Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-15
IN SIN A p O r r

up our engagements. rs We had no costumes
with which to proceed. The people there were
very kind to us. and they raised purse Of
$500 for Us. but refused to accept this and
we came back To London. During my stay in
Africa | visited the diamond mines and had
made arrangements to play throughout South
Africa, but the fire forced Us to cancel all such
engagements. The trip, of course. was very
Improbable one for me-"
MRS. PorTER's STORY.
At this point the conversation drifted to
other matters, and Mrs. Potter told me the
printed, and when the true inwardness of the
story of her life. 81 don't like to talk
about it," said she as she leaned her chin on her
hand and looked dreamily out of the windows,
"but many false stories have been reported OF
me that ii is only fair that the truth should be
known. | was born. you know. in Louisiana. on
plantation near New Orleans. and my life there
was of the freest and happiest character.
Ny father had lost hIs fortune during the war
and We were comparatively poor. l was
born with the spirit Of unrest and travel
in Inc, and as | roamed about the plantation
| used to long to see the world, and thought
thar anything that could do would be worth
doing to get to see it. had read much and l
was romantic in The extreme. 1t was in New
Orleans that / met young Mr.. Potter He was
young and l thought by marrying him that this
desire of mine could be realized. 1 became
engaged to him and we were married, and two
days after our marriage j discovered what n
terrible mistake had made. l found that
hac married man whom l could not love-
l went with him to New York and we lived
with the family. / couId do nothing to please
them. They found fault with everything did
and could do nothing right. Still was sue
cess IN New York. The people seemed to take to
me, and was more noticed in social circles
than the other members Of my husbands
family. This angered Mrs. Potter, and she
used to tell me that she did not want ME known
rs Mrs. Potter, and that must tell people that
was not the Mrs. Potter, but Mrs. Jimmy
Potter. The truth Of it was that was so per-
sec uted at home that my life was n constant
he'll save when l was in society, and my hus-
band did nothing to help me. II / talked to
hun about my troubles found that my words
were repeated to his mother and she would
throw them back at me. l had no money and
because could not dress well was accused of
having bad taste. You can't dress in good
style without money, but they gave young
Jimmy Potter only 81, 800 year on which to
live. You might skimp along on that in Lon
don, but you can't do it in New York, and
so it went on. / felt all the time that 1
could make living for myself, and did not
see how could with self-respect continue to
live ar did, and decided to leave. gave the
family one chance, however, and gave them a
year to think OF it. l told them il they would
give me $1,000 year to live upon and take
young fOtter into the business i would remain
with them; otherwise would cut of my con-
nection with the family and strike out for my
self They laughed at me and at the end Of
this time left. For the past five years l have
not received one scent piece from them. l
have supported myself and l have made name
which am not ashamed to own. They have
treated me disgracefully in every sence Of the
word, and in a financial way q well as per-
sonal way. When Tuxedo Park was started
i helped Mr.. Lorillard to put the scheme
on its feet / did 1t out Of friendship and
wrote thousands Of letters to interest society in
It. got Senator Frank Hiscock, Secretary
Whitney and others to go there and
made il fashionable. Mr.. Lorillard
was very thankful and he offered me q O build
ing site there for my efforts in the matter. He
suggested that he had better make tho deed out
in my husbands name, Is otherwise 1t might
create remark. I was green enough then, and
permitted him to do SO. II had been the
practical woman / am now I would have known
better. As it is that property is now In the
hands Of the Potters and they are living upon
IT. have no claim whatever upon 1t, aud
have asked for 1t. but cannot get it. But
might go on for an hour with instances Of this
kind. This, however, 10 enough to show you
how have been treated, and don't care to say
any more" FaAHx G. CARPENTxR.