Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-01-04
MRs. SCUTHWO2TE-

\ lcw days ago Joe Shilington, q maga
zine and ncwsdealcr, pointed out to me Il
tall spare woman. with Il sad, grave face,
and gray hair, who dressed in black and
appeared to be over 60 years old. "Do you
know who that is 2" asked he. No, do
rot" said /. WELL said he, THAT is Mrs.
Emma ID. L. n. Southworlh, and will tell
you something about her / looked again
and saw n face Of remarkable strength.
with Il mouth and chin indicating great
determination, and q forehead full OF in
tcllcct. And then Mr.. Shillngton told me
his story. Thirty-fvc years ago, said he
Il do not quote his words, for do not pre-
tend to give them exactly. that lady was Il !
daily visitor to my store. She was always
dressed in black (she never wears ''colors,"y
and spent an hour or so every day reading
at my counlcr-always standing and never
speaking Il word to anybody. Her move
mcnts were OF the most ,imid character and
we that is my clerks and visitors) after q
while came TO speak Of her as 'thc queer
woman" No one knew her name and we
all got TO regard her as little "ofi.' |
| was then the general agent OF the Balti- /
more S"a in Washington, and looked .
after its circulation here. One day ''thc |
queer woman approached me very cauti- |
ously, looking around to see that no one OBJ
served her. and took from under her black !
shawl big bundle Of manuscript and told .
Inc it was story she had been writing, and |
asked me TO have it printed in the SIN. This .
rather confirmed me in my belief that she |
was q little queer" but, however, took
her bundle and promised to complay with
her request. | looked over the manuscript
4 little, and lnanly sent it to the Sun. The
editor found much merit in the story, but did
not have room for it, and it was sent by
him to the Philadelphia SATURDAY IiSitor.
The editor of this paper was greatly struck
with the story, as was also DR.. Snodgrass,
the editor Off Baltimore literary paper, to
whom it was submitted. They communi-
Gated with me and asked the author'snamc.
did not know it. but when she came in my
store again told her what had happened.
She seemed to be frightened, and left my
store i'll n whirl without saying word
thought at the time that she feared the pa
pcrs would attack her for writing such Il
story. However, | did not intend to lose
her, and so | sent one Of my young men af-
ter her. telling him to follow her. find out
where she lived, and learn her name. She
walked rapidly down thestrcct and went to
the Island" In passing IL little school
house some boys who were playing marbles
spoke to the lady in black, and my youngman
asked them who the lady was. She's our
teacher" answered the boys "And what
is her name ?" Mrs Southwor:h," ;" was the
answer.
at that time" continued Mr. Shilling
ton, in substance, DR.. Bailey was the cd-
tor of the National Era here. He had also
become interested in the new author-how.
| do not know He and DR.. Snodgrass
came to me and arranged anintcrvcw be-
tween them and Mrs Southworlh The
story was very crude and ungrammatical,
but there were some remarkably siron.
things in 1.-THE intense situations partcu-
larry. So it was fixed and changed and cut
and added to, and was finally printed in the
National Era. 1t was subsequently printed
by Peterson & Bro, ,ofPhiladcphia, and had
an immense sale. The story was 'Rctribu-
ton. and if YOU have never read it. il is
worth your while to read ii now. 1t was
printed in about the year 1S4S. long before
Uncle Toms Cabin was written. and vet
YOU will be astonishcd to sec the similarity
in some OF the situations and ideas Iques-
toned Mr.. Shllington further, and learned |
that Mrs SOuthworth was born in Washing
ton in 1878. and that she separated from her
husband when she was quite young. She
has written more books than any other au-
thor, living or dead. except, perhaps, Mrs
Ann :. Stephens. Mrs. Southworth is liv- |
ing in our sister city of Georgetown in love
ly Prospect cottage. on the hill, and is loved |
and respected by everybody. She contin-
ucs to write Wash. Lcttcrto the PHIL Press |
TTEsT POCKET DYSPEPSIA CURE
III '=-NA~'-e1s
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