The Washington herald., 1911-01-07
"REMINISCENCES OF
T. p. O'CONNOR

Parliament in full state and the Queen
will accompany him. The ceremonial will
be in accordance with the new procedure
which was drawn up at the beginning
of the late King Edwards reign.
King George intends to follow closely
the plans then made. All women attend
ing are to appear either in black or in
half-inourning colors.
The stars of Africa, although remov-
able. will not be taken from their present
position in the scepter until after the
corona tion. when they are to be mounted
into a pendant and brooch for her
majesty's personal wear.
Clever. charming. vivacious. and cam
did to Il degree. Mrs. T. p. O'Connor. in
her book. Il Myself" has published one
of the most entertaining autObiographies
Of the season. 1t is the story of il strik-
inSly varied career of a woman who has
enjoyed the triumph Of being a society
belle and who. through adverse circum-
stances, has had to struggle for IA living.
While 'Tay Pay WAS carving his way
to journalistic and political fame, she
who ultimately was to become his wife
was. @ur;ously enough, working fourteen
hours day as a reporter in New York.
Il wrote and wrote" she says, about
working-women and every sort of SUBJ
Jet. until | had writer's cramp, an3
never have escaped entirely from it
since
Mrs. OCOnnOr is a native of the South
ern States. She was born in the days
when the slave trade fioUrished. and.
according to the fashion of the South.
she had foster mother-''a very black
young nesress of twenty. the mother
of two very lusty little pickaninnies.
shiny, coal-black, fat boys. adorcd
my NANNY and my admiration was
returned Il thousand fold. But nanny
little Betty Paschal Mrs. O'Connor's
father was Judge Pasci,al. legal au-
thoritv of great reputationJ fishing with
certain boys.
But, dear NANNY" commenced little
Betty.
Now. don't you dear mammy' me.
seed YOU fishin wild William Bates yes
teddy and | amt telled 20 momma ye; !:
but jes let me ketch We at it agin: dat's
all"
After her fathers death Betty found
herself in straitened circumstances
She was obliged to get what work she
could. when | went to New York to
live she writes. II had only so in all
the world Ny little child ,Mrs. O'Con-
nor has been married twice. was de-
pendent upon me, and I do not suppose
that any creature in the wide world was
less equipped for remorseless fight for
daily bread than myself.
Ultimately she succeeded in procuring
n place as manuscript reader with a we'll
known American publishing house But
hardly had she. begun work when she
was struck down with peritonitis. Her
DhNSIcian told h.r that sha
stop work and give herself rest she
certainly would die. but the loss of her
salary would mean starvation, and she
had to go on. She recovered. and then
paid visit to friends in Ireland. after
ward joining other friends in London
She was taken to the House of Commons
by Col Mitchell. the American vice con-
sui. and there, for the first time she
net the genial T. p Soon their engage
ment was announced
Mr.. OConnor wished to get married
then and there. but she wanted to re-
turn to America to see her son. AS T.
p. could not leave Parliament and his
work to accompany her. she suggested
to him that they be married on her re-
turn TO Europe the following year. Mrs,
O'Connor confesses that they argued the
saying anything to her. procured a spe-
cial license. but she was not to be per-
suaded
Il said No: We must wait until my
return from America Hopefully he
folded up the special license, put it in
his pocket. and said that if / was not to
wear "A wedding ring. at least I must
wear an engagement ring. and would I
meet him at the Army and Navy Stores
the next day? I did. and chose a modest
little turquoise ring, which cost | re-
member. es. but it pleased me as much as
if the price had been eighty.
And now Mrs. OConnor naiveIy re-
marks that when ultimately ..'T. p" met
her and her son at Queenstown her first
thought had been how quickly she would
change the cut of his trousers and of his
hair. for in those days he paid little at
tention to his appearance Toodie. her
boy. who then was ten years of age did
not want her to marry O'Connor. He
preferred for her man who had given
him rabbits and dogs. However. he did
give his consent and the wedding took
place in a quiet little church in Horse
ferry road
Dear Justin Mccarthy gave me away
says Mrs. OConnor. IT. P who at the
last moment was writing an article with
for copy had forgotten the wedding
ring. so there was a slight wait while
Mary O'Connor rushed to the Stores to
get it. And really" confesses Mrs
O'Connor. I'VE have been rushing to the
stores for forgotten things ever since"
There is another amusing glimpse of
ct. p, when he founded that popular
London evening paper. the star.
so great was his enthusiasm that he
said h" must be on the premises both day
and night. He could not edit the paper
satisfactorily otherwise So fiat was
built for us on the top Of the Star build
ing. He also. to lessen the time given to
dressing in the morning. designed a time
saving costume. 1t was to he flannel
lined coat buttoned to the chin. the trous-
ers also flannel lined. and with socks and
slippers he calculated not more than two
minutes for clothing himself
Mrs. O'Connor has etlmany celebri-
ties. OF whom she tells "a number of
stories. She became on intimate terms
OF friendship with the Laboucheres. and
they celebrated their first Christmas din
ner with them. Among the guests were
Whistler and Sala. After dinner We
played like SO many children. and Whist
ler said that mistletce was meant for
brides. and I was carried under a big
bunch of mistletoe. and told to be a good
little girl. and kiss everybody goodnight
I refused to obey and nobody dared to
kiss me except Whistler. That was
twenty-five years ago. please remember"
a11 No.