Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-05
MYRA CLARK GAINES.
Charles G. DahlEren's Recollecti0ns Of
Her and Of Her Mother.

Charles G. Dahlgren in the New York Sun.
statement having appeared in one of the
daily papers, adverting to the death of Mrs.
Gaines, stating that her mother was an adven-
turess and the mistress Of Gardette both of
which are erroneous, I ask your aid to contra
dict the same. Madame was no more of an ad
ventures than thousands of others whose
beauty and destinations render them sought
after and attractive. Her maiden name was
Gulieme Carriere. At one time some of her
family lived near Pass Christian. Her first
marriage was with De Grange, who proved to
have been bigamist, and and from whom she
procured a divorce, and then married Daniel
Clark. Mrs. Gaines was her child, whose legiti-
While She was a child she was gwen In charge
10 s p. Davis, of New Orleans, who, without
visible means of hts own, went to Philadelphia
to live, and where he lived in plain, comforta-
BILE style in the lower part of the city, known as
Southwark. When the British threatened the
city, and troops were collected down the river,
at Camp Dupont, in the war of 1912, he was
elected an officer in one OF the regiments. and
afterward bore the title of colonel, and from
Southwark was once candidate for Congress,
icannot remember if he was elecled, but be-
lieve he was not.
where Mrs Gaines, one wet and stormy night,
jumped ont of a second story window and
eeloped with Mr.. Whitney, her first husband.
She had always been raised as Col. Davis
daughter, and was known as Miss Davis, and
whether she ascertained her true parentage or
not. prior to her marriage, l cannot say. Col.
Davis lived to an advanced age. exhibiting
many eccentricities, especially III regard to his
monument, and believe, died in Wilmington.
His life was quite retired, and, as far as could
hear, he never spoke against the legitimacy OF
Mrs. Gaines. AS never knew but one S. p.
Davis, / believe am correctly describing the
proper person.
The mother of Mrs. Gaines was the wife of
Gardette, the most skilltul dentist ever in Phil
adclphla He lived at the corner of Chestnut
ana 9th streets, on the right hand corner,
and was my fathers family dentist, where my
brother, the late adm irai and myself often ac-
"a nf
waiting in an anteroom for his turn, would
NJ lie Roi de Suede and de Norvege" TO Mime
Gardette, with whom he would converse in
French till summoned to his turn. Then Ma
dame would beg That whoever was not needed
myself We're gyad to do, for we had perfect
horror of Gafhette a short, corpuient, equity
Ihs feet and legs bandaged,) irritable operator
much preferred the society of madame, with
the nuts, raI>inS and cakes that with no stint
ing hand she set before us. And can now, after
lapse Of sixty -ve years, see her plainly before
me-. She was OF medium statue, had IL beauti-
ful figure; delicate hands and fingers with many
rings; brunette complexion with good color;
engaging dark eyes black hair, generally dark
dress, worn with red and gold jewelry; great
demonstration OF manner, and an expression OF
kindness and feminine amlaDility.
Had there been any question of her married
relations with Gardette, my father would not
nave engaged him as his dentist, many
others whom L used to meet at her husbands,
nor would he have attempted sue h an arrange
ment IN d city of Quaker primaeSS and exact
ness, whose society would have promptly left
nm without any patients, upon whom he was
dependent for his practice.
Madame had several children by Gardette
ana often saw them; nor was her character
then ever unpugned. 1 ndite this memoran-
dum as some slight return. for the kindness
received in my boyhOOd from one of the most
Kind, engaging, beautiful women that ever
saw or knew.