The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-08
A BEAUTIFUL OCTOROON,
THE INVITED GUEST OF A BLUE.
GRASS BELLE,
Creates a Great Sensation and Much
Of Comment, but Is Finally
Accepted by Society.

Louisville Commercial: Society in
the bluegrass town of Versailles and
the provir cially aristocratic couaty OF
Woodford is in the course OF violent
shake up, and ehapeless mass OF ru-
moTs concerning it have just reached
Louisville, and society here hobs in
unison to the furry at Versailles. Re-
Gently the newspapers OF J. xirgt)n
made anonymous reference TO a social
sensation AZ Versailles, ON account OF
the appearance in society Of young
lady who bore the unmistaks BILE marks
OF an octoroon. This is the thing in a
nu ishell: Two years ago Miss Susie
Hart, the daughter of Mrs. VIM. Hart,
a ricn widow OF the highest social
status, who lives in castle on one OF
the finest estates in the famous blue
grass land, attended a fashionable
boarding echool in New York. Her
roommate and chum was a boauti-
full Miss B axe, of Albany, n. Y,
aud the warmest sort of a loyal and
Sentimental schoolgirl attachment
quickly sprang up between the two. 1t
was not great whils, however, before
it became known that this Mics Blake
was an octoroon. Even thie, however,
did not tesm to lessen the attachment
OF the warm hearted aud high bred
Kentucky girl for her new friend, and
che paid no attention tn the little
echool scandal which followed the
discovery. Soon after this Mrs. Hart
was advised of the matter by an in
terested friend in New York, and she
wrote quickly to her daughter to Sc
cure another room mate. But school
girl attachments, although romantic
and sentimental, are far more loyal
than the polite and hypocritical
friendships OF the men and women OF
fashion, and so little Miss Su an de-
clined to give up her friend, even at
her mothers bidding. So the two
girls remained true 10 their Vows, and
when Miss Hart left the school to
return 10 her beautiful home in Ken
lucky, she took with her the sworn
promiss of her Northern fiiend to
come some day and visit her in
the Bluegrass land. 1t seems that
and after this the Harris went abroad
and met Miss B axe and her rich
father in Paris. Mrs. Hart found Mr..
Blake a refined and INTEL CANT gentle
man, and his daughter, the ocloroon,
a sweet, beautiful and highly accom-
plished girl, showing little evidence OF
the faint in her blood that had caused
the scandal at school. Like her daugh-
ter, II is said that Mrs. Hart became
warmly attached to the young lady
and Joined Miss Susan in the invita-.
ton previously and often extended to
have the young lady come to Spring
Hill," MIS- Hsrt's castle home among
the forest trees in Woodford unity,
to visit them. To make q long story
short, about three weeks ago Miss
Blake came to pay the visit, and the
Harris introduced her to society. IL
ems, however, that many OF the
Woodford county people were already
aware OF the school scandal ard were
gu ck to discover Miss Blake's iden-
tity with the scbo lSrl octoroon.
They raised O howl. The good breed
ing, the modeety or the msny accom-.
pllshments Of the young lady could
not reconcile than to the fact that she
was an oCtoroon-that there was mig
ger" blood in her veins. The story
went like wildfre all over the blue
grass land, and nothing else has been
talked OF in Versailles, Frankfort aud
Lexington for fortnight. Within the
last two or three days the scandal has
reached Louisville, where MIS- Hart is
we'll known In fashion able society, but
people here have lot j,ined in the
ptric;ures which the people Of the
bluegrass country have heaped upon
the HATS and their friend. In the
meantime, despite the andal and the
gossip, Mss Blake continues TO vieit
at Spring Hill, and has been kindly re-
ceived by many Of the best people, In
deed, the very people who have raised
the howl and who have been the au-
thor5 OF the severest censure5 have
called upon the young lady and smoth-
cred her with attention. This,
perhaps, is due partly to their
curiosity and to their desire not
to offend the Harris, who are tn } social
leaders OF that section. II is said'that
two ma iCious persons attempted TO
have two mulatlo housemaids get in a
phaston and call upon the young
lady, but the housemaids were too
well bred to essay the insult TO Miss
Hsr', and declined an offer OF IS
apiece to do it. From what source
Miss Blake gets the blood that makes
her an octoroon nobody knows. She
is OF rich compile xion, with beau'ifu(
dark br1Wn hair and ewes and Ia anf-
q iently accomplished to make astrik-
ing imp essioa in any society. Her
age is about 20 years, end her figure is