The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-21

of a multimillionaire, whose estate will
probably furnish wealth hitherto I'M
heard of to simple folk in New Jersey
has few parallels.
Men of wealth have taken humble
helpmateS from walks of life divergent
from their own, and there are many
rich women in society today who would
shrink from scrutiny of their beginning
in the world and their development
But none of them comes to mind as the
heroine of such adventures as befelI
the woman who came to be the wife OF
Charles Fair and who was killed with
him in an automobile accident near
Paris.
Mrs Elizabeth Bunnell of Union. N.
j. a sister of Mrs. Fair, gives an in
sight into the character of the young
woman who made her way so success
fully in her description of Carrie as a
child.
She wasn't like the rest of u.s. said
Mrs. Bunnell. "All of US were workers.
l worked around the house and my other
sisters worked in factories-all but
Carrie.
rShe did not like to work. She used
to read a great deal, and had way of
making us do things for her. She was
always particular about her clothes. I
remember when she was little thing
she always looked sweet and clean and
pretty, while we girls didn't care SO
much about our appearance.
WAS A WAITRESS.
"She exasperated my mother a great
deal, for mother was a most industrious
woman and finally she sent Carrie away
to Newark, where my sister Sarah had
boarding house. Carrie waited on the
table and firted with the boarders and
did fancy work for a store"
This quiet, neat little girl with a
passion for fine linen went to New York
ran away. The plodding, hard-wOrk-
ing sisters and mother did not concern
themselves much. Carrie to them ap-
peared to be a person apart. They
har friUnlitV her daVOfiOn tn
dress and pleasure.
1t is not exaggeration to say that Car
RE Smith was ignorant when she ran
away from Newark TO try her fortunes
but little and had been but little out
in the world. But she had intuitive
shrewdness and an apt mind. The
mother and sisters toiled along for five
heard from her seldom. Rumor had it
that she was an actress. They had
in her the interest that a mother and
sisters feel for one who has gone from
them and embarked on a career TO
which they did not approve.
One day Carrie came home to the hum
BILE cottage at Newmarket. N. j., where
the mother lived and toiled. 1t was a
married during the absence of her
daughter-was engaged in some house
hold work. shadow fell across the
kitchen floor She raised her eyes. and
ASTONISHED HER FAMILY.
A radiant woman she was indeed, tall
and fair and beautiful Rich appareI
set off her faultless figure Jewelry
glistened on her fingers and at her
throat. But the mother knew her at
once-knew it was her missing Carrie.
Carrie remained for a short visit. Her
brothers and sisters went to see her.
lions concerning her prosperity, but
something in her manner babe them
halt.
I'VE never dared ask Carrie anything
about herself" said Mrs. Bunnell. sShe
had a way about her that appalled, the
inQuisitive. & All we knew about her
was what she chose to tell, and it was
not often that she spoke about her
self"
The next time Carrie Smith went
away it was for a longer period than
| marked her first step in the world. She
tired of New York and went west. In
chicago SIZE was known as Maude Mel
son and Maude Ulman. In Denver she
was known Maude Thomas. In San
| Francisco she was known by all these
names, as well as by the name of Mauds
Corrigan.
she wrote often to mother and u.s.
says Mrs. Bunnel1. I'VE thought it
strange that she Travelled around so.
Once we heard she was married in Chi
cago and wrote to ask her. She wrote
back telling US never to mention the
subject again. And we never did.
"All at once her letters ceased and
we did not hear from her for quite a
spell. Then she suddenly appeared at
home again. She said she was going to
Paris We saw something in the papers
about Charles L. Fair, a dissoiuue young
man from San Francisco, going abroad
| it might be our Carrie. But we didn't
ask any questions.
MARRIED CHARLES FAIR.
She stopped in on her way back and
hn nvf i
married Charles Fair. She wrote and
| told us about it. She said he was a
hard case, but that she intended tc
make man out of him, and 1 guess she
| did. She had a way about her-Carrie
| habitat made men and women do as
| she wanted them to.
Now. what 1 liked about Carrie was
/ that when she married Mr.. Fair and
came to see the folks she was just the
| same Carrie. She took me among all
those finely dressed people just the same
| as if / had on silks and satins and dia-
monds. and nobody said anything al but
it.
After her marriage she reformed
Mr.. Fair. Then he got a lot of money
| for being a good man for a long time
Carrie used to write us all about it
| Whenever they were in New York she
used to send over for some of us anG
board US at those great hotels. She
] would come down here. too and visi,
around.
| OoiliC was mere d lew I1OnI0S ago
| when she went to Europe with Mr.. Fair
| She had grown to be fine, big woman
| and was as pretty as she could be- She
told US that Mr.. Fair had won more
than 81, 000,00 in a lawsuit and that they
| were going to live in a mansion in New
York, where she could have mother
come and stay as long as she liked
Then came the news that she was killed
Il don't want a million dollars. 1 tolS
mother that she shouldn't try to b.
| hoggish If Carrie left me anything al
hope is that it's enough to pay a CIR
to do the Homework and give me
little more time to myself
Strange contrast in sisters, this. TIL
one-dead-had ambition for wealth ant