Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-10-23

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make up. She was writing
her chair and her desk out on the porch
of her Georgetown home-when .
Washington Star reporter called the
other afternoon to hear the gifted
weaver of fact and romance relate some
of her professional experiences.
A pleasant picture it was In an easy
moving rocking chair sat the writer of
more than 70 novels. Her dress was
plain, black, and lusterless; the cuffs of
black velvet. A black leather belt, with
a huge gilt buckle. encircled her waist.
while long gold chain dropped from
beneath the white tichu to the watch in
the belt, from which depends fan. The
hands are ringless and the thumb and
forefnger of the dexter member were
literally stained with ink. A more
kindly face-intellectual in every feature
never smiled welcome at stranger.
Father Time has failed to wrinkle the
forehead or to distort feature. SO he
contented himself by literally sprinkling
gray hairs in the hirsute crown Dame
Nature makes so beautiful in woman
kind. A sweet clear voice. never heard
save when there is something to be said,
completes the sketch.
Out on the rivcr-barely stones
throw away--a little steamer snorted
and pulled and whistled; rev boats
moved more slowly and less noisily over
the brown gray surface. Almost inn
mediately beneath the porch was the
northern end of the Aqueduct bridge and
every passenger crossing the Potomac on
| it was easily visible. To the south were
| the hills of Arlington, covered with verdi
ure, at the foot Of which, all its dirt and
equalor obliterated by distance, nestled
the dark huel phantom of Jackson City.
Westward was Il great glare OF depart
ing sunshine that lit up Unfortunately
the towers of Georgetown University
| tlIA WIG uoNCAS Will AAiAiiACNAshVSAy oua
round that great structure.
$50 you want me to tell you how I
write novel, said Mrs. Southworth to
the reporter 1T is difficult thing to
explain the workings of piece Of mech
anism with which no one is familiar.
| Il have no method, said Mrs. South.
worth; Inever did have. began with
out knowing could write a novel My
first effort was story for the Washing.
ton National Ere; it was my intention to
complete this sketch in one number,
but soon found that to be impossible, SC
lhad to write a second, then a third and
fourth. By that time found couldn't
finish it in ten numbers, and thus was d
lengthy story evolved from small
beginning; so was my first noyel-'Ret
ribution'--written That was in 1S47,
and two years later 'Retribution
was republished by the Harpers; the first
novel of which l know anything that
was ever reprinted from newspaper or
! o magazine.
DO need facts fer my plots: Yes
my novels are all founded on facts. L,
give you a clear idea of how a novel j:
evolved from small beginnings l will
tell you about the writing of ''Th'
Hidden Hand 1t was in the winter Of
> 1857 and at the very last of the year.
was in very bad health; my sister wa
dying of consumption; all my surround
> ings were depressing to the last deg
: and yet, in the midst Of that, the bright
est and gayest of my stories came to me
happened to see in a New York pape
a short paragraph in which it was state
that little year old girl, dresse
in boys clothes and selling newspapers
had been arrested She was homeless
and friendless and was sent to som
'' asylum in Westchester county. Tia
was the origin of Capitola. The new
ls paper item was a seed which dropped
my mind and terminated there. Whe
the time came for me to write OF it Ina
p. to make an origin for Capitola. l II
IL membered an incident that had. in I'll
days of my childhood, occurred Jul
across Benning's Bridge. An old month";
nurse had been met one night by tw
masked men, who blindfolded her ar
took her I'D to house. Still blindfolde
y she was conducted to room whe
a few hours later a child was boz
lg to young woman. The nur
lg refused to make away with the chill
although brides were offered her. II
it Young woman was also obstinate for Il
e. preservation Of her infant Finally, &
mother being discarded by her famil
er brought up her child. who was w
al known in Washington and did We
That was the reality upon which t