The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-16
EMMA D. E. N. S0UTHW0RTH
The Literary Career and Home Life
of This Well-Known Authoress.
Her Homes in Washington and in YOnkers-
How "Retribution" Was First
Given to the Public.
Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal


letter will hardly give a synopsis. Taking
my seat in an f street car l was whirled
away through the fashionable northwest sec
ton of the city, past the palatial residences
of Connecticut avenue and Dupont circle
where they are erecting another image OF
Baal, this time in the likeness of Admiral
Dupont-out of the city OF Washington
proper, over the bridge, with snatches of
poetry in between the plain prose of bricks
and mortar, in little views here and there
of beautiful Rock creek, into northwest
Washington, erst Georgetown. On, still on,
through streets of modern blocks of houses,
with glimpse now and then of beautiful
villas in ornamental grounds. Turning a
| corner sharply and one is in the midst of a
murky, ancient business center. Turning
another corner Immediately he is whirling
| through street thick with residences that
speak of lang syne, but still in excellent
preservation. Out to the end of the line,
with walk of two or three squares before
you, and the dirtiest urchin in the street
can tell you where Prospect Cottage is,
which fact is due as much, pos
sibly, to the kind heart of its mistress as to
her fine brain power. The cottage is built
on the side of hill-a bluff, in fact, on one
| side-in the form of Swiss chalet, with
porch overlooking the river from all sides.
You enter a hall, into which the parlor
opens, and find yourself in a low-ceiled
room of thirty years ago. The parlor and
hall form a wing with windows on both
| sides, so you have view of the river up and
down. A passage leads out of the parlor at
the rear, from which on either side opens,
respectively, Mrs. Southworths bed-cham-
Der and library, both of which have doors
leading out on the porch a private bath
room is attached to the bed-chalnber, and
the lady told me she often has her meals on
the porch, so you can imagine how coy it
| all is large dining-room and kitchen be-
low on the hillslope, where the house is
story higher than it seems from the street,
and many rooms above give ample accom-
modations for large family without trans
crossing upon the well-earned privacy of the
queen of the cottage. Mrs. Southworth
lives surrounded by her children and grand
children, every one OF whom love and
revere her to the utmost These
rooms are furnished Just as the
highly respectable residences of quarter of
century ago were wont to be furnished,
and with the very self-same furniture; the
carpet of plush, done in medallions an en-
craving of Our Lords Last Supper" over
the parlor mantel, the only large picture in
the room except two excellent crayon
portraits, one of Mrs. Southworth her
self and the other a handsome man, the
husband of her adopted daughter, smaller
pictures, gay-colored fans and merchants
souvenir, interspered with peacock's feath-
ers, adjoining the walls in profusion. In one
corner a table, with bust of Byron, two or
three easel pictures, and couple of ve-ita-
BILE wax dolls, belonging, probably, to the
sweet little girl who was introduced to your
correspondent as the favorite grandch;ld
In another corner a wbat-not with books
and parlor ornaments ancient sofa and
easy chairs covered with hair-cloth, made
! billy by rheumatic springs; piano, a mar
| bletop table, in the center of the room, on
which Tennyson, Milton and two or three
other poets keep company; an open fire.
| place, reinforced by register from the fire
below for cold weather, and you have the
parlor of Prospect Cottage. The library is
that line almost entirely the walls. When
/ asked Mrs. Southworth if she had all her
| books, she said: mo, indeed; how could l
keep them?" Her bed-chamber is the pretti-
est of all these rooms, and filled to repletion
| with dainty trifles that give it most home
also at Yonkers, n. Y, where she spends
the greater part of her time. That place is
arranged according to modern ideas, but she
| loves the old house best. 81 do my work at
Yonkers, - she said "but come here to rest
and see my friends" Her son, DIR. South
worth, resides with his family there, and
| even there, at her workshop, loving hands
lift every burden except the literary work
from those once care-worn shoulders. They
| are cleaning house now, while she is away,
that she need not be annoyed by that COM
mon bugaboo.
Mrs E. D. E. N. Southworth first became
| known to the world, to limited extent, in
1874, through her first story "The Irish
Refugees" published by Dr. Snodgrass in the
Baltimore Visitor. Eden spells Eden, and
how many youngsters have found an Eden of
bliss in the books bearing those initials on
the title page. But the lady who wrote them
did not live in an Eden while she
story. She was poor, and had a family
| to support and care for. We have all read
| the fable about literary women neglecting
their homes and families for the more fas-
cinating work, for which they were fitted by
God himself; but did you ever know such
woman? l never did; but quite the con-
trary, have always found the brainy women
the most faithful of all. Mrs. Southworth
taught in the public schools for her bread by
| day, and spent her weary nights, oftimes, in
wakefulness over her sick children. Natur-
ally enough her first story was her last for
some time-time enough for the Visitor
to expire a trick newspapers have some,
times; so The Wife's Victory" her second
effort, appeared in the National Era. at
Washington, Dr. Bailey publisher. Several
walls between, in the same paper, the Doctor
paying her for the later ones. After a long
interval Of silence on her part, he came to
her for a Christmas story; THE Test" run
ming throuph five nanerS was writtan This