The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-26
SHE SELLS PAPERS
an tumble Romance in Which All
Washington Is Interested.
One OF the Capitals Unique Characters
Finds the Husband of Her Youth,
Only to Lose Him Again
Moment Later.
Especial Washington letter.

SOld Irish Mary Is the name by
which she has been known in this city
for at least dozen years She is fully
Dix 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
fernal care. Her dresses are OF the
cheapest material, and all of them look
rs though they were as old as Old Mary
herself. Her shoes are all run down at
She 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 world $
.nenagerie from the land of the wicked
10 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-
mana. Nevertheless it has recently
been demonstrated that Old Irish Mary
long ago learned the lesson that lit is
better to have loved and lost, than new
er to have loved at all.
Upon the corner of Fifteenth and z
streets, directly opposite the main en-
franco of the immense treasury depart
fnent 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
pHe 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,
representative. cabinet officer or other
prominent official, and insist upon sell
sng 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 a.
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-fSted old
character who lived for moneys sake
alone. and that she was female miser
and skinflint. A fact was recently de-
that the old woman has been thrifty
and acquisitivc for the double purpose
of providing for her old age, and of
equipping herself for the accomplish
ment of revenge which she has long
nursed in that involuntary muscle upon
the left side of her diaphragm which is
commonly known as the heart, and is
usually supposed to be the seat of
nll human affections.
For twenty years Old Irish Mary.
lived with her husband whose name
was Nicholson; but no one knows how
hilariously happy or how dreadfully
miserable the life of the said Mr.. Mich
olson must have been during that score
of years. At any rate. after having en-
ioyed the love and affection of Mary
for so long, Mr.. Nicholson concluded
that in this wide world he might be
happier elsewhere than with his WIFE,
and so he folded his tent, if he had
one, and, like the Arab, silently stole
nway. He did not notify Mary nor the
children that he intended to go upon
tourney, nor that his object was to
drop entirely out of sight. He simply
disappeared, without word of explain
Rtion, and during the past thirteen
years Old Mary has been strictly at,