The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-17


THE RICHEST WOMAN IN TEXAS.
Young, Pretty, Widow, and Her Cotton
First in the Market for Three Years.
New York Sun.
A notable little woman is staying at one of the
hotels in this city, prior to her departure for Eu
rope in a few days. She has been styled 1.-The
Texas Cattle Queen" but this is misnomer.
She is Texas planter. She is from near Hous-
be one of the wealthiest women in the South
west. Dark. lustrous eyes, and piquant coun-
tenance and manner indicate her creole, French,
and Spanish parentage. She dresses fashionably
and in good taste, and so far as appearances go,
She might have been born and bred In New Y ork
Her education began at the Moravian school in
Bethlehem, Pa. Her story, as reluctantly told
by her in answer to questioning, runs in an in
teresting fashion.
II was lett an orphan at twelve, and had to
look after my fathers plantation l was mar
ried at thirteen, and at seventeen was widow.
Since then I've looked after myself Success
fully! Oh, yes, suppose so. have two large
plantations and raise cotton, corn and sugar
cane. Then own some property in Houston
one of the opera houses, some stores and hotel.
had fight over the hotel. They wanted to
make out that there was mortgage on it ahead
Of mine. Attorney general Brewster was my law
yer, and he's just won the case. I'll make about
$40, 600 on it, l thought at one time I'd move
North. bought a property in Philadelphia
with the idea of going there, but found | could
only get per cent on money up here, so didn't
come. I've got beautiful little home down
there, if do live in it all alone.
Experienced Well, suppose I've had some.
1t isn't worth speaking of down there. but peo-
pie here might think it interesting I've travelled
all over Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and the In
dian Territory, mostly on horseback. Every
body knows me in the Southwest This will be
my third trip to Europe. I've never had any
thing that you'd call adventures that know of,
but you people here look at things so differently.
Now, there's the cowboys. People think they're
something dreadful Why, I've found more true
gentlemen among them than anywhere else Of
course, once in a while they get lively, and ride
through town, shouting and firing off their
pistols at signs and chimneys, but we don't be-
grudge them a little fun now and then. Their
work is hard enough. Do they ever kill any
by stray shots when the boys are on their
rackets, but that's only accidental, you know.
1t doesn't amount to anything in Texas. People
North have such funny ideas! Now, which
had you rather do, steal horse in Arkansas
kill man in Texas9 Neitherl Well, I'll tell
you It's six OF one and half dozen Of the
other. Horses don't amount to much in Arkan-
sas and men don't in Texas They look after
the horse thieves sharp in Texas, however. They
never get further than the nearest tree after
they're caught.
Last night was going out with a gentleman,
and took out my revolver and said | guessed it
wasn't worth while to carry it. You ought to
have seen him jump. I've got a beautiful re-
volver One day was standing in front of one
of my buildings in Houston when fight began
in the street A friend of mine and Wooliffe-
you've heard of Wooliffe-were fighting. Wool
life got out his revolver first and hit my friend.
Then my friend fired and missed Wooliffe had
the next shot, and would have killed him sure.
There was big crowd around, but nobody
moved, and jumped in front of Wooliffe and
called out:
"'For Gods sake, isn't there a man herer
'Wooliffe showed his revolver up little and
the ball went over my head. He said afterward
that seeing girl jump iG SO quick he couldn't
help raising his pistol a little. Then the crowd
came in and separated the men My friend gave
me the revolver | always carry He said
saved his life
n don't know how the newspapers hear about
me- know good many people here though,
The jewelers. all know me. | have passion for
Jewels, and they say my collection is fine one.
I've just come from Philadelphia. / bought the
Muir diamond there this visit. and beautiful
cameo for 81, 006. You see this ring. That big
stone there looks like a lemon colored diamond,
doesntit9 Now hold it te the light Wouldn't
you think it was ruby? They call it the hid
den light They are found only IL North Caro-
lima, and believe there are only few, three or
four good ones in the country Their being so
rare, suppose, is what makes them worth more
than any other gem of the same size
"Neglecting my businessl Oh, no. You see
down there we buy everything early in the sea-
son, and then there's no more paying to be done,
nor any money coming in till the crop is gath
cred l keep one set of books myself, and
nobody could get the best of me if he
wanted to. | have good superintendent, too,
pay him 5000 month. might get him for $50,
but ia rather pay 5000; then he won't have to
stea! from me. l don't know whether its because
I'm such a good planter or because all the people
help me every way they can but for the last
three years I've taken the $500 prize for having
the first bale of cotton of the season in at Rich
nond, Tex.
Il stopped at New Orleans on my way up.
The Mexican band and the government
hibit are fine, but there's too much room for
the rest of the show The art gallery looks as
if they had hung it up and forgotten to take it
down. OF course, it wont pay People want to
stay at home in the winter and to go some
where besides New Orleans in the summer l
have some paintings in the art gallery myself.
Oh. yes, paint little. You see l want to
have something to fall back on if / should ever
lose my money, and | like art, and so | study
painting all the time. | have sort of art gal
lery in Houston. 1t was store that didn't nay
me very well, so turned it into an art gallery
for the public. Young people studying art and
artists 90 there and paint, copy the pictures,
and get all the help they can. Then, too, they
can bring their pictures there for sale, if they
want to. good many do. l buy pictures
whenever can get good ones.
Public benefactorl Oh, no; sometimes people
say that, you know, but it really isn't that. It's
only that | always like to please people. | want
to make as much heaven as | can in this life,
and then If the re isn't any in the other / shant
be so badly left after all, don't you seel And |
guess. if there is any heaven, making other
people feel good is about as good way as any
to get there. Don't you think So nowl'
A New Venus.
New York Sun.