The Denver Star from Denver, Colorado • 1

Bishop Tyree, Philadelphia, at Shorter, iirtl The papers formerly known as The Statesman and The Independent, have been merged into The Denver Star TWENTY-SIXTH YEAR Number 98 The Life Work of Mme. C. J. Walker. Foremost Colored Women Hu Purchased the Late Bishop Derrick Property at Flushing, N.

Y. Buys an Auto in Denver. Goldsmith, in his very touching poem entitled Deserted when speaking of the that those who came to scoff at him remained to pray. The thought and expression apply very well to Madam C. J.

Walker. Many excellent things have been said of her, so many that petsons living in other cities, persons that have no opportunity to meet her, have doubts about what she does and about her weath. In tact, there are skeptics right here in Indianapolis. They think she is overrated; that her weatlh is exaggerated. However, it has dawned on the better part of us here that the madam is all that she is advertised to be.

1 As a representative ot the hreeman. it became my delightful duty to ask the madam many questions. I could not have done so had I been of any other profession. She winced a bit. but the story ol the real Madam Walker was my quest and little by little it came out.

As to her charity, I saw evidences of this side during the interview. Two, perhaps three, persons applied fur assistance and were not refused. One fellow had nearly enough money to go to Louisville. He asked for the rest of the necessary amount. She was re peatedly called to the telephone to discnss matters of the kind Through these discussions and investigations to ascertain worthy of help she showed splendid tact and judgment.

It was good to see a colored woman standing on that philanthropic eminence, classing with Helen Gould, John Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, at least, as to disposition and intewu Anti, indeed, her charities are not small, nor dp they need to be. A woman that can have a gold leaf Victrola made to order to the tune of SSOO has some more money somewhere. This Victrola is the only one of the kind in Indianapolis and was made to match her gold room The madam seems to simply preside over her money. After a charity, if one may so call it, is considered worthy, the faithful secretary ushers in with the check book' ready but the signature. She signs, and the secretary glides noiselessly out again, reminding one of those highly efficient servants ot the Orient, who are their master's other self the personification of devotion and discretion.

The madam is nowise disturbed by this little reduction of her bank account. The Conversation picks up promptly at the dropping point. She should worry when she owns a half dozen homes and has other large possessions. She has the gift and spirit for the charity work. She takes great stock in the theory that the Lord loves the cheerful giver: She gives bountifully and cheerfully.

She sets aside one per cent of her income to be given away And at this seemingly small percentage she has now a fund of S6OO for this winter collected within the past year. Coal, food, clothing are being dispensed right and left by the angel of mercy. Mrs. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, of Cambridge. is conducting a school at Sedalia, N.

C. Madam Walker has obligated herself to pay one teacher S2OO, the pay for the term. At Tuskegee she gives five pupils SSO each, yearly. One of these is an African. One is a young man above 20, who recently discovered that he ought to have some education.

Like a lady bountiful, she sends turkeys to the charitable institutions on Thanksgiving day and on Xmas. Ihe Alpha Home and the Orphans's home were reiriembered by her. Then there's St. Louis, where she has lived. Institutions and friends there are share-holders in her bounty.

Not long since she purchased Bishop Derrick's home at Flushing, L. 1., New York. It was during her visit to Boston when the B. M. C.

met there last summer that her attention was called to the home of the late Bishop Derrick. She had about decided to give up Indianapolis as a place of residence. While in company with friends in New York, among them were several noted persons, the moving subject was discussed. Naturally enough, the New York folk felt that after New York came the et)d of the world. They told the madam that all she had to do was to lay eyes on Bishop estate.

They were satisfied that it was what she wanted. Among this group were Mr. and Mrs. James Europe, Mr. Fred Moore, editor of the New York Age and Mr.

Phil Peyton. Richard B. Harrison, the well known reader, was amopg those who accompanied her to the Derrick homestead. The properly Is in charge of the bishop's widow, who kindly showed the visitors through the house and the sur. roundings.

