Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-04-04

weeds cut down which had partly COW
cred the fallen stones and practically
obsoured It from view. BY the tavern
pass droves OF cattle for shipping, and
a crooked old sign hangs with vivid
and inviting insstence 10 the weary
footed droyer.
one does not visit Leitersburg and
ever forget II. The huge old stone slabs,
all shapes and sizes, form strange
sidewalk after the stereotyped brick
payements OF more modern times, and
these were laid there under the direc-
ton and at the instigation OF DR. sam
uel Guol by Isaac G. Bell Nor does the
charm on rambling along the Antietam,
through meadow after me dow, MI one
with the enchantment OF those waving
silver naples that form an archway
from street 10 street and make It the
Quantcyt of quaint little villages,
10 was amid these picturesque but
humble surroundings thnt Lew Hpi,
Letter was born on Nov. p 1894 He
went West TO seek his fortune IN 1858,
locating first I'm Springfield, o., where he
found employment with merchant
named Peter Murray. The marvellous
growth of Chicago attracted him thith-
en- in 1854. He entered the employment
Of Downs e Van Wyck, with whom he
remained unit 1886. when he secured
position with Cooley Wadsworth & co.
Marshall Field was one Of his fellow
clerks. AR Letter became hookkecper
and showed himself an excellent Judge
Of credits" He understood men and
be had a natural genius FOR finance. Mr.
Field, his senior I'm Ugt, 20 % to lie
partre I'm the firm, I'm 1865 Field and
LeiterwithdreW 90 purchase controll-
ing interest In the business OF Potter
Palmer which was rcorganizad under
the firm name Of Field Palmer & Letter
Later ON the retirement OF Potter
Palmer and his brother. II was Field
Letter & co.. with Mr. Letter as the
credit man OF the firm.
The business pruspered. Hut Mr.. Lett
er became interested IN real estate and
other speCulations, and I'M 1881 he I'm
turn withdrew from the firm TO devote
an his time TO his new interests The
sum which he took out with him from
the firm Is Varlously stated al from 49,
100000 20 100000 Whatever II may
have been II represented only portion
Of his capital
SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS OF THE
LETTERS.
Early in life Mr.. Letter had married
Miss Mary Carson of Chicago. They had
two daughters and q son. He was not
naturally a man who took much interest
in the social side Of life But his wife
had ambitions, not so much for herself
as for her children. She determined to
storm the citadels Of the Chicago four
hundred There at first she met with
rebuffs. She found Mrs. Potter Palmer
the wife Of her husbands former part
ner, arrayed against her 1t was the
charm and tact and intelligence Of her
two daughters, and especially Of the
elder one, Mary now growing into a
brilliant young womanhoOd, which fl
nally conquered all obstacles.
Meanwhile the Letters had moved to
Washington. They selected the house
which James G.. Blaine had Just built,
but had found too expensive to MAIN
tain Here the plans for an elaborate
social campaign were laid. Again II
was Mary Letters personality which
won the victory The young Chicago
girl now IN her twentieth year, became
one OF the great bellies OF the capital
city. New Workers who visited Wash
ington returned with stories Of her
beauty and her accomplishments and
the wealth and hospitality Of her faith
err. This paved the way for her accep-
lance IN New York and Newport So
ciety, where for some seasons she divid-
ed the honors with Miss Sallie Har-
gous, She had a train Of suitors at her
heels.
The Letters spent a good deal of