The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-10

New York, May e.-Thrift tells. Apple
Mary will prove it for you Long ago
say forty years ago-thrift and the greed
of gain gripped the heart of her. She saw
in the future fortune awaiting. But II
was fortune that should not come by any
sudden climax. 1t meant hard, sordid.
unfagging thrift 1t meant to forego the
vanities OF pleasure and dress. She
won it.
| Yesterday the police arrested Apple
Mary in Hanover Square for begging.
| But that is a mere detall-neither mere
nor there. 1t served, however, to bring
out the fact that in forty years she has
accomplished her purpose 1t means that
today Apple Mary can write at will large
| fgures-75. OO0-and that before them she
can set this magic marks.
Apple Mary's real name is Mary Ward,
Of somewhere in the counties Of Ireland.
Forty years ago, almost to day, Mary
Ward and her sister Kate stepped of an
! immigrant ship at the port of New York.
Mary was 10 and her sister II. They were
| fresh-colored, bright eyed and beaming
with hope. Fortune did Lot come as
quickly as the sanguine sisters expected.
Marriage seemed the easiest means of
| comfort, so the weaker sister married.
Mary concluded to keep on. The years
passed-ten years or more, maybe-and
she was no longer a girl. But she had
saved, not much, perhaps but still some
thing. In the old Fourth ward was a poll
tician who thought a great deal of Mary.
He felt that he would like to do some
thing for her. He asked whether there
was anything in the world by which he
might prove devotion and friendship.
WELL" said Mary, musing, you might
get body the right to sell apples and
pastries down by Wall and Nassau
streets"
He got it. Then he went away. Mary
opened her stand on the corner, and dis
played apples as round and rosy as her
own cheeks had been. They were good
apples. and they sold. Meanwhile Mary
saved. She used to see her sister in rib
bons and new hats and things like that,
but Mary had none. She had instead
pennies and dimes and quarters
After awhile the figure of Mary became
familiar in Wall street. The brokers and
bankers got to know Apple Mary. Rus
sell Sage has bought his luncheon more
times from Mary than good many other
millionaires have bought theirs at Del
monicos. Sometimes Mary's influential
friends gave her a quiet tip on the mar
ket, and once in a while-once in a great
whie-Mary took a flyer.
She was never nipped but once, and
that was on Black Friday, when one day
she was worth $4,000 and on next day
exactly nothing at all A few men blew
out their brains on that occasion. but
Mary began anew.
When ordinary persons make a fortune
and retire they set out to enjoy them |
brokers and the bankers, the treasury
officers, the policemen and the messenger !
boys missed her from the corner
She's off takin' it aisy, like lady" |
said AIary's successor.
Some of AIary's old-time friends were |
a bit astonished. subsequently, TO find |
Mary begging in the street. When Nary |
with outstretched palm appealed for the |
mercy of aims they expressed their as
tonishment.
Sure your honor" Mary answered |
Il EN-, and can't a body emily herself |
wan way or tother?"
a policeman saw Mary sta ggering along |
Hanover Square yesterday, weighted |
down under a heavy load. On one arm
was a heavy intaoinaonoinithet
was a basket laden with varied assert
ment Of rubbish things that a pauper
would throw away, but still valuable to
one of Mary's thinking thrift Up and |
down the street she piled, wheeling and
pleading for pennies.
She went contentedly to the police sta
ton, and from there was sent to the city
lodging house. During this journey she
chung desperately to her basket At the |
lodging, when it was taken from her. it
was found to be a floating bank.
In a pillow sham at the bottom Of the
basket We're 1858 pennies. They weighed
exactly % pounds 6 ounces, and were Of a
total value of 1898. Sewed to the lining
Of her waist were two $50 notes. one 8
note, 81 note and half e note There
was also the record OF a real estate
transaction with Lawton c. Kennedy.
The superintendent insisted upon the
money going into the safe. and Mary in
sisted upon a counting and receipt. L
FiEAT OR CEREALS.