Public Ledger

The History of a Belle of 1800—The French Marshal Grouchy's House.

An eccentric matron named Macaw recently died in New York city at the age of ninety-seven years. She was of French birth, and came to this country with her first husband, M. Mazare, when she was about twenty years of age, and settled in Philadelphia, in Third street, where she lived in style. In 1807, Mazare, who was agent of the celebrated Marshal Grouchy, was commissioned by that personage to build him a mansion near the Delaware, as he proposed making America his home. Mazare complied, and built the large brick house which stands on the south side of Clinton street, near Eighth, and laid out spacious grounds adjoining. As Grouchy was prevented from coming to this country, Mazare purchased the property and made it his own residence, and here the Madame lived until just before her death. After a while Mazare died, and the widow became enamored of one Smith, a coachman in her employ. Unluckily Smith was married; but a check for $5000 induced his wife to take herself to her native country, Switzerland, and then Madame Mazare became Mrs. Smith. The coachman made a good husband, and managed the property advantageously, but in time he, too, died, leaving Mrs. Smith a widow the second time, at the age of fifty. During her widowhood her affairs were neglected, and at the age of eighty she married again. Her last husband, Macaw, rescued her estate from the clutches of the sheriff, and then asked her to sign over the property to him. This she firmly refused to do whereupon Macaw packed his trunk, took his leave for parts unknown, and has never since been heard from. The Madame was very beautiful in her youth, and in her old age continued to wear the girlish dresses and to affect the girlish airs which had attracted admiration three-quarters of a century before. Of late years she rarely appeared in the streets, but when she did it was in gorgeous attire, including a high plumed hat, a necklace of diamonds, and invariably a band about her forehead, from the center of which depended a brilliant gem.