The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-19
A WOMAN WHO DAREs.

A WOMAN WHO DAREs. !.
Mrs. PoIIard,s Rather Fast and Emotion
nj Career. .,T -.-'
From the washIugton Post
A Missouri exchange revives tho name
of Mrs. E. A. Pollard, the divorced wife
of tho Southern historian, who is proba'
bly as well known in Washington as al
most any other city in the country. She
first appeared, according to our cotempo'
rary and namesakc in St Louis, in Rich
mond, In 1862, rs the -wife,of Mr. Dow
ell, who, at that time was in charge OF the
entire telegraph system of the South.
Dowell was an excellent gentleman, and
stood very high with the Confederate Pres
ident Davis and his Cabinet. Mrs. Doweli
was very beautiful, and dressed in elegant
taste. She was the most fashionable lady
in the whole city, and led life Of contin
ual pleasure. j,
She was a leader in society OF the loud
sort, and continually surrounded py hat,
terers and adorers. at that time Klchmono
was somewhat cut off from the OUTSIDE
world, and the inhabitants OF the city
were in stage OF continue! excliemen,
and anxiety. This was what Mrs. Dowel
enioyad. The streets were alive each day,
with tafnping soldiers and gaudily dressed
officers. The air was full OF music, the
martial music that stirs the blood and
makes humanity forget itself. Hall tho
time the people were beside themselves
The Confederate Congress was there,sen
ators md Representatives from all over
the South and West, and they added tc
Inc short-liycd splendor. In this raging
seething society Mrs. Dowell was kind OF
OF queen gone mad with the excitement OF
the hour. Her admirers were counted by
the dozens. They were generals, Cabinet
officers, Senators and Representatives.:
As time wore on she grew tired OF Dow
ali and left him. She fell little below the
Grade OF responsibility, that is, the respect
ability of the very best circles, but, as IN
the cities OF the North during the war, the
lines OF society were somewhat loosely
drawn, and it was not exactly a disgrace
for a Congressman to be seen on Tue
street with Mrs. Dowell.- About tins time
an event occurred which forever allied hef
name with that OF q gentleman who Is now
n very prominent politician in Missouri
He was then young and handsome, witty
and popular. He was Representative ~
he Confederate Congress from Missouri
and was MS much admired by the lair sex
of the unfortunate capital as Mrs. Dowel
was praised BY the statesmen and WARRIOR
who congregated there.
Nv chance, the witty Missourian ana
the enchanting daughter OF the South met,
Int Il was the coming together oil two
steels. and there was no. conqueSt on either
side Int n mutual dislike. She. made
sat;rical remark TO some one about his
size. he retorted with an appropriate rep
artee. A quarrel sprang up, and whereV
or thew went they were continually saying
w;csed things about each other. One day
os The little NIissourian and a number Of
his colleagues were standing on Tue S
Of the Capitol building, Mrs; DOW
eli came tripping along. she wa,
dressed in perfect spendor ana iooXeo
rayishingly beautiful. yw.,,
"What q magnificent woman! said one
"What perfect form" said another:
The witty and caustic little Missouriali!
dronped n remark, common III the days Of
slavery. which means that what u woman
annears to be she not always Is.
Some friendly ear was close by and some
trouble.making tongue went and told her
~ the sighting comment. She flew into
= rsoc md swofe vengeance. Her South.
own blood grew hot with Indignation, and
SIC SscIared she would disgrace the little
man Who had cast his innuendoes at her,
On The following morning, after the OPP
on;ny al the DAVIS session, she wended her
WAY 70 the capitol, clad In cloak and hood,
with A raw hide clasped In her hand. She
swept into the Hall Of Representatives,
s;nGled out her victim, and flew ut him
i;te n ticress. Down came the mercilesss
cowhide once, twice, thrice and time and
time again. There was no escape ron
her fury. She was strong .as giant, ana
held her prey like lion strangles Q eau:
The House was in an uproar, ana cries Oh
order from the Speaker were unavailing;
When she had wreakod her revenge she
turned around to the thlndor-struck rs
sembIy, and she said: Gentlemen, this
man publicly said was not what appear.
cd to be; I have now shown him and you
that am good deal more than what
1Shis reckless and audacious act made
Mrs. Dowell still more notorious, and in
the ewes OF some she became yet more en-
chanting; but she grew more and more
reckless. and one fine morning went OIL to
New York city. How she got through the
lines was mystery. In q week or two al
Tar her departure her former husband, MIR.
DoweIl, received q copy OF the New York
W1aH, in which was notice announcing
tho death OF Mrs. Dowell. The memory
of old DAYS came back, and he said he
would 20 and get the body for the sake oil
the sWeet baby they had buried In Peters
bnrr, before their love had been debauch'
ed. He went, and on his arrival at the
Aston House met an old friend to whom
he told the sorrowful tale. N"lt Is hoax,
said the friend.
ut cannot be- said Dowell. :,
"Trace tho obituary up and SEQ" said
the friend.
adj office and asked for the copy Of adyer'
tisements taken on certain day. Tho col
oSed porter had swept II away with bush
ala az other paper. Tho porter was found
and lie papers were found that had beer
swept away on that day. There were foll
barrels Of them. All day did Mr.. Bowel