The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-20

dependent cabmen and rides in their cabs to
help pay the loan.
1t is the way in which Mrs. Thompson
spends her money that makes her the inter
estlng pubic personality she is There is
little Originally in genera ,itv. A man who
makes his outside of the accredited list of
charities exhibits some strength OF mind 1t
is this which Mrs. Thompson does. With
most people giving largely is an episode. 1t
Is the ruling habit of Mrs. Thompsons life,
ami to 1t she brings serious study all her
powers of observation, and conforms her
manner of living.
To sum up briefly, what she gives is OPP
portunity. Mrs. Thomp,on does not idenu-
fy herself with the objects of her generos-
lty, whether of persons or causes When
the yellow fever epidemic reused the sym
path es of the North, she said:
Il Will not give cent for present relief,
but will give any mouey to investigate
its causes, nature, and to prevent it in flu
ture.n
And she did. Congress authorized the
Yellow Fever Commission i'll which Sur
geon General Woodward lost his life, and
Mrs Thompson paid its expenses.
The list of some of Mrs. Thompson's bene-
factions give an idea of their impersonal
character. The New York Liberal Club, the
Social Science Association, the Peabody
Aacademy of Science, the Rugby scheme of
Thomas Hughes have all received from her
substantial aid. She founded the town of
Longport, at the foot of the Rocky Noun
tainS. In Salina county, Kansas, she gave
$40 acres and $500 each to the coloniSts set
tied on il. She put up the building used by
the Concord School of Philosophy.
"As for discussions, | must confess l
don't care for them. But il is a good thing
to have place whore anybody with an
idea can go without being knocked down
for it"
She paid for Mr.. Steele Mackayes lee
lures before the Art Students League She
admired the Rev. Mr.. Ayers writings, and
i'll his failing health guaranteed his salary
of $4,000 to give him a year of RESI- and
| recreation abroad. She helped support the
Free Training School for Women. She en-
abled Stephen Pearl Andrews to bring out
his colored universalogy. This was in re-
Spouse to the petition of his dying wifs.
Inevitably a woman so accessible to ideas
is often taken in.
why, l have done more harm than any
woman in New York" she says.
Her enthusiasm is for inventors. She is
devoted to Mr.. Edison, of whom she is
great friend Any one who can further
control natures forces TO new ends sets her
mind alame. Here is a characteristic IN
stance:
A young man on the verge of starvation
was enab ed to see her He had been months
at work on an invention which, if perfect
| ed, would be of great advantage TO the
world in general But for want of the
means of living he could work at it no
| longer.
| ii will give you three months to finish
| it, said Mrs. Thompson. II will board,
! ciothe, ana make you comfortable for
| that time. Go and get you a sui OF
| clothes"
! Concerning this she said to another:
| THE thing may be valuelesS, but the man
! knows more about that than | do. AT
| least, the man gets his opportunity. This
! give him, and furthur than that is not my
| affair"
| airs. Thompson's great friends are the
| Rev. Heber Newton and Mr. Felix Adler,
and they unite in many good works. Mrs.
| Thompson concerns herself but little with
| the infinite. She is an undoubted believer
| in God but does not speculate on his per-
| sonality.
! She never goes to the theatre, and has read
| but two novels, Jane Eyre" and the Scar
| let Letter"
"Why should go to the theatre9' she
| says. ''There is no stage like the world.
| Everybody has his game. |, too, have my
| Little game"
| She has taken TO books of biography in
these later years, and thumbs" as she calls
| it, all scientific works.
Her tastes are perfectly simple. She has
a great liking for bread, milk and apples.
| Mrs Thompson does not go into society. 1t
is doubtful if society has ever heard of
| her. But she is the only woman who has
the freedom Of the floor of the House, a
right which even the Presidents wife does
not have.