The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-15
WOMEN LETTER WRITER'S
Something About the Ladies Who
Write from Washington.
Some Women of Brains and Ability Who
Have Been Successful in Acquiring
Both Fame and Fortune.
Correspondence of the indianapolis Journal.

SAID he thought correspondents, as general
thing, had no conscience, and he was strong
| ly inclined to think that such possession
should be made one of the qualifications re-
qUired. The honorable gentleman had GER
tainly as much experience in that line as
any man in Washington at that time but 1
do not think the letter-writers should be
blamed for laying in very light supply of
wares of no market value, and a news
letter with a conscience in it might be buried
in postage stamps till it could never
be resurrected trying to find a pub
Usher. In truth, the ladies who have
achieved most success in Washington cor
respondence are said to have stored up very
light supply, but perhaps they are holding
over for better prices.
Mrs Emily Edison Briggs (Olivia) has
earned precedence in this letter by her affa-
bility to other writer's as we'll as her position
as pioneer among them. She is a well-pre-
served lady, of a really unguessable age; her
face and her manners are SO bright that one
would be ashamed to charge to her account
forty years, even in summers, and yet her
general appearance indicates considerable
maturity, Ibid 1 not get around that nicely
now?) large and fne-looking, with face
pleasing rather than pretty, and the jolliest
presence in the world She writes Washing
ton News for the PHILADELPHIA Press when
here, (she is in Europe at present and lives
at the Naples, her lovely home on Capitol
Hill. The Swiss minister occupies the place
at present, and it is possible she may not re-
occupy it on her return for she told me
she did not care for the RESPONSIBILITIES
of lor N1o tlo{, 10, l.
husband dead, and her son, her only child,
married and away from her She declares
her intention OF donating the place eYentu-
ally for the purpose of assisting poor girls
in educating themselves, though her plan is
hardly matured as yet The grounds are a
large city square in area, with rows of maple
trees leading from the main entrance of the
house to the gateway. The house is built
of brick, sort OF gabled structure, painted
white, with a low board fence, whitewashed
to match, around the entire square. There
is ample room there for the erection of a
complete industrial school for girls, where
they could earn their board by running the
kitchen themselves. 1t would be a grand
thing for girls without other means, and
those who wanted an education badly
enough to be willing to work a little for 1t
would be the very ones who would use it
after they got it. Olivia was poor once
herself though not when girl
She married poor man, against her fathers
wish, and he let her suffer the consequences
for time. But fathers are very uncertain
sometimes and some people who snubbed
Olivia at that time, called to see her in her
prosperity, when he at last left her his
wealth, and she had become a popular cor
respondent besides, but they found her mot
at at home" and found themselves a little
bit off in their calculations about handsome
puffs, etc.
The Sneads have long divided the honors
wi IpOs in nrn I1rrhr NOT in,
Others. They, like her, are old, well-known
writers, but are not personally so popular
with others of the same guild for some rea-
son. The mother writes for Louisville as
Fay" and is the better writer, while the
daughter, Austine Snead Mrs. Grundv,D is
most popular, for the very fact, possibly, of
which Ben. Hill complains. The mother is
much prettier woman, too, and it is whispered
here that certain Southern member, who
is widower, will be in con-
siderable danger if Mrs. Grundy
does not come in wi tn a Veto as she has done
before. The mother has a stylish drawl in
her voice, while the daughter talks with
squeak. Miss Austine has almond-shaped
eyes, and looks so much like Chinese that
she was once mistaken for the Chinese min
listers wife. Society and fashion writers
both, but their own dress is often scarcely
remarkable for style though much improved
of late, since Mrs. Hayes taught the world
that lady could be we'll dressed without
leaving very essential part of her clothing
at home. l have heard that she forbade
these very ladies coming to her receptions
with bare shoulders and arms You NAV
take that with some allowance however. for
Mrs. Hayes was no snob, and taught others
by her beautiful example alone. The Sneads
writing society up at the watering
places now and gathering in shekels, no
doubt, from all such as banker and crave to
be mentioned as 1.-THE beautiful Miss A." or
no laft for
newsy and bright with a tincture of sarcasm
in Mrs. Grundy especially.
Mrs, NJ. D. Lincoln Bessie Beech is also
a well-known correspondent here; has con-
tributed for years to the Northern Christian
Advocate the Rural New Yorker and MANY
of the New York dailes; also, the Cleveland
Plaindealer and various other papers all over
the country. She is New York lady, petite
and pretty, with the ioveliest natural curls
just turning gray. A tiny atom in body,
she has a soul big enough for a moral
Hercules No jealousy, which L am sorry to
say is only too common among many of the
news people of both sexes, ever seems to dis
turb her serenity. You may have my notes
any time, she will say to her lady friends,
for few of them can equal her in cleaning
that very desirable article.
Mrs, Nettie Sanford IN. 81 is a political
writer of some influence in the State of Iowa.
This lady published The Woman's King
DOM" the first paper in Iowa published
by woman; also paper in
California; has published seven books and
contributed to various magazines. She is at
present the regular daily correspondent of
the Iowa State Register, and an occasional
for most of the leading Republican papers of
the State. Mrs. Sanford is a large woman
with heart so big that, big as her body is
it frequently overhows, doing much damage
to her pocket-book. She is good enough to
afford to be homely and very few people
would think she holds her place as first-class
clerk in the Treasury on her beauty.
Mrs. Ruth G. D. Havens of Connecticut
is character not bit like any other person
you ever saw, and perfectly splendid. She
is large woman, with a calm, intelligent
face, but inwardly full of vim and fire, grad