months' vacation on a 
 return from a number of years of duty spent in the 
 west, Mr. and Mrs. Rhinelander and their two sons 
 Oakley and Philip, had persuaded him to pass that peiiod 
 of time with them as their house guest. 
 
 Sunday evenings were the only ones for which social 
 engagements and dances could not claim those two sons, 
 as they gave a weekly treat to their parents on that night. 
 Home gatherings bi ought a number of their chums, who 
 always dropped in later for music and supper. Philip 
 played the piano charmingly. He and his darling young 
 wife (nee Adelaide Ktp) always entertained us with 
 little informal dancing and supper at their apartment 
 twice a week following the Seventh Regiment drills, which 
 all their chums attended. 
 
 They were sure to meet at these Sunday evening re- 
 unions, Philip Livingston, Andrew Bibby, the Wainwright 
 brothers and jolly Mr. Henry Trevor, then courting his 
 wife to be. 
 
 For thirty days, luncheons, including both girls and our 
 young men ; afternoon teas, and musicales, dinner parties 
 opera box-parties, followed by cotillions in which figures
 
 Ml'SS MARY BARBEY 
 
 Mr. Alfred Seton 3 Months Before Gracies and Whose Bridal 
 Veil Miss S. Wore.
 
 In Life's Journey 229 
 
 were bestowed lovely souvenirs followed in quick suc- 
 cession. 
 
 All these gatherings threw Archibald Gracie and me 
 continually together until his host inquired of him one 
 night: "Are you going Schacking this evening?" which 
 he laughingly repeated to me. We played indoor-tennis 
 at our Badminton Club; and one afternoon just prior to 
 Colonel Gracie's offering himself, he was standing down 
 at the end of the opposite court with a young lady part- 
 ner, Mr. John Hadden and I for doubles at the top of the 
 court. Mr. Hadden had finished his service, and it was 
 my turn to take the balls, but so enthusiastic was he 
 that with his unusually long arms he whanged back his 
 own racket in my face so desirous to retrieve the oppo- 
 nent's ball played to me. Deep into the side of my brow 
 and bone between the eyes cut his deadly racket blow. 
 The blood poured down my face and shirtwaist. 
 
 Promptly I called for hot water to cleanse it out and 
 stop the flow of gore, so that the lips of the wound might 
 absolutely meet. They did, but the bone-cut has left a 
 long indention like a deep one line frown, a mark for 
 life. 
 
 Preparation for, and the wedding itself, occured on 
 the 22nd of April, 1890, in Calvary Episcopal Church, 
 wherein my grandfather, with his four neighbor chums, 
 had subscribed for their pew, while watching its stone 
 pillars and construction in process of erection, namely: 
 Messrs. Lawrence Whittemore, Samuel Baldwin, Samuel 
 Bradhurst and Dr. Heath. 
 
 Those five friends had also purchased lots beside each 
 other, and had their houses of brown stone in East 25th 
 Street built in a row. With eighteen heads tor each 
 house, placed on the top sides of every door and of each 
 window all the way up carved out of brown stone, rep-
 
 230 Personal Experiences 
 
 resenting the head and covering of Dante, Plutarch, 
 Nero, and 12 Roman Emperors, Shakespeare, etc. Two 
 heads of which, after the beloved home of our grand- 
 father was sold with the others and taken down, I had 
 encased and freighted to Washington, D. C., and inserted 
 in the stone architrave on either side of our front door, 
 1527 Sixteenth Street. 
 
 In Calvary Church then, we two, Archibald Gracie 
 and Constance Elise Schack, presented ourselves before 
 Bishop Saterlee, assisted by Bishop Darlington. 
 
 As the question was put to the soldierly groom "Wilt 
 thou," a prompt and loud "I will" resounded down through 
 the church aisle, and a startling remark from a relative 
 later was : 
 
 "The way that the groom answered 'I will' showed that 
 he wanted you badly, Constance!" 
 
 I, at that time being in deep mourning for my recently 
 lost brother Rudolph Wilhelm Schack, could only write 
 informal notes of invitation to two hundred families of 
 our most intimate New York friends. To occupy, as we 
 supposed, twenty long pews on either side at the top of 
 the huge church. Instead of which, the kind friends and 
 acquaintances crowded to the doors pushing past our 
 ushers insisting, they said : "We will see Constance Schack 
 married !" And the church to our amazement was packed 
 with smiling faces and every one attired in their best. 
 
