Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-14
TWO WOMEN AT WAR.
SHARP PEN DUEL BErwEgH ELLA
WILCOX AND GERTRUDE ArHgRToy.
Newspaper Paragraph Wounds the
F0etess and Results In an Interesting
correspondsnos-BOth Women Dip
Their Pens in Acid.
tFor ,ho Dlspatch.l
NEW York. Ami IL 1890


Although she had written much for too
Calltornis press. and wac the author of
unpublished book, she came TO the me-
tropolis comparatively unknown. Her
trends and acquaintance here were
few, and it was not until the publication
oil her book, "What Dreams MAY
Come, that the New York public be-
came familiar with her name. The
book attracted some attention. and
among others in whose hands fell a copy
was Lila Wheeler Wilcox. The story
won Mrs. Wilcox's interest sufficiently
10 lead her TO ascertain something about
the author.
Learning that Mrs. Atherton was a
young widow and a stranger in New
York Mrs Wilcox sent her kindly
note OF invitation TO call. The two
women met, exchanged visits, and both
being bright a friendship began which
up 10 few weeks AGO continued with
ont interruption. Mrs. Wilcox was cor
dial in her praises OF tho young author
ess TO her friends and many were the
complimentary allusions which reached
the cars Of the young widow as paid her
20 friends by her poetcss friend.
The HURTFUL PARAGRAPH.
About n month ago, however, there
was published in one OF Mrs. Athcrton's
weekly letters to the San Francisco dr.
PonaW the following paragraph;
"Ela Wheeler Wilcox is little
mouse-colored woman who needs con
spicuous dress to be noticed. Her only
good feature is Il sensitive mouth. She is
very thin and in dim light looks quito
young.
A New York paper recopied the para
graph from the letter. and it was not
long before Mrs Wilcox's attention was
drawn 70 it. Surprise filed the soul of
the poctcss that so caustic q reference
could have come from one whom she
supposed was her friend.
Taking the clipping, Mrs. Wilcox en-
closed 1t in the following letter 10 its au-
thor;
Dear Mrs. Ahcrton:
Ie it possible you wrote the inclosed
item? 1 cannot imagine Why you should
wish TO wound oEe who was most friend
" in herathtude toward you. My eyes
are full of tears as | write. These things
hurt mo 70 At first, as much from disap-
poiutment in my sex as from the per
sonal feeling. | find 20 much to be
happy over that the pain does not last
long, hut l never give these thrusts IN
provoked, end 1 am never expecting
them, and they always surprise and pain
me. They also arouse in me an impulse
20 retaliato which ! do not care to cult
vate. You must be rich in women
friends to unnecessarily wound and an
tagonize one who WAS inclined TO be
your friend.
In deep disappointment, yours sin
cerely, ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
MRS. ArHRRToN's REMARKABLE DEFENCE.
But if Mrs. Wilcox was panied at the
paragraph written by her friend. a great
or surprise was in store for her at re-
ceiying in few days the following re-
Spouse 10 her letter;
M Dear Mrs. lPIlcor:
IN reply to your letter [ must speak
with a frankncss which am afraid will
appear somewhat brutal Perhaps will
not be able 20 make YOU understand that
outside Of ny family and few friends
people are nothing to me. / care neither
FOR their good opinion nor for their bad !;
my one desire in life is TO be let alone
10 have nothing hinder me IN my work.
Therefore, you may lee able TO under
standthat am incapable personal spite
or malice; people do not interest me
enough to arouse either. in writing n
letter lot down anything which think
will interest or amuse people, and having
the caustic pen of the Californian
/ frequently say things which look ugly
in print. 1t may console you to know
that / have been in hot water ever since
] took the correspondence OF the ArgO-
uqtf. and have had number of venge-
snce-vowing letters. 1t Is character
jsiic Of Californians to DO as they please,
care Tor no one, and be careless OF conse-
Quences or criticism. Also, 1t is the IN
etinct Of every Californian TO scalp. He
does il without the slightest personal
venom. merely because the tendency Is
horn of his nature. At the same time
he always gets msd If any one scalps
first. and | don't think | ever wrote an
article for tho ArgOuGW which did not
get me in row. When published the
{" Randolphs anonymously. at the
jnsistance of the editor. for l had
signed nv name to 1.-THE community
threatened TO tar and feather tho author
if they could find him. At the same
time / have the reputation among my
friends OF being the most good-natured
woman in the world. But the moment
I take q pen in my hand the Ink turns
20 gall. OF course this mental attitude
is misunderstood by tho public, and one
Il accused of commonplace motives.
Another reason why my letters are I'M
usually storm-proyoklng Is because |
detest newspaper work snd only took
TINS correspondence because my friends
thought that the weekly practice would
he good for me. The consequence IS,
therefore, that / am usually IN bad hui
NOR when sit down to write, and any
body who happens to drop into my let
ter is apt to suffer.
do not usually answer letters OF your
description, but as you seem to be more
hurt than angry feel that some expla-
nation is due you. Very sincerely,
GERTRUDE ATHEBrON.
MRS. wucox's FORCIBLR REPLY.
TITS only natural that so remarkable
letter should have called forth a response
from its recipient Overcoming her
first surprise, Mrs Wilcox pcnned the
following letter and sent it to her for
whom she had now lost all sense OF
friendship:
Dear Mrs. AthertOn
Your peculiarities are personal, not
climatic. know a score OF delightful
ly-humane Californians who would go
out OF their way to please and who wouls
control an impulse TO offend without
cause.
The attributes you describe in yourself
40 frankly are not unique. l have found
women possessed Of the identical traits
in Great numbers in small towns, usually
In private life. This same propensity TO
see aud mention tho flaw in others gave
them the reputation OF miscoiei'maker'
and gossips, aud always got them into
$500 - a. Won Say your methOdS 0Os