The Omaha guide., 1932-11-05

papers staff, arrived on the scene
just in time to take down a steno-
e. aphic record Of the wOman'S
a -nazing story. 1t is this record,
rather than the highly colored story
which Miss Hayes later wrote from
it, that I reproduce here.
II first knew Paul Lucas" the
woman said, about thirty years
ago, when I was nineteen. He was
a young man then, a law student
Just out of college. He had attend
ed Harvard for four years. but
strangely enough had come back
to his home in E-ississippi to study
for the bar. He said he did this
because he planned to practice in
Mississippi and wanted to get ac-
{ ainted with the laws governing
his own state.
HE was a very handsome fellow,
then; very tall and straight, with
features that yer typically white.
Only a few of his best friends in
the South W knew that he was
a Negro. and he never took the
trouble to inform them of the fact.
His practice was largely among
white people, and nobody seemed
to question him.
when it came to getting mar
ried, though, he return~d to his
own race and picked me out be-
cause, although I was da-s, I could
e; silly pass for Spanish OF Cuban.
For twenty-eight years after that
we lived together happily. We had
one son, who is twenty-three now.
Until last month he held a fine po-
litical position in Mississippi. But
last month he was fired.
1.-TWO years ago, my husband de-
cided to run for a seat in Congress.
He had been prominent in Missis-
|sippi for a long time, and was well
known and well liked. He was
elected by a large majority and
came on here to Washington, leav-
ing us to take care of ourselves
down in Mississippi.
II suspected that he had grown
tired of me, or else he didn't want
r .e to come . Washington, where
complications might arise because
of my color. so L stayed in Mis-
sissippi and let him do as he wished
in Washington. My son was work
ing, and he managed to support me
as well as h own little family. /
never could understand why Paul
never sent me any checks after he
left Mississippi. After all, I had
married him and lie was supposed
to contribute to my support. But
I was too proud to ask him for
anything; L simply let him go on.
with his work in Congress and adj
mired him for The splendid show
ing he was making.
when my son lost his job,
though, I saw that something had.
to be done. Not caring to live on.
his slender savings any longer, I
decided to &C e to Washington and.
talk to Paul.
II found that h. had changed
"a great deal since he had left the
South. He wasn't the same man.
at all. He refused even to see me
for more than a week. Finally,
when I forced my way into his
OulCCy L DCSSCQ lllu1 w t1Cdt lIC
civilly. He told me frankly that.
if he introduced me to Washington
society as his wife, eve-y bit Of
prestige he had would be lost and.
his word would carry no more
weight on the floor of the House.
81 said to him, You forget that
you are a Negro yourself. What if.
I decided to tell that to the news
papers, especially those down in
Mississippi, whose people you are
supposed to be representing?'I
He laughed at me, Inspector. He
said, Nobody'd believe you. And.
you can't prove anything
II said, I can prove I'm your
wife
He laughed again. You can't.
even prove that he said. It might.
interest you TO know that we were
never legally married-that the
license which : used was not.
T operly signed or witnessed"
What did you dc when he told
YOU that?" the inspector inter
rupted.
II screamed. You can imagine
what a shock it was. to discover