Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-13
aAFSi asFAErY.
one Of lis Members Lecturins
In -. Louis.


mine, La who is a Mexican born of
Spanish parents. Madame Louis
English, Spanish, German and
French, though the latter is hernative
tongue.
What induced sou to become 3
speaker the reporter in-
Two causes" she replied, (which
you will have TO know something Of
my history to understand. My father
was a Caribbean Indian, and descend
from the royal line of cacique or
Soon after the island declared
its independence his grandfather was
given the title Of Baron st. Aude BY
Emperor Christophe. My father Of
course Inherited the title and estates
from his father. In accordance with
custom he was educated abroad, in
Heidelberg, and upon being graduated
set out for a tour of the most impor
tant cities of the world. In Mada-
gascar he married o negress and
brought her back to his home in
Gonaives, which is about seventy. five
miles from Port au Prince. was the
Only child born to them and my mother
died when | was but eight~Weeks old.
My t4her's mother brought ma IN,
aid ste is still living there. While
| was very young, | was sen with
my nurse to the Notre Dame Convent.
in liverpool, to DO educated. | was
me only colored child there and a
sreat many privileges were permitted
the French Indian, as they termed
me. | had always shown a taste for
declam1tion which the sisters encour
aged. Not long before | was graduated
a meeting was held in the Convent at
which a Erenehman was TO speak. He
did not come aud the Sisters were in
a quandary. Iotfered to speak. They
were surprised, as | was ouly sixteen
and had not developed the reform
predictions, which have since con
trUlled my life / chose my subject
'Liberty'-and spoke without notes.
as has been my custom ever since. |
1on't know whether they enjoyed il,
but | did. After that / was called
on to lecture outside, and created
something Of a sensation BY what
critics wero pleased 10 term ~,
dramatic ability. l did not,
however, want to be an actress.
but a missionary. In 1874 l returned
home. Everything seemed strange 10
my anglicis d tastes, though | soon
learned to delightiu the tropical veg
citation and outdoor exercises, boating
shooting, etc. 1t was the custom o.
every lady OF rank to carry q pistol fol
self protection.
Our home was in one Of the prin
cipal streets OF GOnaives, only a shorr
distance from where the Masonic TEN
pie stood. One moonlight night | wa
sitting on the front bllcony when m,
father passed down the steps TOWARD
the temple. He was a Monarchist
and of course opposed to tho rulinI
republican form of government
There was a great number o
political tragedies about tina
period. | noticed several men walk
ing behind my father, but they kep
in the shadow as if By accident, anC
l thought nothing OF it. Present.,
there wa a disturbance in the street
Some one came running in for M
grandmother. followed. They wen
to the house Of my fathers brother
Duke Duyalle, who lived a few door
distant. | cav a crowd Of men abou
the entrance. There was a terribl,
sight in store for us, and my po1
grandmother fell iainting to the floor
where my uncle and father lay deadil
their blood. Tue assassins had stab
bed my father ia the back as he wa
entering the temple. He had barrel,
strength 70 get to the Dukes house
with them in pursuit, and when m,
uncle rau out to assist them they aho
him dead, my father dying a momen
later. 1t was terrible! Then GU
estate was con6scated. This was il
1873. | was now penniless and deter
mined to earn a living by featuring
returned TO England, and gave M
first address for a workingman's asso
citation. People spoke we'll of me an,
succeeded. Then | married ELC
Parque, a Creole, and two daughter
we're born to us His health iaile
and we crossed the water to Floridt
Butt It was too late to benefit him an
he died. The Oldest girl was the
four and q half years old, so sensitiy
and nervous that | would not allo,
her to be told hal her father had dice
Il had been her habit to watch ia
him every day at the window
She persisted in keeping it up, thong.
We tried to divert her. She woul
get up in the chair and sit ouietl
until after time for his coming. The
the tears would rain over her palm
cheeks, and she would beg 10 knov
where no was and why he dida't come
The doctors said the child had no dis
ease They refused to give her medi
cine. But she became psler, thinner
more feeble every day, till the end,
think that grief killed her.
II first met Mr.. Louis in Texa,
He is a Methodist, but doesn't obisc
to my attending the Catholic, or an
other church | choose to visit. and
have liberal views. l am in sympath
with woman suffrage, have spoken 4
Chicago and other cities with the W
y I u, and am a champion of pro
hibitiou. Three times | have had m
trunk packed to 20 as a missionary I
Africa, but something always prevent
ed. The object Of my life is to aid /
the elevation of the colored raee-t
induce those in this country TO b
more proyident. They should spen
less In dress and more in books. les
10 amusements and more in lectures
They should become property owner,
and at any rate practice che habit Z
saylnga certain sun yearly. 1t !
unlikely now that l shall over 20 [
Africa, but | mean to adopt a boy
either mulatto or white, with blac
hair and eyes-whom l can bring u
Tor that purpose. | want one abou
six weeks old who has had respectabl
parents. One was advertised in
newspaper here since l come TO 81
Louis, but he had blue eyes and ligh
hair. l don't want tho one | adopt [
be so unlike us that he will know tha
| am not his mother"
Another story Of GeneraI On,