Evening journal., 1913-02-19
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Peggy O'Neill Story by
General Thomas L. James
BY Holland.

"A year or two after I became post
master of New York city / was in
formed one of the post Office employees
was grandson Of the famous Peggy
O'Neill, who was the wife of Major j.
II. Eaton. Secretary Of War in Presi-
dent Andrew Jacksons Cabinet" II
was General Thomas l.. James who
was nsrrating this anecdote to me.
"An attempt was made by some Of
the ladies OF Jackosn's Cabinet to
ostracize Mrs. Eaton. No one ever
really knew what the reason for this
action was. Peggy O'Neill was the
beautiful daughter Of man who kept
a little hotel in Washington in the
early part Of the last century. II has
sometimes been thought that the aris-
tocratic ladies of the Cabinet did not
regard Mrs. Eaton as a social equal
in view to Ter humble life as a girl.
president Jackson got very angry
and even threatened to remove several
of his secretaries unless Mrs. Eaton
was received as a social equal. Old
Hickory could control men in his
Cabinet, but he couldn't control the
wives. The result was that Jackson
recognized his Cabinet.
"The Peggy O'Neill incident became
a national topic, and is even remem-
bered to this day.
Il had opportunity to do some kind
ness 10 her grandson. Shortly after
that was taken i'll with typhoid fever.
When convalescent was permitted to
receive an occasional visitor. was
told one day that an elderly lady had
called who was anxious to see me if
possible My wife responded to the
summons and in a few moments re-
turned to my invalid chair with some
excitement and said Who do you
think il is? IL is no other than Peggy
O'Neill. And want you to see her
"A moment or two later there en-
tered my room with Mrs. James,
slender. wonderfully yivacious and
bright eyed woman who, notwithstand-
ing her age-for she was as then
nearly eighty-still preserved hints of
her early beauty.
"She sat by me perhaps for half an
hour She said that she wanted to
thank me for the kindness that | had
done her grandson. / was wonderfully
entertained both by the appearance
and by the reminiscent conversation Of
this remarkable woman I asked her
IL she had a comfortable income and
in reply she said:
"'I have only two sources OF in
come. One is the grandson to whom
you have been so kind. He gives me a
part of his monthly salary enough to
support me not very luxuriously, but
comfortably. ! have, however, another
source Of income which has always
been a mystery. I don't know how
long it will be maintained, but | have
had it now for some ten or twelve
years. I received about twelve years
ago a package by express from Cali
fornia. | found il contained a wonder
fully beautiful cashmere shawl.
have not seen anything like it since
lived in Spain. where my husband was
minister from the United States There
was nothing to indicate from whom 1t
came There was only a line saying
that it was tribute OF respect A day
or two later I received a letter from
California containing nothing but a
cashiers check for 500, made payable
to my order. On the first Of every
month since that time | have received
a similar check-not word in the
letter excepting the check, not a thing
by which was able to identify my
unknown friends I look upon it as
though il we're bread cast upon the
waters, representing some friendly ac-
ton Of mine probably years age Some
day viii bring His cashmere shawl
and show it to you and your Wife
"A few d-ys later she did call and
brought the shawl with her. It was,
as she had said. superb specimen OF
the art and skill Of the workers of the
East who have the secret of making
the cashmere shawls.'
(Copyright. 1918. by r. J Edwards
All rights reserved)