The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-10-22
THE RICHEST WOMAN IN
TEXAS.

THE RICHEST WOMAN IN
TEXAS.
New York Sun.l
A notable little woman is staying at
one of 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 a misnomer. She is
Texas planter. She is from near Hous-
ton, petite and pretty, young, and she is
said to be- one of the wealthiest women
in the Southwest. Dark, lustrous eyes,
and piquant countenance and manner in
dicate 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 York. Her education began at
the Moravian school in Bethlehem, Pa.
Her story, as reluctantly told by her in
answer to questioning, runs in an inter-
esting fashion.
81 was left an orphan at IL, and had TO
look after my fathers plantation. was
married at l3, and at II l was a widow
Since then Pve looked after myself Sue
cessfully? Oh, yes, I 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 lawyer, and he's just
won the Ease. I'll make about 100000
on it. l thought at one time I'd move
North. l bought property in Philadel-
phia with the idea of going there, but
found l could only get 4 per cent. on
money up here, so didn't come. Pve
got beautiful little home down there, if
do live in it all alone.
Experience? Well, 1 suppose I've
had some. 1t isn't worth speaking of
down there, but people here might think
it interesting. I've travelled all over
Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and the Indian
Territory, mostly on horseback. Every
body knows me in the Southwest. This
will be my third trip to Europe. I've
never had anything that you'd call ad-
ventures that know of; bat you people
here look at things so differently. Now,
there's the cowboys. People think they're
something dreadful. Why, pve 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
begrudge them little fun now and then.
Their work is hard enough. Do they
kill anybody? Oh, sometimes, of course,
people get hit 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 or
kill a man in Texas? Neitherp Well,
I'll tell you, it's six 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 in Texas, however. They never
get any 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 revolver.
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. Wooliffe got out his
revolver first and hit my friend. Then
my friend fred 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 sske, isn't there q man
hereP'
"Wooliffe showed his revolver up a
little, and the ball went over my head.
He said afterward that seeing girl jump
in SO quick he couldn't help raising his
pistol little. Then the crowd came in
and separated the men. My friend gave
me the revolver I always carry. He said
/ saved his life,
"I don't know how the newspapers
hear about me. ] know q good MANY
here, though. The jewelers. al know me.
/ have passion for jewels, and they say
my collection 10 fine one. Pye Just
come from Philadelphia bought the
Muir diamonds there this visit, and q
beautiful cameo for II, 900. You see this
ring. That big stone these looks like 9
lemon-colored diamond, doesn't itP Now
hold it to the light Wouldn't you think
it was ruby? They call this the hid.
den light They are found only III North
Csrolina; and believe there are only q
few, three or four, good ones in. the coun
try. Thar being - rare, ! suppose, ID
whak makes than, worth more that any
other gsm Of the same sise. AVS
sNsgleoting basiness2 Oh, NO. You
see down thsrs vslbuy eserytAipg early
| in the ssason, and then there's Se mort
paying % be dose, nor any moss money
coming in untl ~ crop = gathersd, 4
keep ons set of books Mysalf md aobodJ
could gst he bsst e NJ IL a. uHatsd to
I have . good sapssintsudesh teo. i pal