The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-08-29
A New Woman of the Right Sort.
BRILLIANT Triumph OF "A MIS-
SISSII'Pl QUEEN.


SISSIPPI QUEEN.
How This Southern Girl Smashed n
Political Ring-Her Love for Father
and the Truth.
The latest "new' woman Is bril-
liant daughtor Of the conservative old
State OF Mississippi, who, during the
exciting days of the past week when
all eyes were centered upon the Domo'
cratic State convention, was herself
central figure, and, with no Intention
whatever Of pun on her name, was I, u
decided power. New y you may c't',
her by courtesy perhaps, but she IL ot'' :.
in the sense Of being womanly; ana IL
was no desire whatever for personal
ACKNOWLEDGMENT which led her to enter
into the whirlpool Of politics, but WAS
instead. that sweetest Of sentiments, Il
daughters love for her father.
The story comes to mo from Merid-
ian, where one of the most ex :iting
State conventions known 10 the Domo.
cracy Of that famous old State Of
chivalry has just come to an end. AL
most every county in tho State had Il
candidate and every candidate was on
hand with his friends and u. tive
workers. Excitement ran high. Many
distinguished men were there tAllu the
halls that rcsOunded with the match
less eloquence Of Prcntiss, Mc(!lung,
Lamar and Davis wero converted into
lobbies where the politicians were at
work. 1T was convention notable in
many respects, but notable and unique
was it from the fact that for the first
time in the history OF any Southern
State O woman took an active part in
political canyass. That woman is
Miss Katherine Markham Power, OF
jackson, who So successfully conducted
the canvass of her father. j. l.. Power,
for Secretary of State. Everybody is
singing praises and the most eXpe-
rienccd politicians are telling of her
work, describing it as being truly mar
velous.
Miss Power is young woman who
has, by reason of her exceptional per-
Known since entering the state Of
young womanhUod. The dnughter Of
father born in the Emerald isle and
q mother in whose veins flows the
blood of the passion t, South, Miss
Powers qualities are, .,erhaIs, more
mixed" " than is usual in one frail
frame: Tall, slender, dark, with
shining black crown" adorning Il
beautiful head spiendidly poised and
eyes Of a marvellous depth of color, she
is typical specimen OF Southern w0-
manhood, physically, mentally and So
cially.
AS a girl Miss Power was student
brilliant and ambitious. While still
very young she entered Miss Baldwin's S
seminary In Stanunton, Va, where she
studied three years, coming home at
last with numerous rolls Of parchment
and little badge Of gold given for
excellence in English composition. ;"
In that lay the guide of her future.
Her return to her native city might
have been marked u social triumph
had her tastes been in that. But they
were for more serious pleasures.
While full Of life al d al, the qualities
that give youth and happiness, even us
q child, Miss Power was fondcr of a
book than Of q card, more partial to
drives through natures gardens than
to dance meath aring ga; and to
quote one near to her, mint ely fOnder
of reading" mon and the stories they
have to tell, than OF listening to them,
no matter how prepossessing the mar
ratOr Or romancer.
Immediately after her return from
school this brave gil entered her fa-
&her's office, he thcn being editor of
The Clarion, the official organ of the
State, since which time she has filled
every position in newspaper Office
from prOofreader up to editor. Sho is
now editor and proprietor Of Kate
Powers Review, the ooly paper on tho
gulf coast owned by a woman, edited
by woman and published for women.
This paper has had IL phenomenally
successful career, having attained
the fourth place in circulation among
the State weeklies and having kept up
an exalted lit ,rary standard.
Three weeks ago, while in an ex.
hausted condition from the summers
work, Miss Power left home for Il va
cation. Sho had beenoabsent two DAYS
when recalled by telegram announc-
Ing her fathers serious, perhaps fatal
illness. In great distress she returned
to find the father, who has been mure
of brother and companion to her, ly-
ing st deaths door, hope having
bet a)andoned by family and physi-
ciai ).
But not 80 with the daughter. For
nine days and nights she never aft her
fathers bedsides except to her
study and with her younr listers
take up the pen in her fat| .lefense
In the canvass then att ,ttest for
state offices. Power w candidate
for Secretary of Sta, Ills illness,
coming as 1t did in the midst of his
canvass and before he had visited more
than half dozen counties, seemed to
Puo uu Cllu W IlS CutuCCS, ne having
two young and very vigorous oppo-
nents.
The position Of his daughter was
difficult in the extreme. Grieyed al
most to distraction because Of her i,-
theirs sufferings, she still kept herself
80 we'll in hand that mover for one
hour did the work OF flooding the State
with circular and personal letters fall
ter. She had in this most able assist
ents In her brothers and two younger
sfsters, willing to execute her decision
IN tne direction Of the canvass.
AT the most critical time in his ill.,
ness certain complications arose in his
own county by which it seemed that
the county would be wrested from him
ior some political reasons.
Nm MISS ta. power was for days helr IS,
her fathers death boing probable nt
any hour; but when, on Wednosdav ~,
before the county election on Thurs.
crisis, this girl with u lions coura uo
in tender woman's heart, kissed the
brow of her father and with thai, k;ss
hon 70