Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-08-01
YOUNG AND PRETTY .sRAR--
A Sketch of the Cleverest Woman of the
New York Newspapers-The Secret Out.

w" wi secret Out.
Bah TIE clever newspaper cores
pondent, who has been called the Sphinx
of the New York press. is woman about
whose personality there has always been
great deal Of curiosity She is of south
ern birth, married early, was soon
widowed and thrown upon her own re
sources. Her success with her pen is con-
sldered something marvellous, but when
1t Is remembered that she writes exactly as
she speaks her social success is easily I'M
derstood
Like all southern women, she is attrac-
tive to men. but she is much prouder of
the women who are her friends. and who
stand by her through thick and thin, than
she is of her masculine adorers.
She Is generally esteemed as the most
unselhsh and most generous woman among
the women journalists of New York. An
enthusiastic woman once said to her:
That she believed Bah could go any
where or speak to anybody and she would
come out OF ut unhurt, because in every
place and with everybody it was always
evident that she was a gentlewoman.
To see her at her best, drop in some
afternoon at her dainty New York apart
ments when she is at home informally
There steps forward to meet you a small.
slender woman. whose dark brown eyes
look out from under halo of blonde hair
purely blonde hair-that has never been
touched by any of the beaches She is
dressed IN an empire costume of rose and
| dark green, and looks as if she might have
been one of the ladies of the court of the
| Empress Josephine. She speaks like an
Engllshwoman, though every now and
then there Is slight southern accent
| that is most fascinating One of the
editors of the New York Tribune said
that she spoke the best Saxon he had ever
| heard.
The room tells the story of the woman:
| the walls are covered with pictures and
| books are everywhere-poetry and history.
| the last new novel and the last new maya
| zine. Books of illustrations and curious
! old plays make up her feast of reason and
| form the great extravaganza of her | fe
| On the walls are oil paintings and water
colors done by well known artists who
have asked to contribute in making for
her the house beautiful"
There Is a Henner picture showing one
of his wOndrouS Titan beauties, and OPP
| pOsite to it is a large one of Mrs. Langtrv.
framed in silver and overlaid with white
| lace, that smiles down upon YOU. Mrs.
! ACiiNAttll llSto Nl1itCL VII lilOlOSIdpU
of herself, To Bah send my first Ameri-
can picture. as she is my best American
friend"
There is one of Fanny Davenport. ell
bowed by another of the Princess of Mon
AGO. while Ellen Terry looks Just over the
head of water color of Carmencita.
But the pride of Bah S heart is her silver
! toilet set-some of it is modern. more of it
old. Curiously carved salt cellars. found
in second hand shops in Ireland, are used
to receive pins of all sorts; a relic box that
came from Italy is full of nail powder; the
| brushes owe their birth to Firenze: the
| powder boxes are modern; all the curling
tongs, glove stretchers and buttoners are of
modern make. with antique handles. while
the candlesticks stood at feasts hundreds
| of years ago, when Bah wasn't dreamed
| of. One mirror is most marvellous piece
of hand carving, representing Venus arts
| ing from the sea, and was made especially
for its pretty owner, there having onl
| been one more like it.
The room and the woman are so much
alike that, as she stands in the center of ii
welcoming you, you think she could not
live any place else and that no other wo-
man would suit it so well. A bird who re.
joices in the realistic name of ''Zola'
sings merry tune close to the writing
desk. and little fox terrier, who, to all
her intimates, is known us ''Babs Chum, g
is standing up beside his mistress to give
his approval of her visitor.
You ask something about her work anC
this Is what she says: II believe in SyS.
tematic work, and | believe in working
whether you feel like it or whether you
don't. If one gets in the habit of stop.
| lOnC,,' F,,l J.
the mark this inclination will grow AND
laziness and bad work will be the re-
suit "
What time of the day do work? In
the morning As far as possible | do al
my work before l o'clock, and, with the
exception of time when had the rheu
matism so badly that the pains in my right
arm would not even allow me to dictate,
have never disappointed an editor. Il
women would only learn to work steadily
and regularly they would succeed, and il
they would only be themselves and not try
to initiate somebody else they would al
get better pay. think it's all nonsense
about women not being paid well. There
never was such demand for good work
from women as there is nowadays Be
tween you and me | think she stands d
better chance than a man does. Dress
Yes, like pretty clothes Why shouldn't
|? Because | earn my own living, that is
no reason why | shouldn't continue to be
a woman, and in my heart should sus
pect any woman who didn't like dainty
belongings. Yes. am fond of gray anc
| am fond of red-of gray because | am {
rebel, and of red because | have got &
drop of Quaker blood in my veins that
makes me yearn for bright color as if il
were forbidden fruit"
Somebody else is ready to take your
place, but you carry photographed upor
your memory a picture of brave little
woman who has fought her fight in {
womanly way to success, and WHO stands
well dressed, surrounded by beautiful be-
longings, and evidence of what southern
woman can do when she makes up hel
mind to it.