Evening journal., 1913-03-10
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Ex-POStmaSter General
James COnfuteS the
BiOGrapherS
BY Holland.

do you remember whether Peggy
oNeill died the year when you we're
serving as postmaster general in the
cabinet Of President Garfield and Pres
ident Arthur?"
asked this question Of ex-Post-
master General Thomas l.. James be-
cause ! had been informed that he
was acquainted with the famous
Peggy O'Nenl, who was the wife OF
Major Eaton of President Jackson's
cabinet, and the center Of a battle
of danes" which disrupted that cab
met
Peggy O'Neill was a beautiful girl.
born at Washington, where her faith
er was reputable innkeper. II was
her early associations as tavern
keepers daughter that caused tho
ladies of President Jackson's cabinet
to refuse to recognize her socially.
Jackson was man of great courtesy,
especially in the refinement and deli
cacy Of his consideration for women.
For that reason he took Peggy
O'Neill's part
81 do not now recall the exact date
of Peggy O'Neills death" was Gen
eral James's reply but I know il
must have occurred some months
after became postmaster general, al
( though have recently read a bio
graphical sketch of Peggy ONehl,
which states that she died in the year
1879.
There is no social event in which
7 participated while ! was postmaster
/ general that left such vivid impress
sion on my mind as the first recep
tiOn given by Mrs James after VIC
went TO Washington. She received in
the parlors of the Arlington Hotel.
We we're guests of that hotel for some
months.
About an hour before the time
! fixed for the reception a card was
| brought TO my wife's room. and upon
reading it she went herself 10 greet
The lady whose name was engraved
upon it. She was Peggy O'Neill. Mrs
James had some years earlier formed
very pleasant acquaintance, with
her and for that reason the greeting
was especially cordial.
Peggy ONeill--to call her by the
name by which she was best known
was, when she called upon Mrs.
James dressed simply and yet ele-
gantly. Her gown was of handsome,
heavy black silk, richly trimmed
around the neck with lace. She was
a little woman, as ] remember her.
Although about so years of age. her
dark eyes were sparkling with hu-
NOR, viyacity and intelligence.
Mrs. James said to her: You come
at a most opportune time In an hour
! hold my first reception as a cab
met lady I am to be assisted by the
wives of two senators. / want you to
stand with me and with them and aid
me in receiving our guests
"The little woman hcsitated a mo-
ment, and then she burst into tears,
sobbing for few moments convul-
I siycly. AT last she embraced Mrs
James and said to her; I will gladly
stand in line with you. and ] want
to say 10 you now that with one sin
gle exception I have never been ask
ed since my husband retired from
| President Jackson's cabinet to assist
any cabinet lady i'm 2 reception. II
is now nearly forty-five years since
] hf0N.iAf 40 fi RdHAt'A tdNNf NAUh pei
in any reception. with the single eX-
cepton referred to.
MY wife asked the once famous
! LITTLE woman if she were willing "a
tell what cabinet lady had made the
exception to which she referred.
"'It was Mr. Belknap, wife of the
secretary of war in President Grants
administration She is the only lady
excepting yourself who in the pas
forty-five years has remembered thai
! was once a cabinet lady myself, re
piled Mrs. Eaton.
with great dignity and wftl
charming simplicity Of manner Pegg,
O'Neill stood with Mrs. James at this
first cabinet reception that was giveI
by my wife, and of all of those WHIT
passed before her there were prob
ably not half a dozen who had eve
heard of her or knew who she was.
! Copyright, 1913, by e. ]. Edwards
All rigrts reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell o
"The Genius Whose Apparatus Mad
I Eraaf IunproVauanfc Docofhlo