Omaha daily bee., 1884-01-07

wife. She had rather a dark complexion,
black hair and brilliant black eyes. She
reminded me of an Egyptian beauty.
You might say that she had the beauty,
if not the stature, of Cleopatra. Soon
after her advent in Omaha she startled
the dress.makers and milliners by her
~extravagant tastes, and she made quite a
sensation in society. Colonel Cumming
was in the railway mail service, and
Minnie becoming rather lonesome during
his frequent absence from home, secured
the companionship of a lady friend.
Colonel Cummings soon built an elegant
house, which Minnie called n villa, and
named Riverview. There are q great
many gentlemen in Omaha who
can tell you exactly where Riverview
was located. MIR. Cummings and his
wife seemed to have plenty of money
and a great many postage stamps. Where
she got her stamps was what began puz-
2ling some curious people, and therewere
all sortsof q~uietrumors. Although Colonel
Cummings was dismissed from the rail
way mail service two or three times,
Minnie always succeeded in getting him
reinstated. In each instance she pro-
ceeded to Washington and exerted her
fascinating influence upon Postmaster
General Cresswell, who paid more atton-
ton to Minnie's appeals than he did to
the complaints of Postal Inspector Flu
ray, who was virtually told to let Colonel
Cummingss alone. l think Furay could
give you an interesting chapter on this
point. Well, to proceed with our story,
the villa on the hillside became quite a
popular resort for army officers, artists,
literary fellows and heightened swells,
all of whom seemed to vie with each
other in paying attention to the
charming Minnie, who moved in good
society, and was a constant attendant at
a leading church. The minister of the
church lived near her villa, and always
vouched for her character. She was
generous to a fault, and contributed lib
orally to church fairs, festivals and dona-
ton parties All went merry as a mar
riage bell until a grand society ball was
given at Simpsons hall. Mrs. Cum
mings, dressed in the most magnificent
style, rode down from Riverview in q
sleigh, and lost her way somewhere be-
tween Florence and Omaha. When she
finally reached the ball, it was noticed
that she was considerably under the in
Huonce of something's | remember, it
was champagne. 1t was soon whispered
about, and became the town talk. Mrs.
Cummings then published a card inviting
her Christian friends to investigate
her character. Nobody seemed
willing to undertake this delicate
task and no investigation was had.
Trouble, however, wa brewing. Colonel
Cummings finally concluded that during
his absence a great deal more attention
was being paid to his wife than was be-
coming in a ~well-regulated family, and
thereupon Mrs. Cummings retaliated by
charging the colonel with sustaining
altogether too intimate relations with her
lady companion. Then there was a live
ly pulling of hair, followed by a scandal.
The climax came at General Augur's re-
ception. Mrs. Cummings, arrayed in her
best dress, with a queenly train, and
wearing gorgeous diamonds, put in an
appearance, although she had not been
invited. The floor managers were con-
siderably embarrassed, but finally one of
them mustered up enough nerve to in
form Mrs. Cummings that her presence
was not wanted. This was a blow from
which she never recovered. She sold
Riverview, and quilted Omaha in disgust.
Going to Chicago, the adventures, for
such she really was, started some sort of
musical and dramatic conservatory, in
partnership with some man, who soon
fell out with her and charged her with
being a swindler. 1t was about this time
that she made some scandalous charge
against young George Storrs, son of the
eminent lawyer, Emory Storrs. The old
man stood by the boy, and showed
Minnie up in an uneviable light.
Colonel Cummings had cut
from her. What has become of
him l can't say, but l think he occupies a
position in some graveyard Minnie
left Chicago and went to New
York, where she appeared upon the stage.
You remember she played one of the
eve or seventeen Juliets to Ringgold's
Romeo, and was presented with several
bouquets which she purchased herself.
She has since been a manager, a star, and
all that. Perhaps she has made some
money in some way. She's a shrewd one
She was originally a variety actress in
Philadelphia. She claimed to be the
daughter of a Polish count. Probably |
account. | have been told on pretty |
good authority that her father was a ped
dler by occupation, and a Polish Jew by |
birth. But she always denied this"