Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-05-21
A Story About Mrs. Mackay.
Paris Letter to the Boston Herald.

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Paris Letter to the Boston Herald
Two years or so ago a superior at
tache OF the United States Legation |
in Paris related to me an incident |
which, however, | promised not to
make use of while he was in office.
In my opinion the time has come
when 1 may tell the story, and If
"Etincelle" wishes to do a noble
action she viii replenish it. One
pleasant evening in autumn of 1879,
General Noyes called at Mrs.
Mackays, but the lady of the house
soon discovered that the minister
was not in his usual very agreeable
state of mind. Naturally she in
CURED the cause of his apparent sade
ness, whereupon he said to her:
Il am sorry to appear downcast at
one of our charming receptions, but
the fact is I am greatly troubled over
the case Of an American lady and her
daughter who are very i'll for lack of
food to eat, and who are too proud
to accept anything in the way of
assistance. The mother he named
her, but am not permitted to do SOY
is an artist who has not been able to
dispose of her pictures, and my at
tention was called to her cause by a
letter received from America, stating
that it was feared that she was starvs
ing to death. | called their apart
ments anu the mother only consented
to see Inc because of my official posi-
ton. The rooms they occupy are
scantily furnished, and the
clothes they wear are thread
bare and dirty. The floor was
covered with canvasses which, truth
colnpels me to say, are works of IN
ferior quality. The two ladies posi-.
lively refused to accept any assistance.
"No, no, said the mother, 4 am an
artist. There are my works. They
will bring me money. l will wait.
God will protect US, and we will
never accept charity. What could |
do? Mrs. Noyes on several occa
sions fixed up some nourishing dish
es, home style, and the doctors wife
took them to the poor woman, say
ing he had prescribed for them. But
now the mother refuses to accept any
more such prescriptions. She has
become suspicious, and has ordered
the physician out of her house fol
having insulted her. I am troubled
because l can do nothing for thest
Two ladies. They are of excellen
family, intelligent, but too proud t.
accept assistance in any form what.
ever.
Mrs. Mackey listened and sale
nothing. General Noyes remarked
afterward that he wondered at tn
time If she had no heart. But h
soon knew whether she had or not
The very next day there came to th
General a private note, written OF
delicately perfumed paper, bearing
silver crest, hand holding dagge
upward, and the motto, "AIan
Fort, and couched in languag
. rhetorically as fine as ever any woma
{ wrote. | shall not attempt to repea
the precise words, but in that not
the writer told the Minister that h
knew she had a very larg
house in which several rooms sti
needed decorating, that she was AM
ious to secure some pictures, was d.
termined they should be by Amer
cans, and greatly preferred them
he the work of an artist of her ow
sex. Not being acquainted with an
e such. she had ventured to ask tn
e assistance of the minister, who pei
n haps knew some such painters, an
she would consider it q great kline
ness If the minister would invest I'll
+ amount OF the inclosed check in IL
: lnaaner indicated. That check W;
Z for many thousand francs, and WI
( signed Marie Louise Mackay."
:. Ii was the wife of the miIlionail
J miner who wrote that note. H
% womanly intelligence had discovere
e a way 10y whica those proud az
z starving Americans could be a
re- sisted, and she acted immediatel
= OF course General Noyes did as
:, was requested, and when he shows
I'd the mother and the daughter Nh
a Mackay's letter, the former accepts
to it rs matter of fact, and began
turn over her paintings that t
minister might make his selectio
3 Ia few days Mrs. Maekay had
y, her hotel in the Rue Tilsit, lot
M paintings which, to say the lea
i, +" would never be admitted into t
French Salon.