Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-09-03
LUCKY MARIE PfTou.
From Poor French Maid to wealthy OIL and
Stock Spectator.

From Poor French Maid To Wealthy OIL and
Stock Spectator.
There appears to be considerable in
terest in the story of Marie Pitou, the
French maid, who came to the oil
country in 1875, and is now a heavv
Spectator on the New York stock mar
ket.
The substance of the story is as fol-
lows. as related by Nine. Blank:
My maiden name was Marie Pitou.
l came to America in 1875 with Will
lam and Robert Greaves and their
wives. was engaged as maid to Mrs.
robert Greaves. These gentlemen
were wealthy land owners, and also
had large interests in Glasgow, Scot
land.
MY mistress was an invalid, and the
trip was made partly on her account.
She had lost an only child few months
before, and grew SO melancholy that
the physicians advised an extended
trip. 1t was not the intention to go
into the oil country, but reading in a
Pittsburgh paper while in that city of
the boss we'll, it was decided to visit
it. Twas eighteen years old at that
time. l had been taking care of my
self since was fourteen, and had $1,000
in round numbers.
81 did not have very definite idea as
to what 1 could do with this money,
but was fully determined to invest at
least part of it in the oil business. l
had no idea what oil was worth, or how
much / might have to pay for land 1
remained at the Central Hotel in Pc
trolia for one week. could speak only
little English and could not get along
very fast. l got acquainted with a
lady, who drove me out to the Isaac
Steele farm, but 1 could not make any
investment there.
81 heard of Butler and went over
there. 1 gave livery man ten dollars
to drive me over in buggy, and from
this man l learned of little tract of
land which 1 visited the next day. l
thought all land was good for oil pur-
poses, and so made haste to buy it
II hired a lawyer, and he looked up
the titles and negotiated for the pur-
chase of 1t. Some days after had made
the purchase heard that there was not
much likelihood of oil being found
there. 1 felt very blue, and went to
Pittsburgh, thinking that if it proved
valueless 1 might have to go into
service again, and would look around
for a position. l went to a boarding
house in Allegheny City, and had a
lady come in twice day and give me
lessons in English. l learned very
rapidly.
THE hotel-kaeper in Butler had nv
address, and one day 1 received call
from man who wanted to buy my
lease. 1 didn't sell to him, and others
came to see me. went up to Butler,
and learned that wells on the Gillespie
farm were creating some excitement
The farm was a considerable distance
from my property, but l concluded to
no Id on for further developments
THE excitement grew in that locali-
ty, and there was a great demand for
my property. l was advised to put
down a we'll, and would have done SO
had not such tempting offers been made
to me to sell. finally accepted an
offer of nearly four thousand dollars"
Nine. Blank says she was scared out
of the oil country by the fear of nitro
glycerine, and came to New York. She
remained there only short time, and
then went to Baltim ore, where she
made some money in rea lie state specu
lation. In Baltimore she became &C
quainted with the wife of a stock
broker, and got some knowledge of the
stock business.
The broker had a connection with a
New York firm, and finally bought into
it as partner and came to New York
to enter the Office. Marie Pitou came
with them, and through this firm made
her first investment in Wall street.
She was successful in increasing her
bank account to $40, 600, when she closed
out all her deals and went to Paris to
visit her sister.
1t was while she was convalescinp at
St Luke's hospital that she first met
Colonel Blank, whom she afterward
married. He had called at the hospital
to see one of the physicians, who hap
pened also to be the physician who was
attending Marie, and some favorable
circumstances brought them together.-
Boston Globe.