Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-08-24
Ionle Mnnsneln,s mnnsIon.

New York Bxpress.l
a large brown stone mansion on the
north side Of Tweuty.third street, between
and Ninth avenues, for many
years was the noted residence OF Josie
Mansfield II was in this dwelling that
many Of the prominent members Of the
old Tammany aud Erie railway rings
met and enjoyed the gorgeous generosity
of Colonel Fisk and the society Of Miss
Mansfield, for she could charm when she
pleased, being well educated and thor
oughly informed upon general topics,
and her conversational faculties perfect
ly cultivated. She was at that time the
beautiful houri OF that peculiar paradise,
and reigned supreme. Here, especially
Va New Years day, she held high and
festive court, surrounded by every sp-
pointment that wealth could contribute
and taste suggest. Her personal ap.
pearance was perfectly gorgeous, and
The dimly-lighted rooms fairly intoxi-
Gated the senses with the perfume Of the
bewildering ~profusion of the choicest
natural flowers that the liberal purse Of
her patron had furnished. Her court
upon these occasions was attended by
eminent judges, prominent lawyers and
doctors, politicians, authors, actors, bro.
kers, railroad kings, sporting gentlemen,
oif~icG-holders, ofice-seekers and Bohe-
mians, ali vieing with each other in pay.
ing homage to the power and beauty o.
this Cyprian Queen, for
"She was like
A dream of poetry, that may not be
Written or tOld-exceedinsly beautiful"
The last New Years day that she held
her court seemed to exceed in brilliancy
and the distingue throng that crowded
her salons any that had preceded it, anC
she fairly ~outshone herself. Among the
gayest of the gay two persons in pagticu
lar we're noticeable, and as they eacl
quaffed the sparkling wine and drank tt
her health and beauty, they pledged also
to each other eternal friendship. Alas
how soon vas one to realize that "a thinG
Of beauty is not a JOY forever, and thI
other to taste the pangs of a bitter death
But so Improved. Toward the close o
that New Years night the two stood to
gether and chatted merrily.
Her looks we're like beams Of the mOrnin
sun.
Forth looking through the windows of tn
East,
When first the neecy cattle have begun
Upon the pearled grass to make their feast.
When the next New Years Day a.
rived, what a transformation scene ha
taken placel One of those three person
was sleeping the sleep Of death away o
in a narrow cell in a country ehurcl
yard; the other in the narrow cell Of
walled prison, with no sleep but the
vered sleep Of an over-exeited brain, an
in a condition worse than death coul
bring and the-perhaps beautifully,
now wretched, and if not a sleepless on
cast, certainly with no home-a wande
er in a strange land and among stranI
faces. Since then that house has change
hands several times, and that New Year
3 Day night was the last that r%evelry he
her court there. Colonel Smith, fro
the first to the last, expended $47 900
and upon it, and a short time ago it "
sold for $4,000, and is now the proper
of Madam DaVivo, 1t is a superb ma
/ sion, and it's decrease in valuation
caused, not by reason Of its former ass
Citations, but by the present immen
depreciation in real estate.