The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-28
MRS. G0ULD'S PR0TEGE.
SEQUEL TO THE STORY OF THE
HURRICANE CREEK WRECK.
Mrs. Gould, Tcnderiy Cared for at
BlaclSShear.Ta the Child of Her
Nurse ana sends Her to SchooI-A
Romantic Narrative

Romantic Narrative.
J. S. Evans in Chicago Times Herald
The story printed in the Times Herald
of Monday that Mrs George Gould of New
York had taken charge and was educating
the little daughter Of. Mrs Graham, a
domestic in one of the Piney Woods hotels
in Georgia, is not without it's romantic
phases 1t was on Saturday. March H.
1888, that Mrs. Gould first met Mrs, era
ham. have occasion to remember their
first meeting. The Havana fast mail on
the Savannah. Florida and Western rail-
road was wrecked that morning one mile
north of the town OF Blackshear. Ga. The
train was running at rate OF tifty-tive
miles an hour when 1t crashed through the
long trestling that spanned Blackshear
creek. Mr. and Mrs. George Gould were
passengers and both were severely shaken
up. They were taken from the debris and
conveyed in mule wagon to the little
town, where rooms were found at dingy
hotel Airs. Graham heard that Mrs.
Gould had been hurt and she went to MIR.
Gould and begged that he should bring his
wife to her home, where she might nurse
her. Mr. Gould quickly consented. That
night. Mrs. Gould was resting between
clean linen sheets in a CHEEKY little room,
with the morning glory vines and orange
blossoms growing near enough for her to
reach out and pluck them
All during the night Mrs. Graham made
tea and administered medicine to her sick
visitor while Mr. Gould, Mr.. Graham and
Bob Fleming (both of the latter now dead
and myself sat on the steps of the cottage
and discussed the remarkable escape of
many of the passengers on the Inflated
train that morning. And IL was miracle
that anyone escaped with life. The train
was late and was trying to make up time.
The bridge was a low one and the engine
came tearing down the hillside and struck
IL like a cyclone. 1t was 800 feet long and
thirty-one feet high. within car length
distance of land the engineer felt the train
sinking. He pulled the throttle wide open
and the iron monster almost leaped INTO
the air. The force of the jerk broke the
couplin-pin holding the engine and the
tender together and the engine stuck to
the rails and got safely across All the
other cars went down with a mighty
crash. There were more than 200 passen-
gers aboard. and there wasn't a single one
of them that escaped injury. The slight
est wound received was by brakeman on
President Wilbur's private car. The Lee
high Valley railroad magnate with his
family, was bound south for a two weeks
trip. One of his sons was in the obserVa-
tory of the car and he was killed In all
there were forty passengers killed out
right. Mr.. Gould was hurt about the
shoulders and his wife received slight in
iuries. The following day, Sunday, Mr..
and Mrs Gould left Blackshear FOR Jack
sonvile. Mrs. Graham followed diem TO
the train, saw that Mrs. Gould was suff-
GENTLY supplied with pillows thrust
bunch of fresh orange blossoms, with the
dew still dripping from their perfumed
petals, into her hand, imprinted a kiss on
the gentlewoman's forehead, shook Mr.
Gould by the hand and returned to her
sweetheart husband, for whom she had
given up palatial home to wed and TO
comfort.
Jay Gould and his family were awaiting
his son and daughter-in-law at St Angus
tine and to that city Mr.. and Mrs. George
Gould went on Tuesday. His father had
just returned from cruise on the Medit-
erranean on his yacht Atalanta. He had
heard of the mishap TO George and his
wife as soon as he landed at the pier on
Monday. Jay Gould and Mrs. Gould, Miss
Anna, now the Countess de Castellane,
Miss Helen and Howard Gould went to
the train. / have never witnessed a more
affectionate meeting between father and
son. Mr.. Gould took his son in his arms
and embraced him as lovingly as his
mother did. The depot was crowded with
people, and as son and father, arm in arm,
pushed their way through the multitude
some one shouted, "Hurrah for jay
Gouldv' 1t was only then that Mr.. Gould
recognized that he had been the cynosure
of thousand curious eyes. He pulled off
his hat quiclxened his steps and was soon
at the bedside of his daughter-ln-law at
the Ponce de Leon hotel
/ can well remember the looks of Mr..
Gould as he talked TO me in his room that
night at the Ponce de Leon, for which he
was paying $40 per day. There were two
Boston young men on the same floor with
an annuity each of $4,000, and they were
paying $40 apiece for their apartments Mr..
Gould talked to me about his interests in
the Kansas Pacific. He had been absent
from the United States for some time, but
had been kept acquainted with the crlti-
cisms directed toward him on account or
his connection with that corporation and
its relations with the federal government.
1 remember how pale and pallid were his
cheeks. His hand trembled somewhat
and he occasionally walked up and down
the floor. with his right hand thrust in
his pocket, as IL III at ease. He finished
the interview and requested me 10 write 1t
out and submit 1t to him before il was
telegraphed / did this, and, with the ex-
ception of one or two minor changes in
the COPY he handed 1t back with the re-
mark that sit was all right" 1t was the
last time / ever saw him.
John Allen of Mississippi, the wit Of the
House. happened to arrive at the Ponce de
Leon during the second day Of The Goulds
visit there. He registered and was assigned
20 a room. He had never seen apartments
so extrayagantly furnished. Expensive oil
paintings hung on the walls. The bed
stead was of mahogany and hand-carved.
Carpeting a half foot thick covered the
flooring. There were vases filled with
flowers. velvet covered chairs, lace cur
tains. beveled mirrors and all the other
appliances of modern convenience and lux
urv. John became alarmed. He figured
IL out that that room would cost as much
per day as his salary as congressman
would amount to in a half week. He called
a beu-boy, gave him 81 and told him to
quietly find out the tariff on that room.
John didn't like to ask the clerk himself
He was a big man and that would look
little The boy returned presently and
informed the guest that the price was $50
per day. Allen went downstairs, laid down
A dime and called for a cigar. They
didn't sell anything but two-bit cigars.
He put down nickel on the newsstand
and picked up New York paper. Twenty
cents more, please said the clerk. He
got a drink and rendered is cents. Where