It proved at once ideal. It is an aristocrat of houses, built by a wealthy white man who wished elegance The Denver Star DENVER, COLORADO. SATURDAY, AUG. 7, 1915 and spaciousness. The rooms, the tnadame says, are large and grand, reflecting the personality of the builder.

There is no stinted or starved appearance about anything. Special dressing rooms attach the living rooms. Everything was done with a lavish hand. Even when the bishop came in possession the work kept up. He purchased when in Italy marble'for the mantle in his great room, paying SSOO for it.

The mantle was ordered made in that country. The house is of four floors, including the basement, with about twenty rooms. A spiral or winding stair gracefully ascends from bottom to top, ending in the tower, which was lighted up when he was in the city. She had longed for a place where there were shrubbery, trees bit of nature, instead of that close two-by-four existence that city people find so necessary to put up with. She wanted a breathing spot just as our parks are breathing places for the people of hot.

fetid cities in the summer. She is proud of the grand trees, especially the $5,000 horse chesnut which the bishop refused to sell. In this he us of the Arab who flung back the purse of gold offered for his Arabian steed. He refused to part with his tree for that tempting sum of money. He was in for art and nature himself.

He had no adorn, ments to sell or give away. Grand old Bishop Derrick! I am afraid he was not known as he really was. Perhaps there is no other instance in the history of our race of a Negro having his mantle made abroad. The ceilings of the house are frescoed, also reflecting the taste of the owner. The balustrade of the steps are of crystal pebbles.

The fountain is the same, making a most beautiful effect. As classic and ideal as the spot is it will be further improved by Madam Walker. The house will be considerably changed; stucco outside walls and a stone fountain will be the main alterations. She will build a garage for three and a stable for two horses. She will spend much of her leisure time in the saddle.

The heating apparatus will be built on the outside of the house, above which will be the green house. Madam Walker believes in taking time by the forelock. She has already begun to cast about for furniture that will become the splendid house of the very spacious rooms. In doing this she came across a mahogany bed-room set of twelve pieces, metal trimmed, in New York. It is a importation from France, costing $1,500.

If one is inclined to doubt this story it can be verified by the fact that at her Indianapolis home, adjoining the room where I had this interview is a massive parlor suite of teak elaborately carved, done in Japan. It is peculiar and distinct standing for the last word in skill in technique. These beautiful pieces were bought in Panama by the madam when on her recent visit there. They were sent there to be sold to the, tourists, just as many other rare and costly thing are sent there. This set of furniture stood her SBOO.

In her New York home the madaine will have what she calls the cathedral suite for dining room, upholstered in silk tapestry; made to order, costing $2,200. In the room of the Indianapolis home referred to above, bear ir. mind, is ypt a costly ebony chair, a Steinway grand piano and a splendid bookcase of choice volumes. But it is the gold room of the Indianapolis home of which I wish to speak as bear ing witness to the cost of the furniture of the New York home. I have mentioned the SSOO gold leaf Victrola.

Besides this, there is a S3OO cabinet, several chairs of gold and silk tapestry, a table, oriental rug, $l5O draperies, oil paintings and so forth, making this one room a proposition, at least. The guest chamber of the home will have furniture of cream mahogany with an English coat of arms, costing In the hall of the Indianapolis home is a SSOO Grand-father clock, estminster chimes, reproducing the famous bells of Westminster Abbey, London, England. Tones of unspeakable richness peals forth every quarter of an hour, forcing an expression of joy and delight on the countenance of the most woebegone as if the chimes were the foundation of music and happiness. Such tones! Human, apparently, and more semingly, in their call, Sweet as the mother's call. And the children's answering back.

Over my head hung a chandelier of alabaster marble, hand carved, imported, $135, a tiling of beauty and a joy for ever. 1 he madam has purchased a Iver dinner set of Julius C. ilk, one of the leading jewelers, costing $260. In her diningroom are massive beaten silver pieces which she brought home from Boston. Her silver punch service is not ibJe.

Her cabinets groan with the highest grade china and cut glass. A great Grecian vase adorned the hall, cos ing S6O. There was an umbrella stand costing $35. Around about yet. seen and unseen, were evidences of wealth, taste and refinement.

