New-York tribune., 1882-04-23
4 STORY ABOUT MRS. M1CKAY.
Paris Letter to The Boston Heroh

Paris Letter to The Boston HcroH
TISo wears or so ago a superior attache Of tho
United states Legation III Paris related to an in
cident which, however, promised not 10 make use
of while he was in office. In my opinion the time
has come when may tell the story, and II Elm
cee" wishes TO DO a noble action she will rcpub,
lish IT. ono pleasant evening IN the autumn Of
1879 General NOyes called AT Mrs. Mackays, but
the lady of the house soon discovered mat the MIN
lister was not his usual very agreeable state OF
mind Naturally she inquired the cause of his ap-
parent sadness, wheroupon he said to her
" ! am sorry 10 appear downcast at one OF your
charming receptions, but the fact Is ! am greatly
troubled over the case of an American lady and her
daughter who are very i'll for lack of food 10 eat,
and who are too proud TO accept anything III the
way Of assistance. The mother lhe named her, but
an not permitted 10 do so Is an artist who has
not been able to dispose Of her pictures, and my at
tenuon called 10 heI oase Dy letter received
from America stating that II was feared there she
was starving to death. called at their apartments
and the mother only consented to see me becanse OF
my official position. The rooms they occupy are
scantiy furnished, and the clothes they wear are
threadbare and dirty. The floor was covered with
canyases. which, truth, comPsls me to say. are
works of inferior quality. The two ladies posi-
lively refused TO accept any offer of assistance.
No, no. said the mother, am an artistic.
There my works They will bring
me money. ] will wait God will protect us,
and we Will never accept charity What could
do Mrs. NOyes on several occasions fixed up some
nourshiDg Dishes home sty le and the doctors wife
took them TO the poor woman. saying Tie had pre-
scribed for them. But now the mother refuses to
accept any more such prescriptions. She has be-
come suspicious, and has ordered the physician out
of her house Tor having InSulted her l am troubled
because can do nothing for these two ladies'. They
are excellent family intelligent. but too proud to
accept assistance III any form whatever"
Mrs. Mackay listened and said nothing General
Moves remarked atterward that lie wondered AT the
time If she had no heart. But he knew whether
she had not. The very next day there to
the General private note. written dclicately
perfumed paper bearing a silver crest, "a hand hold
my dagger pointed upward and the motto Manu-
EUrGI" and cOuchcd III language rbetOrIcaIiy hne
a. ever any woman wrote l snail not attempt TO
repeat the precise WORDS but iii that note the writer
told thc Minister thai he knew size had very large
house i'll which several rOoms still needed decorating,
that she ANXIOUS to secure some piCtuIcs,
determined they should be by Americans, and great
y preferred them 10 be the work of al artist OF her
own Not being acquainted with any such she
had VcntuTed 10 ask the assistance of the Minister,
who perhaps knew some such painters, aud Oil t
would consider IL great Kindness If the Minister
would invest the amount OF the uciOSed check IN
the manner Indicated. That check for many
thousand francs aud signed " Marie Louise
Mackay."
IL was the wife of the millionaire miner who wrote
that note. Her wonanly intelligence had discov
cred way by winch those proud anc starving
Americans could De assisted and she acted Inmcdl-
atey. vi course General Noyes did as he
quested and when he showed the mother and the
daughter Mis-. Mackays letter, the former accepted
IL rs a matter OF fact, and began to her
Ilon La Il few days Mrs Mackay had ia her hotel
III The Rue lIsitt lot Of paintings " hlch, TO say
the least would never DO admitted INTO the French