The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-03
KANSAS WOMAN
IS MILLIONAIRE
But Is Too Modest to Talk
About Herself
MRS. M. F. De FLOREST
Had Money Even When Working as
seamstress at s3 a Week--Today
No One Knows the Total of
Her Wealth
From the Kansas City Star.

From the Kansas City Star.
Many good men and women do not
want their names "in the papers" But
history is as much as can be made OF
record of their doings as we'll as of the
deeds of persons who sought notoriety.
In the summing up of social progress
unrecorded modesty has as much to do
with the shaping of social progress as
well advertised notoriety.s And it Is the
same today. Personal modesty is a virtue
that prevents the publication of many
records that would at least give more
balance to our notions of present social
customs
Take the lives of the wealthy. The
men of millions who ostentationsly dis
sipate their wealth are so we'll adver-
tised that the impression threatens to
become a standard of life for the we'll
TODD. If more was heard of those modest
persons whose lives are not guided by
money, possibly riches could not have
such disproportionate influence on an
initiative world.
Arguments such as these might have
persuaded Mrs. M F. De- Forrest OF
Atchison and Irving Kas.. 10 tell more
OF her quiet life and the ideals that
guide 1t; but probably not, for one of
her guiding ideals Is personal modesty
which shuns publicity Nor would she
like to be held up as a model of how
to be modest though a millionaire" 1t
is her way of living and that is ALL
Many years ago she began in Atchison
as seamstress at So a week, and even
then she had money in the bank, but
this especially she will not discuss
az don't want to say anything in pub
lie" Mrs De Forrest said. II don't feel
called upon to give people advice how to
live. I like newspaper folk and 1 read
The Star every day, but why should l
have my name in the paper? If l do any
good don't want it talked about. You
can't keep anything quiet nowadays I
did something last week and ] suppose
I shall be hearing about it soon.''
you don't want TO advertise as 4
charitable person." you mean, was sug-
gested.
some of the "FooIish Requests"
"Of course I don't want to advertise
she rejoined In a gentle, yet decisive
manner characteristic of her; she is
slightly built woman obviously WE'LL
though simply, dressed. II don't want
to make lot of people write to me for
nothing"
For money" you mean
"Well yes. for money. Oh. they don't
bother me much, but some of them are
so stupid"
Asking for small loans and that sort
of thing?"
Loans! They ask me to give them
money, and $500 at time. Yes, they
want to borrow too, sometimes, but I'M
not a money lender.
And for charities?"
Eyes, man wrote to me the other
day asking for $4,000 to build a hos
pital. He said that it had always been
his ambition to be superintendent of a
hospital, so would I build him one?"
And you'll build it?"
"Why. of course not. When I want to
do good shall have no difficulty in
finding an opportunity. I shant need
to go to Kentucky or wherever 1t was
the man wrote from"
(Rumor has it in Atchison that Mrs.
De Forrest intends\ to build hospital
for that city. an institution that is much
needed. they say.)
you make your home here, them
was asked.
1.-THE Byram Hotel has been my home
for years. don't think hotel life is the
ideal home life, though
You have never thought of going to
live in the east where money counts
for so much?"
"They have been trying to get me to
live there That's where my money is
invested. But Kansas is my state and
this Is my home. I go away now and
then. was in New Orleans last month"
"a holiday from begging letters?'
"They followed me. But I believe the
most deserving persons are often those
you have to go and look for. Some>of
the others are real, I know, and l know
many of them are not. But that doesn't
annoy me-
svon bova boppx, diepositiop
"Oh, money! consider myself much
more favored in disposition than in
money"
Worked an SeamstPess
And that was all. Mrs. De oFrrest
would not talk about her early life in
Atchison. Of her life before coming there,
Of the fairy book uncle who left for