The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-11-05
POOR OLD IRISH MARY.
An Humble Romance In Which AL
Washington Is Interested
Ono ct tho Capitals Unique Characters
Finds the Husband of Her Youth,
Only to Lose Him Again .
Moment Later.
Especial Washington Letter |

"Old Irish Mary" is the name by
which she has bee n known in this city
for at least dozen years. She Is fully
six feet tall, broad shouldered, athletic,
with large hands, and feet of generous
proportions. Her face Is rugged,
scared and scanned with the artistic
decorations Of age, anxiety and ma
ternal care Her dresses are of the
cheapest material, and all of them look
as though they were as old as Old Mary
herself. Her shoes are all run down at
the heel, and the old straw hat upon
her head looks as though it might have
belonged to an old inhabitant in the
days when Noah was building that big
boat with which to sail with the worlds
menagerie from the land OF the wicked
to the glorious air of the altitude of the
peak of Mount Ararat.
Nobody ever supposed that Old Irish
Mary had ever been young, and GER
tainly nobody ever suspected her OF
having been beautiful. Only an opium
eating dreamer could have imagined
the possibility of her having had ro-
nance. Nevertheless it has recently
been demonstrated that Old Irish Mary
long ago learned the lesson that sit is
better to have loved and lost, than new
er to have loved at all"
Upon the corner of Fifteenth and +
streets, directly opposite the main en-
trance of the immense treasury depart
ment building, for many years Old
Irish Mary had stood every afternoon
in all sorts of weather selling evening
papers to the passers-by. Nearly every
one in Washington has seen this pc
culiar character and unique figure On
that prominent corner. She knows all
public men and does not hesitate
to grab the arm of passing senator,
cabinet officer or other
prominent official, and insist upon sell
ing to them her evening papers. By
reason of her faithful attention to
duty, her persistent energy, and her
tireless industry, she built up regu-
lar trade, and consequently made
great deal of money. More than that,
she has lived economically, saved her
pennies, and bought houses with them.
Nobody knows how many little tene-
ments she owns, but it is generally
understood that score or more of
poor people bring their small monthly
rentals to Mary, who adds them to her
bank account to buy more houses.
1t has been generally supposed that
Old Irish Mary was hard-fisted old
character who lived for moneys sake
alone, and that she was female miser
and skinfint. A fact was recently de-
veloped, however, which demonstrates
that the old woman has been thrifty
md acquisitive for the double purpose !
If providing for her old age, and of |
,quipping herself for the accomplish !
nent of a revenge which she has long |
,ursed in that involuntary muscle upon
he left side of her diaphragm which is
known as the heart, and is
Usually supposed to be the seat of
III human affections.
For twenty years Old Irish Mary
ived with her husband whose name
vas Nicholson; but no one knows how
lilariously happy or how dreadfully
miserable the life of the said Mr.. Mich
lson must have been during that score
# years. At any rate, after having en-
Dyed the love and affection of Mary
or so long, Mr.. Nicholson concluded
hat in this wide world he might be
Iappier elsewhere than with his wife,
nd so he folded his tent, If he had
ne, and, like the Arab, silently stole
way. He did not notify Mary nor the
hildren that he intended to go upon a
quincy, nor that his object was to
rop entirely out of sight. He simply
without word of explain
ton, and during the past thirteen
ears Old Mary has been strictly at