The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-22
SHE HALLS FROM HOUSTON.
A Talk With the Wealthiest Woman
In Texas.
Pretty, Pfquant, Charming, She Sports q
Revolver and Knows How to Shoot.
New York Letter. ]

the hotels in this city, prior to her departure
for Europe in few days. She has been
styled "the Texas cattle QUEEN" but this is o
rnisnomer. She is a Texas planter. She is
from near Houston, petite and pretty, young,
and is said to be one of the wealthiest
women in the Southwest. Dark, lustrous
eyes, and a piquant countenance and man.
ner indicate the creole French and Spanish
parentsge. She dresses fashionabIy and in
taste, and so far as appearances go she might
have been born aud bred in New York. Her
education began at the Moravisn school in
Bethlehem, Pa. Her story, as reluctantly
told by her answer to questioning, runs in al
interesting fashion.
Twas left an orphan at twelve, and had
to look altar my fathers plantation. was
married at thirteen, and at seventeen ! was
g widow. SiDcs then I've looked after my
self successfully? Oh, yes, suppose so. l
have two large planta ions and raise cotton,
corn 81 d sugar, then ! own some property
in Houston, one Of the opera houses some
stores, and hotel. l had fight over the
hotel. They wanted to make out that there
was mortgage on it ahead of mine. At
torney General Brewster was my lawyer,
and he's Just won tie case. Ill make about
$4,000 on it. l thought at one time would
move North. / bought property in Phila-
delphia with the idea OF going there, bat |
found could only get per cent. on money
up here, so / didn't come. I've got beauti-
full little home down there, If do live in it
all alone. Experience? Well, I suppose
I've had some. 1t isn't worth speaking of
down there, but people here might think
it interesting. Pye travelled all over Texas,
Arkansas Missouri and the Indian Terri
tory, most on horseback. Everybody knows
me in the Southwest. This will be my third
trip TO Europe. I've never had anything thst
| could call adventures that | know OF, but
you people here look at thlrgs SO differently.
Now. there's the cowboys. People think
they're something dreadful. Why. I've
found more true gentlemen among them
than any where else. OF course, once in
while they get lively and ride through town
shouting and firing of their pstolsat signs and
chimneys, but We don't begrudge them lit.
tie fun DOW and then. Their work is hard
enough
"Do they ever kill anybody"
Oh, sometimes, of course, people get hit
by stray shots when the boys are on their
racket, but that's only accidental, you
know. 1t don't amount 70 anything in
Texas. People North have such funny ideas.
Now which had you rather do, steal horse
in Arkansas or kill smen in Texas? Neither
Well, Pll tell you it's ak of one and half a
dozen of the other. Horses don't amount to
much in Arkansas, and men don't in Texas
They look after the horse thieves sharp i'll
Texas, however. They never get further
than the nearest tree after they are caught.
Last night wss going ont with gentle
man and took out my revolver and said L
guessed it WASN'T worth while to carry it
You ought TO have seen him Jump. I've got
a beautiful revolver One day I was stand
ing in front of one of my buildings ia Hous.
ton, when fight began in the street. A
friend of mine aud WOolife you've heard
OF Wcoliffe-wers fighting. Wooliffe got
ord ;o l&f& f-so
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 man here?r
'Wooliffe showed his revolver up little,
and the ball went over my head. He said
afterwsrd that seeing girl Jump in so quick
he couldn't help raising his pistol little
Then the crowd came in and separated the
men, and my friend gave me the revolver.
always carry it. He said L saved his life.
don't know how the newspapers hear about
me. l know good many people here,
though. The jewellers all know me. have
passion for jewels, and they say my col
lection is a fine one. I've Just come from
Philadelphia. / bought the Muir diamond
there this visit, and beautiful cameo for
81, ooO. You see this ring. Thst big stone
there looks like lemon. colored diamond,
doesn't it? Now hold it to the light.
Wouldn't you think it was a ruby? They
cali it the hidden light They are found
only IN North Carolina, and believe there
are only few-three or four-good ones
in the country. Their being so rars 1 sup
pose is what makes them worth more than
any other gem of the same size.
"Neglecting business? Oh no. You ses
down there we buy everything early in The
season. and then there's no more paying to
be done, nor any money coming in until
the crop is gathered. l keep one set of books
myself, and nobody could get the best of me
ii be wanted to. have good superinten-
dent, too. l pay him 5000 month.
might get him for $3.50, but I'd rather pay
5000; then he won't have to steal from me.
don't know whether it's because Pm such
good planter orbecause the people help me
every way they can. but for the last three
hrst bale OF cotton OF the season in at Rich
moDd, Texas.
Il stopped at New Orleans on my way up
The Mexican Band a1d the Government
exhibit are fine, but there's too much room
for the rest CT the show. The Art Gallery
ten TO take il down. OF course it won't pay.
People want to stay at home in the winter,
and to go somewhere besides New Orleans
III the summer. 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 paint
Irg eli the time. / have q sort OF art gallery
in Houston. 1t was @ store that didn's pay
me very well so ] turGed ii iEto SD art
gallery for the public Young people study
isg art and artists csn 60 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- &
gotd many DO. buy pictures wherever /
can get good ones.
Public benefactor? Ga, no. Sometimes
people say that, you know, but is really
isn't that. us only that | always like TO
please people. j want to make as much heaven
as can il tbislife, and then if there isn't any
in the 9th er l shan't be so badly left after
all, don't you see? And 1 guess if there is