When the madamegetsin her new home she will have practically a country home and a city home in New York. Her present home in that city is occupied by her daughter, rs. Lelia Robinson, belonging to her to all intent and purposes. This home, says Knights of Pythias Triumph in Denver. Elks Join in and Make Successful Meeting.

Delegates Honored by Entertainments. W. H. Bess, Re-elected. The Knights of Pythias Grand Lodge which convened last Wednesday at Hall, 2049 Champa Street, was one of the largest and best grand meetings which has been held in this city in the past eight years.

More complete harmony, good feelings and constructive work leading to the real benefit of the order, was witnessed at this session than at any session in the past five years. The men in general who seemed to fully realize their duties and responsibilities and the problems facing them, were willing to shoulder them and do their very best the madame, is as elaborately furnished as her Indianapolis home. This property is 10S at West 136th street. On Keystone avenue, this city, she has a six-room bungalow, built this summer with all the modern improvements. She has a double house on Cornelius and a cottage on Oakland avenue.

On Camp street she has a modem duplex. She owns a bungalow in Los Angeles, Cal. She owes nothing on these properties, paying for them as they were being improved. These, together with the homes described, including hei furniture which in value represent several homes, make for the fortune of this, the most remarkable colored woman that the race has produced. As a child she craved tor the beautiful.

She had an inordinate desire to move among the things of culture and refinement. A child of destiny she was, and is, realizing her every hope, Her life has expanded; she has grown in all ways, even in physical beauty. Her gift to the Y. M. C.

A. of this city is a historic incident. She patronizes art, knowing intuitively what to do to encourage those whose abilities lay along art lines. She has patronized Scott, the painter, and John Hardrich, painter. In her home are several choice pictures done by the former artist.

At the Y. M. C. A. is a superb lifesize picture of George L.

1 Knox, president of the association, presented by her. In the A. M. E. church of this city is a splendid likeness of Rev.

Morris Lewis. She was the donor. Her influences reaches out like the limbs of a banyan tree, encompassing greatly. Her name has become an open sesame, the hope of the poor and destitute. In the state of Mississippi she assisted in securing the pardon of a colored man who had been inprisoned for a number of years.

Thus the country over is feeling the impress of her Cents a Com; in solving them in the most satisfactory manner. The special changes come in the Endowment Department when the expenses of Board were cut down. It was easily shown and plainly pointed out that a general reduction in unnecessary offices of the grand lodge. The General Reception and memorial which occured Wednesday night at Shorter was one social event attended with such memories of the departed brethern that everyone present could not help (Continued on page 3.) work. Thus while reaping grandly for herself she scatters forth, with lavish hand, a part of her goods.

Her tenement houses a beautiful soul In her earthly aspirarions she wishes those things which comport with fine natures. In keeping with the desire, which makes for ideality, she will have the handsomest colored a As we, Denver people know Madam Walker, her life and efforts have spelled sacrifice and service with a large She has shown that no person can properly develop to any largeness of life, while his or her mind is focused upon self. She must get out of self or she cannot grow. For her to have thought constantly of her own interests, her own work, her own plans, her own welfare would have been to paralyze her growth. Selfish attitude was unable to touch her noble and divine impulses, and she looked up and out and not down and in.

This very action developed a warmth of heart, a tenderness, a kindness, a sympathetic nature, which love itself is only capable of making such worthy earthly qualities human in every respect. She knew without these men and women became brutes, no matter how gorgeous our apparel or how palatial or beautiful our homes or surroundings. Energy is an animal until his sympathies and love for his fellowmen are armed. So she soon found the power and joy of real happiness by doing for others in helping make communities better, not oniy in America hut in Africa, by entering into the world's service for humanity blessing lives individually and collectively and thus receiving and discharging the duties and responsibilities of a true education in life. She stole away from herself; she became interested in others; she loved them, helped them and became a throbbing vein of service in life instead of a cold, barren bloodless icicle.

Real happiness has been the joy and consequence. Let all the world emulate her..