Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-24
MRS. SOUTHwORTH, THE NOV.
ELlSr.
MRS.


To the Editor Of The EVENING STAR
There has been going the rounds OF the news
paper press an article from the pen of a Wash
fngton correspondent of the Philadelphia Press,
entitled Mrs: Southworth's first story" The
correspondent gives as his authority periodi-
Cal dealer in this city. Either the authOrity's
memory Is on the wane, or the correspondent
must have drawn largely on his imagination.
In the National Republican, a few days ago,
there appeared communication signed c. b. B.,
In which the writer does justice to Mrs. South
worth. and tells the truth; but not the whole
truth stu there are many persons here that
thank him for hrs article
I" Retr0utiOn" was not Mrs. Southworth's
first story; not even the second. third fourth,
fifth or sixth. There are hundred and more
people now living in Washington who know this.
% THE IRISH REFUGEE" HER FIRST PUBLISHED
STORY.
/, after an intimacy dating back forty
years, can speak with perfect knowledge with
regard to this gifted woman and her literary
career. Mrs. SOuthwOrth's first story was 'The
Irish Refugee" was one of her most intimate
friends-her confidant-and know when this
was sent through the mail to The Baltimore
Saturday Ecening TisitOr. 1t was accepted and
published by that paper So the honor and
credit OF first Introducing Mrs. SOuthwOrth to
the literary world is due to that paper. Ii she
had needed mediator between herself and
publisher, is it not probable that she would
have sought one among those men that she met
daily in her stepfather's house; men of whose
personal merit all Washington knows-Coi. W.
W. SeatOn. Peter Force. George WattersOn and
Geo. j. Abbott. the latter connected at the time
of which write with two literary Journals in
Observation-Disclosures than think of consulting
or showing her MSS. to periodical dealer
This is said to have happened thirty-tour years
ago. before "RetrbutiOn' was published.
The statement that the MSS Of this or any
other story OF hers was crude and ungrammatica
Is simply ridiculous.
MRS. s0UTHwORTH WAS CAREFULLY EDUCATED
under the supervision of her step father, Mr.. /.
L. Henshaw. who is remembered by many OF
our old citizens as man of great culture and
literary ability. Again, before Mrs. SOuthwOrth
began her literary career, and during the writ
Ing of her hrst six or eight stories. she was the
teacher of the female grammar school of the
fourth district, in this city. More than all this,
i have 1t from this periodical dealers own lips,
that: Il never said TO any one that Mrs. S6uth-
worths MS was crude or ungrammatcal; nor
that had even read it. for, indeed. / never did
read this 'Retrbution in MS or since it's pub
ncation." These were his exact words. Mrs.
Southworths second story was 1.-The Wiie's
Victory" her third. THE Wifes Mistake: "
fourth. ''NeighbOrs' Prescriptions" fifth 1.-The
Thunder Bolt to the HEARTH" SIXTH 1.-THE
Test" All of these. except the first were pub
nshed in The Nati0aal Era Mrs. SouthwOrth
being at that time valued friend and visitor in
the editors Or. Baley's) family.
WORKING FOR BREAD FOR HER CHILDREN.
After The Test" was finished Mrs. South
wOrths increased cares, her ehildren's Illness,
and her own impaired health forced her to rest
from her literary labors. Just at this period the
public school fund gave out. Then it was that
She yielded to Dr. Bailey's oft repeated request
and began "Retributon'-f0r her chdren's
daily bread might say. This story then. the
success of which is known to the world, was
written alter school hours. in fact during those
hours that should have been given to sleep.
The Ms. was sent weekly to the Era office.
and as sent was published-''frOm pen to
printer There are men now in Washington
who We're on the Era at that time and know
these facts.
BRILLIANT GATHERINGS AT HER HOME.
While Retribution" was In course of publica-
ton there used to gather in Mrs. Southworth's
modest little parlor the most distinguished men
and brilliant women of the country Iwell re-
member on one occasion (when her guests were
fewer than usuaD drinking coffee and eating
oysters prepared by her own hands on the Goals
In the open crate. And how this was eniOyed
although great change for some from the
usual formality of such occasions. During this
period Mrs SouthwOrth was sought out and en-
couraged by such men as John g. Whittier. Dr.
William Elder, Rufus Dawes, John Howard
Payne and Judge Cranch.
FROM LETTER FROM MRS sOUTHwORTH
to friend in Washington. received a few days
ago, / have obtained permission to make the
following extract: Indeed never even saw the
periodical dealer spoken Of In the article sent
me unit! long after 'Retribution' was published
two or three years, fully. The only bookstore
where went at that time and was we'll ac-
qGainted was Robert Farnum's-that we'll
beloved and deepiy-lamented Christian gentle
man and scholar. God bless him, which / am
sure He has. with everlasting life. / never pos
sessed a roll of MSS in my life. You know
wrote from pen to printer. And as am sorry
TO say have not been TO my home in Prospect
Cottage tor nearly nine months that tall spare
woman. was, to say the least, a creature of their
imagination"
In conclusion, feel we'll assured in saving
there never was literary career commenced
with more immediate success than that of the
author of 'Retribution." LFH