 Also were we surprised and touched at our invited 200, 
 for each of those families sent a handsome gift, and 
 eleven beautiful silver tributes came from Sweden and 
 Denmark. 
 
 Their Majesties had permitted the court jeweller to 
 reproduce their Danish tankard without the jewels around 
 its bowl but finely raised traceries instead lined with 
 gold and presented by my uncle and aunt Etatsraad and
 
 
 MISS CONSTANCE SCHACK 
 When Engaged to Archibald Gracie, November
 
 ARCHIBALD GRACIE IV 
 On His -Bridal Day to Miss Schack.
 
 FIRST BISHOP OF WASHINGTON 
 
 Who Assisted Bishop Darlington United Miss Constance Schack to 
 Archibald Gracie IV, in Calvary Church, New York 
 City, April 22, 1890.
 
 In Life's Journey 237 
 
 Etatsraadinefc Holmblad Cousin Julius and his wife 
 these four. It was a beautiful souvenir! 
 
 When we mysteriously told the ushers, who escorted 
 us to the carriage, that we were going to British posses- 
 sions and that our coachman knew where to convey us, 
 they exclaimed, "Oh! we know to Canada Canada!" 
 
 Not so, though; Sir Roderick Cameron was a British 
 subject. 
 
 He and his generous hospitable family had placed their 
 lovely country seat "Clifton Rarley" at Staten Island, at 
 our disposal for a six weeks' wedding trip, and reaching 
 there, the evening papers were handed to us with the 
 headlines which read: "Beauty hard to win, surrenders 
 at discretion to Archibald Grade." 
 
 Among the wedding gifts Mr. and Mrs. John C. Wilmer- 
 ding had sent from his choice wine cellar a bottle of 
 "Archibald Grade" Madeira, brought over in cases by my 
 husband's great-grandfather, Archibald Gracie I, whose 
 merchant ships plied the seas, and the ship which was 
 laden with these cases was named after him. His friends 
 in New York had bought up all the said cases, of which 
 that one remaining bottle owned by Mr. Wilmerding came 
 to us, and was opened in the presence of our little family 
 wedding group, and drunk in small libations with rever- 
 ence and gusto. 
 
 A son of Mr. Edward Bell, also of old New York, ere 
 he died, sent my husband a courtly note with Mr. Gordon 
 Bell's "affectionate regards" and his own "last bottle of 
 rare old Archibald Gracie Madeira" which he suggested 
 should be kept for our daughter's wedding celebration. 
 
 Of all my four babies my fourth lived to be married, 
 and the sacred ceremony presided over by our faithful 
 friend in sorrow and in joy the Right Reverend Bishop 
 Darlington in response to his own special request so 
 soon as he learned of her engagement.
 
 238 Personal Experiences 
 
 The fair young great-granddaughter received from my 
 hand the last bottle of Archibald Gracie Madeira within 
 the quiet of our library room. She filled the wine glasses 
 on the tray and lifted each 'one in tuin, handed it with a 
 grace all her own, first to me and her fiance, then to her 
 Matron of Honor, Mrs. Harry Flood, and to her brides- 
 maids, our house guests. The liquid amber glistened as 
 with pretty thought she passed her bridegroom's wrist 
 within her own, and they with glass in hand gazing into 
 each other's eyes partook of the ancestral vintage of 
 the seventeen hundreds. 
 
 Finally arrayed in her wedding gown and point lace 
 (inherited fiom the Temple side of my mother's family 
 and loaned by her beautiful Aunt Augusta Temple Schack 
 Button), my child sent Mrs. Harry Flood to summon me 
 to her side. 
 
 In the center of our 1527 Sixteenth Street drawing room 
 a vision of loveliness with gentle modesty upon her face 
 stood before me and a tender voice spoke: "I sent for 
 you mamma to say 'good-bye' ; when you see me again I 
 will no longer be Edith Gracie." 
 
 These words rang in my ears as a sweetly original 
 thought, and I tenderly embraced my precious child. 
 
