The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-07-20
FROM BELLE TO BEGGAR.
CAREER OF WOMAN ONCE EN-
GAGGED TO SALMON p. CHASE.
| An Authore 81 and n Daughter of nm Oniccr
of the Revolution Wandering from
PIncc to Place in Quest of Bread.

of the Revolution Wandering from
Pincc TO Place in Quest of Bread.
A recent letter from Olean, N. Y,
to the Philadelphia Press tells the fol-
lowing story:
While in New York the other day
your correspondent noticed a gray
haired woman begging at the foot of
the steps leading to the Fourteenth
street station of the Sixth avenue
elevated road. A gentleman who was
with me said that the woman's name
was Lucy E. Maclem, and that she
was person of literary tendencies.
Residents of this place recognize in
the name singular and unhappy wo-
man well known here, whose strange
actions have caused much comment
Her mania for bustles is prominent
characteristic of her wardrobe. In
dark calico dress, with long full
skirt and waist of a style in vogue
twenty or twenty-five years ago. She
is tall and in other days doubtless
graceful.
She was the daughter of Captain
Maclem, who served in the Revolution
airy war, and who afterward moved
with his family to Ohio, and from there
TO Springville, Erie county, in this
State. Lucy Maclem and her sister
Sara moved from there about twenty
five years ago to this place. When the
two girls were young Lucy was great
belle, was very pretty, talented and
gay, and her admirers were many.
She wrote poetry of some merit, as the
pages of Graham, Cooley and the
KnickerJocker testified. One of her
best pieces was satire on school
master, who in some manner had given
her offense. 1t had great run in the
newspapers of that day. She had a
wide correspondence with men of
letters and, among others, with Mr..
Longfellow.
She became acquainted with the late
Chief Justice Salmon p. Chase in the
bloom of her youth, and the friendship
established terminated in an engage
ment of marriage Correspondence
continued between the two for some
time, when suddenly the letters ceased.
The reason of this Lucy would never
disclose, but it was not very long after
this that her friends noticed that her
actions were very strange. She mani
tested more and more crazy impulses,
until finally she became hopelessly in
sane. For twenty years she has wan
dered aimlessly, dependent upon the
charity of her sister Sara.
Some of Lucy's habits are very
singular. For years she haunted the
banks of this city, continually inquiring
for remittances that never came. Fin
ally she gave this up and took to Dor
rowing, or trying to borrow, small
sums of money. Her usual manner
was to enter store when the pro-
prietor was most busily engaged,
apologize for her intrusion in lady
like manner and ask for the loan of
from twenty-five cents to 81. Never
more than that and never less. A re-
fusal had no effect. as she would re.
turn next day with an apology and a
similar request. She has frequently
been to New York and several years
ago she went to Washington to see
certain members of Congress about a
sub 5idy which she claimed she was en-.
titled to as an authOress. 1t is a
mystery how she obtained money fol-
all her travels. Some say she did not
use any money at ALL but trusted tC
the gallantry of conductors not to put
her off their trains between the sta
tions, and when she had gene as far
as possible on one train she would
patiently await the arrival of the next
Some of her vagaries are shown by
an incident that happened here five OF
six years ago. Theodore Tilton was tC
lecture one evening. and she took her
stand at the foot of the stairs awaiting
his coming. When he appeared, in
company with several men, she went
toward him, touched him on the shout
der and said:
"Mr. Tilton, want you to pay me
the money you owe me-"
TiltOn was so astonished that fol
some time he was unable to say any
thing, but at length asked her for wha
he was indebted to her.
"You have been using my lecture
long enough" she replied, land now
want you to pay me for it."