The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-09
4 ROMANTIO CAREER.
The Story or Mrs. myra Clark Gaines,
the Hero Of q Famous Law Suit.


the Hero OF q Famous Law Suit.
George Alfred Townsend writes to the
Chicago Tribune:
Mrs. Gaines is the great female character in
New Orleans. She Is small, plump, bright
eyed woman, and she has been the heroine of
very heroic law suit, which she has person.
to the amount Of half million, recovering
nearly million, and with all the probabilities
in her favor OF getting million more. But
II she were to get what she would receive
under other conditions than those OF demo-
cratic public opinion, she would posgess half
the City OF New Orleans in Its most valuable
part, and be a Weather woman than Miss
Burdett-Couts.
The home of this lady Is In New York City,
but she spends much OF her time In New Or
leans, where she has strong friends and
strong enemies, almost equal In number. Her
suit has involved many Of her Intimate
friends, from whom she has borrowed money
TO pay lawyers fees and court fees. Her
second husband, General Gaines, believed
implicitly In the merits of her case, and gave
her two hundred thousand dollars to tight 1t
out. She has been twice married, and to ex-
celleut men both times; and was told there
thai the brother OF her first husband had
helped her with nearly the whole of bis funds.
There is q dash, plquance aud nimbleness
about this woman which distinguishes her as
one oil the queens Of her sex. She ls said to
for forty; and, while her education ls defec-
tive, she is natural authoress and lawyer,
and can write singing brief, where sauce
and justice are mixed together.
She is just the sort Of woman to be identi-
fed with New Orleans-provinclalis and cos
mopolitanism mngling in her as amongst
many Of these old habilans. Her mother had
married French biganist, and discovering
the fact after che reached New Orleans, pre-
sumed to marry again the great Daniel Clarke,
who was one OF the wealthiest men Of the
South. He was one Of the earliest property.
holders In New Orleans, and represented that
territory In Jeferson's administration. Clarke
was smitten with the beauty OF the French
lady, and contracted secret marriage With
her-made secret in order to anticipate dl.
vorce from his French predecessor. But
while he was absent In Washington City, his
relatives and connections, who had expected
10 get his money, told him that his wife was
unfalthful, and hired lawyer 10 tell her that
her marriage with Clarke was not legal. Hsv.
ing natural affection tor man, the French
lady proposed to take third husband. This
offended Clarke, and 1t seemed to confirm the
lies which had been said against this lady;
and meantime his daughter was born
the present Mrs. Gaines-for whom be main
tained affection, 30 that, while he let bis
wife slide, he gave very considerable sum OF
money TO a man In Wilmington, Delaware. to
be used and applied to the education Of bis
daughter, and, at her maturity, 10 present
her with the principal. Thus the banks Of
the Brandywine, where Lafayette Thomas,
Harry McComb and your humble corresEeDd.
ent spout their youth, became the playground
OF the future Mrs. Gaines. AS they had no
penltentiary In the Slate, and never whipped
white people at the post, the custodian Of the
baby saw no business-reason why he should
not equander her money. He did squander 1t,
and history has made no mention Of the In.
Vulnerable fried chickens, roast oapons, and
Geviled crabs which this uDfaithful guardian
deyoured out of the Inheritance of the babe
in the woods. A Mr.. Crossdale, who is the
best Journalist. In Delaware, sometime ago
collected the story Of Mrs. Gaines's childhood
In wilmington; and u a.,sa was published over
When the guardian had >equandeFed all The
money. and both his liver and conscience
were disordered, some faint recollection OF
her childhood inspired dream In the lite
ward.
She dreamed that her father was another
person than the man she called father; that
ne was rich and alive In distant State,
amongst negroes, molasses and such other
things as children like. She came down TO
breakfast the next morning, where the up-
fail guardian was thinking, In morote
way, how fortunate 1t was for him that the
State had no penitentiary, and how unfortu-
nate that there were no other little girls to
be let out with endowments. Unhappy Della
warlsn For him no longer the fried oyster
gambolled or the chicken tricaseed While
he was thinking over this thing the little girl
told her dream. He Immediately tainted, and
they had to borrow some old Delaware rye,
next door, to bring him to conscience.
As he came TO, he said: "Myra, (he pro-
nounced 1t Myrie, as did the future gallant
husband Of the little glrl,) who has been put
ting that nonsense into your head?" BE an
swered his own question by confessing, Like
an honest criminal In one of the fairy books.
The little girl was at once put 10 possession
of lawsuit. She became heroine, married
two. husbands, and has living grandchildren.
Both her husbands were devoted men, VINO
believed In her claim; she does the same,
fighting 1t out.
have theory that natures chief use tor
us In this life Is employment; and that, like
the flies which convert into healthy motiol
the modification and decay In the atrnos-
phere, we are all right enough If something ID
given us to do. But nature makes very un-
happy fg OF us when she leaves US q vast law
suit; aud, at the same time, impresses US with
the fact that we are after our rights. Who
would know much about Daniel Clarke OF the
man In Delaware, If II Wera not for Mrs.
Gaines!
NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD COM