Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-02-20

Amerfca - As Sho hooks aud
Talks.
Correspondence Nashville American.
WASHINGTON, February 13.-
Imagine petite little woman, with
a wealth Of reddish blonde hair, all
curls and furbelowS after the latest
style. She was dressed elegantly
in black silk, and wore rather more
jewelry, in the shape of gold and
diamonds, than was exactly good
taste, considering the surroundings.
Imagine such a woman, SO dressed,
standing straight as an arrow, mov-
ing rapidly about the room with
short, quick, nervous steps, and
talking like buzz saw under full
head, her only pause happening at
the end of each sentence, and the
very pauSes running naturally in
the inevitable "ha-ha-ha,' which,
though stereotyped, has yet a Ger.
tain melody of its own and hale
and hearty ring. Imagine such a
woman, and you have an idea Of
what Mrs. Myra Clark Gaines ap-
pears at the first look. Her age? =?
Well, you know more than one
maiden Of thirty or thereabouts not
half so we'll preserved nor actually
so young looking. "0ver seventy"
She certainly said that she was over
seventy, and she certainly is, but
you are thunderstruck when she
says so, and feel as if your ewes
were giving the lie to your ears
when she says so.
MRS. GAINES TELLS HER STORY.
But | return to the Hon. Carter,
whom we left standing SO uncere-
moniously. He is a fine-looking
man, full favored, five feet ten or
thereabouts, and inclined to be
portly. His head is getting a trife
bald, but his beard is still luxuriant,
albeit a trife gray. There is a
merry twinkle in his handsome eve,
and just touch of pomposity in
his voice and carriage. AS / said,
the scene that ensued should be
photographed. / may not hope to
reproduce the inimitable "chic" Of
the little lady, or the gallant bon
hommie of the gentleman, nor in
deed all the sparkle of the sallies
and witty retorts, but even a rough
draft will give you some insight
into the nature of this really won
derful little woman, whose name
and whose lawsuit are known from
Maine to Texas.
Our Carter opens the converse
ton after most gallant bow and a
pressure of the hand.
"Well, Mrs Gaines, l don't see
but you bid fair to reach the $50
years which you have set Ns the
limit of your life"
Quick as thought came the an
Swer, go no. Two hundred and
fifty; ! have petitioned for an extra
hundred. Hal ha! hal"
" Indeed! when did you put that
petition in"
1.-Two weeks sago. You see l had
been reading about somebody who
says the time is coming when we
shall learn how to prolong life to a
thousand years, 50 thought l
might as well begin within another
hundred. Hal ha! ha :"
BY this time all the gentlemen
in the room have gathered about
her, but she is not abashed in the
least. Wheeling sharply about she
suddenly remarks: " Shall | tell
you my story'?' and without wait
ing for any reply, she assumes a
semi-dramatic attitude and begins
You see before you a woman who
has been more prosecuted than any
other woman on earth. In this
great moral conflict which l have
been waging for lorty-two, no, for
iy'three years, ! have suffered every
thing. In my native city of New
Orleans my life was thrice assailed,
Once the deadly bullet Just grazed
my hair = literally q hair breadth
escape - ha, ha, la. 0uce q big
Dutchman folled me to the ground
with a heavy cudgel. ! was pros.
trated in more senses than one, ha,
ha, ha ] was unable to speak for
to, I,,s W., ,,,a,, ,,,,o,, 49,. -