 Arriving at Washington's most beautiful St. Thomas 
 Church, my pew, the first on the left, was also occupied by 
 fine old Admiral J. Edgar Craig, and our devoted friend 
 f$&$&& Cassard, who persuaded me to write this^lKjok 
 and have it published. He, with his music-loving sat 
 there with head bowed listening to our darling's organ 
 selections of Faust, Aida's triumphal march, and all the 
 overtures which she knew had been played at her parents' 
 wedding, were being played to a full church assemblage 
 of friends, who awaited the signal for the arirval of the 
 bridal cortege. My daughter had selected the same service
 
 SIR RODERICK CAMERON. OF CLIFTON 
 Who Placed His Estate at Archibald's Disposal for 
 Honeymoon, April 22nd. 
 
 LEY 
 
 Six Weeks'
 
 In Life's Journey 241 
 
 that her mother had for her wedding entrance at Calvary 
 Church, New York. The scene of her mother (bereft 
 of her own father) walking up alone, and the pealing 
 forth of our Danish-Swedish wedding march was re- 
 peated. The ushers Rev. Harry Darlington and Hanm^s 
 Taylor, Jr., Lieuts. Jack Tunstall and Louis Slade, Lin- 
 dell Bates and Mr. Smythe were followed by brides- 
 maids Adrienne Isslin and Mary Millett, Marie Louise 
 Peckham^Blodgett, Catherine Culver and Katherine 
 Peterson. 
 
 Last came the tall fair bride! 
 
 Arrayed in my own white brocaded Worth wedding 
 gown, she glided up the aisle like a swan, as Mrs. General 
 Barnett described it, with a tremulous smile on her lips, 
 as, up at the altar she noted Bishop Darlington beside 
 her childhqcls'pastor, Rector of St. Thomas' Church, the 
 Rev. Dr. C. Ernest Smith, smiling encouragement to her 
 and her young awaiting husband, who with his best man, 
 Mr. , appeared at the altar steps. 
 
 Down he dashed to her side, and taking her lily-white 
 hand led her before the Bishop. 
 
 "Who giveth this woman in marriage?" 
 
 Again was the scene of long ago repeated. I stepped 
 forward and placed her hand in that of the groom, just 
 as my own loved mother had given my hand to Archibald 
 Gracie IV. 
 
 "I now pronounce you man and wife," was climaxed by 
 the groom suddenly encircling the bride with his arm and 
 implanting a whole-souled kiss upon her truly perfect 
 "cupid-bow" mouth. 
 
 The organ's exultant tones pealed forth, as down the 
 aisle came the beaming couple, a love-glance at me, her 
 throbbing-hearted mother.
 
 242 Personal Experiences 
 
 "There's Aunt Cassie," (Mrs. JulinnJfctmes) whispered 
 the bride to Dunbar Adams her husband and "Aunt 
 Cassie's smilingly nodded her greeting, for she loved them 
 both. 
 
 All down their path fond eyes spoke to theirs until 
 their exit. 
 
 That was a famous reception at Rauscher's. Harris 
 & Ewing's artist photographer had placed his apparatus 
 distant from the dais upon which they were to stand 
 after the ceremony and as they placed themselves upon 
 it and the groom gazed earnestly upon her, she modestly 
 drooped her head and snap went the camera. 
 
 A marvelous picture was produced on the instant. A 
 very large sized one rests in front of my drawing room 
 folding doors. 
 
 After all guests had been received and welcomed by 
 myself at Rauscher's reception room and at the bridal 
 dais, the wondrously handsome pair stepped into the 
 ballroom. As he led her to the top in front of the stage 
 of musicians, the waltz music rang out. All dancers sud- 
 denly cleared the floor, and gathering across her arm the 
 court train of her gown a princess she appeared, of 
 lovely grace, with whom her proud husband danced down 
 the length of the floor and ceased only at the end of those 
 entrancing musical strains. 
 
 All is finally over and they have flown off.
 
 MRS. EDITH TEMPLE GRACIE ADAMS 
 On Her Wedding Day.
 
 In Life's Journey 245 
 
 FOR RELATIVES IN SWEDEN, DENMARK, PAU, FRANCE, 
 . ENGLAND. 
 
 A*.w m V n^rj -n <tt_ 
 Her title BtuUia'ULlllide Gravenhorst Lovenstjerne, 
 
 Helsingborg, Skane, Sweden. 
 Le Baron et Baroness Waldemar Ehrensvard, 
 
 Helsingborg, Skane, Sweden. 
 Le Captain et Mdme. Sturc Brunnstrom, 
 
 at "Stuieholm Station Royale," Sweden. 
 
