The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-05-22
The Widow From Texas.
THE STORY OF ONE OF THE RICHEST wo
MEN OF THE SOUTHWEST.

MEN OF THE SOUTHWEST.
A notable little woman Is staying at
one of the hotels in New York city
prior to her departure for Europe. She
has been styled the "Texas Cattle
Queen" but this is a misnomer. She
is Texas planter. She is from near
Houston, petite and pretty, young, and
she is said TO be one of the wealthiest
women in the Southwest. Dark, lus-
trous eyes, and piquant countenance
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 reared in New York.
Her education began at the Moraviau
School in Bethlehem, Pa Her story,
as reluctantly told by her in answer to
questioning, runs 10 an interest.
ing fashion. r 1ls
81 was left an orphan l2, and had to
look after my fathers plantation. |
was married at 13, and at II / was a
widow. Since then I've looked after
myself. Successfully Oh, yes, 1
suppose SO. have two large planta-
tions and raise cotton, corn and sugar
cane. Then | own some property in
Houston-one of the opera houses,
some stores, and hotel. / had a fight
over the hotel. They wanted to make
out that there was a mortgage on it
ahead of mine. Attorney General
Brewster was my lawyer. and he's just
won the case. I'll make about $4O,-
600 on it. / thought at one time I'd
move North. bought a property in
Philadelphia with the idea of going
there, but found l could only get 4
per cent. on money up here, so didn't.
Experience ? Well; l 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 horse
back. Everybody knows me in the
Southwest. This will be my third trip
to Europe. I've never had anything
that you'd call adventures that know
of, but you people here look at things
so differently. Now, there's the cow
boys. People think they are some
thing dreadful. Why, I've found more
true gentlemen among them than any
where else. OF course once in a while
they get lively and ride through town
shouting and firing their pistols at
signs and chimneys, but we don't be-
grudge them little fun now and then.
Their work is hard enough. Do they
ever kill any body7 Oh, sometimes,
of course, people get hit by stray shots
when the boys are on their rack cts, but
that's only accidental, you know.
The other evening l was going out
with gentleman and took out my re-
volver and said l guessed it wasn't
worth while to carry it. You ought to
have seen him jump! I've got a beau
tiful revolver. One day was stand
ing in front of one of the 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 bis revol-
ver 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 l jumped in
front of Wooliffe and called out
"For Gods sake isn't there a man
here :" -rr ... ..Iaf ... ...
"Wooliffe showed his revolver up a
little and the ball went over my head.
He said afterward seeing a 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 l always carry.
He said / saved his life.
Il don't know how the newspapers
hear about me. know a good many
people here, though. The jewellers
all know me. l have passion for
jewels, and they say my collection is a
fine one. I've just come from Phila.
delphia. l bought beautiful cameo
for $1,000. You see this ring. That
big stone there looks like lemon col
ored diamond, doesn't it Now hold it
to the light. Wouldn't you think it
was ruby i They call it the ''hidden
light They are found. only in North
Carolina, and believe there are only
few, three or four good ones l sup
pose in the country. Their being SO
rare, is what makes them worth more
than any other gem of the same size.
"Neglecting business 7 Oh, no. You
see down there we buy everything ear
ly in the season, and then there's nc
more paying to be done, nor any mon
ey coming in until the crop is gather.
ed. l keep one set of books myself
and nobody could get the best of me
if he wanted to. have good super
inteudent, too. | pay him 5000 q
month l might get him for $3.50, bu
! d rather pay 5000 then he wont
have to steal from me. ] don't know
whether its because I'm such a good
planter or because all the people hell
me every way they can, but for th,
last three years I've taken the 500
prize for having the first bale of eottor
OF the Sc ason in at Richmond. Texas.