The Dawson journal., 1883-01-11
EMMAD. Il. N. SOU gAwoRfEI.
Something of a Qaeer Woman, Her
Queer History all H. Queer
Warl
Letter in Philade. .}.s,, Press.


day a tall spare v)nan with sad,
grave face an | gray halr, who was
dressed in BLACK ID appeagelto be
over go yeas Old "Do yoa know
who that i5?'' asked he. No, I do
not. said l. "AYell," continued he.
"that is Mrs Emma D Z. n. S1a.a-
worth, aad wal tell You son-lhi
about her. 1 looked again and saw
face OF remarkable strength, win a
mouth and chin indicating grea5 de-
termination, and forehead full of
intellect. Aud then Mr. Shillineton
told me his story. Thirtyfve years
ago, said he, Il do not quote his
words for [ do not pretend to give
them exactly that lady was a daily
visitor to my store. She was always
dressed in black (she never wears
''colors) }, and spent all hour Or 50
every day reading at my counter
always standing ant never speaking
word to anybody. Her movements
were OF the most timid character. and
we (that is, my clerks and vi5itors)
after awhile came to speak of her as
''the queer woman" No one knew
her name, anu we all got to regard
her as little ''of." I was then
the general Of the Baltimore Sun in
Washington and looked after its cir
culation here. One day the queer
woman" approached me very caasi
ously, looking AROUND to see that
no one observed her, and took from
under her black shawl big bnn lie
OF manuscript, AMI told me it was
story she had boen writing, and ask
ed me to have it printed in the Sun.
This rather confirmed me in the be
het that she was little queer" but,
however, [ took her bundle and
promised to comply with her request
I looked over the manuscript, and
finally sent it to the Sun The editor
was much merit in the story, but he
did not have room for it, and it was
sent by him to the Philadelphia
Saturday Visitor. The editor Of
this paper was greatly struck with
the story, as was also DR.. SnoIgrass,
the editor of a Baltimore literary pa
per, to whom it was submitted
They communicated with me and
asked the authors name. [ did not
know it, but when she came in my
store again told her what had
happened.
She seemed to be frightened, aud
left my store in wlitl without say
ing a word. | thought at the time
thLt she feared the papers would at
tack her for writing such a story.
However, [ did not intend to lose
her so [ sent one of NY young men
after her, telling am to follow her.
find out where she lived, 4nI learn
her name. She walked rapidly d5va
the street, AL " .nt to the ISLAND"
In passing n little school house,
some boys who were playing marbles
spoke to the lady in black, and my
young man asked them who the lady
was. "She's our teacher answered
the boys. ''And what is her name %
"Mrs. Southworth,' was the answer.
At tho time, continued Mr.. Shilling
ton, in substance, DR.. Bailv was the
editor of the National Era here. He
had also become Interested in the
new author-how, | DO not know.
He AMI DE-. Saodgrass came to me,
and [ arran ged an interview between
them and Mrs. Southworth. The
story was very crude and INGRAM
NAUTICAL, but there were some remar-
kabiy strange things in 1.-THE in
tense situations, particularly. 50 it
was fixed up, aul changed, and cut
and adde | t., and was finally printed
IN the National Era. It was subse
quently printed By Peterson s. Bro.
of Philadelphia, aud nad an immense
sale. The story was .'Rttribution."
and if you have never resl it, it is
worth your while to read it now. It
was printed IN about the veat 1913.
long before ''Uncle Toms Cabin"
was written, and yet You will o. as
tonlshed to see the similarity in some
OF the situations and IDEAS.
questioned Mr.. Shillinglon furth
er, and learned that Ms. Southworth
was born in Washington in 1918,
and that she separated from her hus
band when she was quite young.
She has written more books than any
author, living or dead, except, per
haps, Mrs. Ann S. Stephens. Mrs
southworth is living in our sister