The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-25
ENGAGED ITO PHOEBE
Millionaire James G. Fair Would Marry
Miss COuZlnS.
SHE SAYS IT'S SO HERSELF
The Noted Woman's Rights Advo-
cate Freely and Candidiy Tells
Her Story-5he Asks for
Nothing Now.
SHE SAYS IT'S SO HERSELF

publishes n lony story telling of the affec-
ton that existed between the late James
G. Fair and Mss Phoebe CouZus, the
well known lecturer and woman's rights
advocate. according to the Call they
were engaged to be married and only the
death of the millionaire prevented their
marr age. Miss Couzins is at present In
San Jose taking care of her brother who
is i'll. To Call reporter she told of her
affection for Fair. She told her story
freely, candidly and with consistency. II
will begin by stating that there were
many condolences between Mr.. Fair and
myself which L cannot touch upon at all.
He told me all about his life, his success,
his failures, his joys and sorrows. From
these condolences | concluded that he
| had been moro sinned against than
SHINING / first met Mr.. Fair at
the Riggs house, Washington, IN
| 1888, while he was United States senator
| from Nevada. L took liking to the man
| at once. The evident defects in his edu-
| cation and manners we're completely over
whelmed by the natural greatness OF the
| man, as / saw him. | soon admired HIM
very much and could see that he also
liked 10 be in my company and seemed to
| take interest in my work and my views OF
social and political conditions.
grow at once to anything more or warmer
| than mutual admiration. In the course
of few months we parted, as true friends
part. He retured to Nevada and Cali
fornia and resumed my work in differ
| ent parts of the world. Several years
| passed and we did not meet until some
time after my mothers death"
Miss Couzins then related her trouble
with the worlds fair board of lady man
ages and her efforts to have a bill passed
by congress to secure payment for her
services as secretary. She applied to FAIR
for political assistance, and, although he
said he had no such influence, he wrote
very kindly and asked her to correspond
with him. She responded. "And TINS,
Miss Couzins resumed, after a pensive
pause. ''opened the correspondence be-
tween us which eventually led to our be-
trothll.
"For some time after that letters passed
between us at regular intervals, and the
spirit of the correspondence grew warmer
and more confidential with each letter.
"Shortly after returning TO Chicago
received a letter from Mr.. Fair, in which
he stated that he would soon see me and
that he was coming with serious inten-
tions to ask my hand and heart IN mar
riage.
'Mr. Fair arrived in May, 1898, and took
| apartments at the Grand Pacific. l met
him in one of the parlors and he expressed
great happiness at seeing me again. lie
told me then and there that he had come
all the way from California for the pur-
pose of asking me to become his wife. L
told him that would give him definite
answer within few days and delicately
intimated that he need have no fear oi
| al Hoafcton He SqPma1 much
pleased at this"
Then Miss Couzins told how Mr.. FAN
was taken ill few days after this and
sent for her TO nurse him.
sWhen Mr.. Fair had recovered sufil
ciently to enable him to be up and WALL
around, he called me aside one day. =
want to settle up my AFFAIRS he said, Ill
such a manner that l shall do justice tS
| all my family connections. | love you
and l want to provide for you at all haz
ards so that financial trouble can never
come to you. l want you to be my wife
| Will you marry me!
II answered Yes He then said
THANK you. We must be married soon-
very soon.' But he was still more or les:
ill, and this prevented our early mar
| riage.
"On the following day Mr.. Fair wa:
whisked out of Chicago as if no had beer
a prisoner or fugitive from justice. Mr.
| Fair managed to tell me that he wal
called away by very important business
| matters, but that he would speedily return
and make me his wife. never saw hin
again. l received one letter from hin
after he arrived in San Francisco. In tina
he stated that he was well, and begge'
me 10 write often.
II did write but l never got an answe
after that. l am positively certain tina
he wrote TO me also, but the letters wer
unquestIonably intercepted. His secrC
taries were constantly on the watch"
Miss Couzins says she asks for nothln
now except to be left in peace with he