 Mdme. Le Capitaine Gustaf.^Gravenhdrst Lovenst- 
 
 i $P t l HM *ibMi2CL ^ 
 
 jerne, au som de Etataraoduuie Graven- 
 horst Lovenstjerne, 
 Helsingborg, Skane, Sweden. 
 Le Capitain et Mdme. Kaufman, 
 
 Amager, Amagsbro, Danemark. 
 Mdme. Harriet Holmblad. 
 Lauritz Holmblad. 
 Mdme. Andreas Holmblad et famille, 
 
 Kjobenhavn, Danemark. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Paul Henning Fabbricius au soin Mdme. 
 
 Andreas Holmblad, 
 Kjobenhavn, Danemark. 
 
 Comte et Comtesse Marius de Gallifet au soin de, 
 Capt. et Mdme. George de Tuite, Pau, Basses 
 
 Pyrenees, France. 
 Miss Elizabeth Steele, 
 Gen. and Mrs. Julian Steele, 
 Gen. and Mrs. George Steele, 
 Col. and Mrs. Chas Steele. 
 
 Care of Miss Elizabeth Steele, 70 Eaton Square, 
 
 London, England.
 
 ERRATA 
 
 Page 47, line 1; should be son, not son-in-law. 
 Page 58, line 28; Euterpe should be capitalized. 
 Page 59, line 1 ; should be key-pattern, not key-picture. 
 Page 59, line 3; should be barege, not barige. 
 Page 65, line 7; should be Mme. Don Bern Ard's, not Bernerd's. 
 Page 69, line 13; should be corrected, not correctly. 
 Page 72, line 21 ; should be my dear sister, not now dead. 
 Page 79, line 15 ; should be shatter her life, not my life. 
 Page 82, line 15 ; should be observed by all, not to all. 
 Page 98, line 24; should be Mile., not Mme. de Liancourt. 
 Page 98, line 31 ; should be the Count, not court. 
 Page 99, Portrait of Mr. Henry May, not Mag. 
 Page 101, line 1 ; should be hidden in the wing, not ring. 
 Page 102, line 7: should be Ogston, not Agston. 
 Page 104, line 10; should be starting, not startling. 
 Page 108, line 21; should be Balmacan, not Balmaean. 
 Page 109, Portrait of Constance Elise, not Elsie. 
 Page 114, line 3; should be statues, not statutes. 
 Page 114, line 8; should be sculpture, not sculture. 
 Page 115, line 14; should be stunning, not stuning. 
 Page 119, line 4; should be Mme. Charles, not Mr. William. 
 Page 130, line 12; should be he, not she. 
 Page 130, line 13; should be Schack, not Shack. 
 Page 151, line 11; should be medaillon, not midaillon. 
 Page 167, line 5 ; should be tippling, not tipling. 
 Page 167, line 6; should be it was a very, not it was very. 
 Page 178, line 14; should be guests and host, not guest. 
 Page 184, line 13; should be sword and sash, not lash. 
 Page 201, line 10; should be Nijni Novgorod, not 'rad. 
 Page 202, line 6; should be Droske, not Draske. 
 Page 202, line 13; should be Droskes, not Draskes. 
 Page 203, line 4; should be from, not rom. 
 Page 203, line 7; should be in claw-shaped, not clan. 
 Page 212, line 18; should be Porphory, not Porphony. 
 Page 215, line 2; should be yaux, not e. 
 Page 215, line 11; should be divorcee, not divorce. 
 Page 223, line 3; should be dragged, not draged. 
 Page 223, line 6; should be remaining, not remianing. 
 Page 223, line 8; should be alarming, not alrming. 
 Page 226, line 20; should be Kip, not Kep. 
 Page 238, line 27; should be Reese Cassard, not Bessie. 
 Page 238, line 28; should be his music-loving soul (soul being 
 omitted). 
 
 Page 241, line 5; should be Harris, not Harries. 
 Page 241, line 9; should be Helen Blodgett, 1st was ommitted. 
 Page 241, line 16; should be childhood's, not childhod. 
 Page 242, line 1; should be Julian James, not Julian Jones.