El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-03-28

n RETTT Peggy, saucy Peggy, impu-
dent and imprudent Peggy-never
= did one careless, gay, sprightly
widow involve more great men or cause
more trouble than did Peggy O'Neal.
She was called the American Madame
Pompadour. Maybe she deserves the
title; maybe not. That is a matter Of
individual judgment But she gave
added spice to one Of the Hveliest ad-
ministrations in the history of the
United States, and had for her knight
Grant a president; and her love story
is probably the most famous in Amer
lean history. Surely that is fame
enough for a tavern keepers daughter
There never would have been a line
written perhaps about Peggy O'NeaI
but for two far removed facts. One
was the passing away Of a stout, color
less woman in the United States, and
the other was the suicide by cutting
his throat Of surgeon on an American
war ship in the Mediterranean. The
stout cOlOrless woman was Mrs John
Eaton, wife Of general Eaton, formerly
United states senator, and the devoted
supporter of Andrew Jackson. The
Otner was a nOndescript character
named Undertake, much given to in
temperance, and who for some years
mad been the husband of Pegev O'Neal
Not long after the news of Timber
lakes death had reached Washington
senator Eaton showed more than usual
interest In the young widow. He lived
IN her fathers tavern, an old fashioned,
big, roomy affair that had a large pat
ronage in the late twenties ana the
early th1rues. Peggy had grown uD in
that tavern. She was bright witty.
well formed, and daring in speech and
action. Men admired her, and women
We're suspicious or jealous of her.
Wherever she went she had men
Hooking about her.
Eaton, so soon as his period of
mourning was over, paid open court 10
her. He was well past fifty; she was
thirty two. No doubt pretty Peggy
was much flattered in receiving the
attentions of SO distinguished a man
as Eaton. There is no doubt that
Eaton was truly in love with pretty
Peggy
would You Marry Hersv
True love rarely runs smooth, they
say 1t was so with John Eaton and
Peggy O'Neal Out of the west came
Andrew Jackson to take his seat as
president of the United States, and
with him came the rumor that John
Eaton would be his secretary of war
Immediately the gossips got busy
mat JUN A4AAO-ls war veteran Doll
uc1ans stateman, should marry Peggy
O'Neal meant little; that John Eaton.
member of the presidents cabinet,
should marry Peggy O'NeaI meant /
much The president of the United
States was a widower. There would |
be no first lady of the land: that honor |
would be divided among the wives of /
the cabinet ministers. What a horror /
II would be for part Of this distinction I
10 come to the daughter Of a tavern /
keeper
The gossip came to the ears Of gen !
eral Eaton. Gossip is a hard thing 10 4
trace; it is a hard thing too, to com I
bat If he took open notice of it, it 1
would bring the name of the woman I
he loved into public attention. If he
did not combat it, the stories would be 1
believed. Men very much in love do
not exhibit very much wisdom Eaton,
in his infatuatiOn, depended not upon
himself but went to another and hotter
head for counsel
Jackson had rendered to him the