Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-11
LADY HENRY SOMERSET

LADY HENRY SOMERSET
Makes Another Date With Pittsburg and
Says She Is Sorry for Past Onenses-
Committee Meets To-Day for Arrange
ments-Literary Lenten Leisure.
Herewith is appended correspondence
between thes well-known English noble
woman, Lady Henry Somerset, and Mrs.
Andrew L. Bryce, Secretary Of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union of Allegheny
County. The letters convey the interesting
intelligence that Lady Henry has arranged
definitely to spend one day in Pfttsburg,
March II, and give a lecture here. 1t will be
remembered that, in December. the distin-
guished lady made arrangements, or rather
at her request, arrangements were made for
her, to speak in the Smithf1eld Street N. E.
Church and that afterward she was forced
to break her engagement. Enthusiasm was
rife then in swell circles, and had Lady
Henry been able to come she doubtless
an audience as has ever gathered to hear
her In any part of the country.
Particularly we're Welsh mill workers, in
whom Lady Henry's interest is peculiarly
reports are reliable, has been Of inestimable
service to their countrymen at home. In
deed. so anxious were they to hear her that,
ing concerning her arrival here in January,
q representative committee from the work
fngmen in q Southside mandatory waited
upon. the W. C. T. U. women and requested
permission to pay whatever expenses the
visit would involve.
Disappointment mt Lady Henry's Failure.
A good deal of disappointment resulted
from the change in Lady Henry's plans, and,
Of course, in the grumble that followed she
didn't escape scot free. Now, however,
everything is most satisfactory, and the
Secretary has called o meeting of the Execu-
tive Committee of tie County W. c. T. U.
for tomorrow. 1t will be held at 2:3O P. N. in
the parlors of the First Allegheny Day Nur-
sery, 202 North avenue, when arrangements
will then be made for a mass meeting, which
Lady Henry Somerset will address on Thurs
day, March II.
Lady Henry wrote from Rest Cottage, Miss
Wizards Dijou villa, on Monday, March Z, to
Mrs. Andrew Bryce, her letter being as fol-
lows:
MY DEAR FRIEND-If March II would suit
you. I will SO gladly come to Pittsburg to
fulfill my engagement I remember the
will do all can to repair it. Please do all
you can that the men from the works may
come; as am anxious to meet them. could
speak also at the works. during she dinner
hour, If advisable. Believe me, yours sim
cerely, ISABEL SOMERSET.
In response, Mrs. Bryce Immediately wired
an answer; the telegram in substance being
that the date was suitable and would be
gladly accepted. Fuller information was
sent later.
Miss Willard Vouches for Lady Henry.
Inclosed with the English woman's dain-
tily written missive-blue note-paper Ia sort
of a compromise on the foreign note), bear
ing a seal composed of the name Isabel" in
q circular field. surrounded by three f1eurs-
do lie nd dad hxyo
and all done in the mourning color-is let.
ter from Frances Willard. Miss Willard
says:
March II. She will stopbut one day and can
accept no hospftal1ties. She will go to
hote1-please send word which is the best.
Anna Gordon and I shall accompany her.
The Anna Gordon referred to in Miss Will
lard's letter Is her private secretary, who
probably more than any other woman to-
perance leader. Lady Henry will hardly
realize until once she comes to Pittsburg
how here more than anywhere else will she
feel the pulse of the great American work.
particular phase of philanthropy should
have been practiced everywhere else save
in that city where more than elsewhere is it
and though Tommy long ago ceased ito
dearly love a lord" q gentlewo oman who has
so adorned the Earl's coronet once removed,
will certainly be listened to with something
a trife warmer than respect.
Chicago Love Feast Almost Over.
From Chicago correspondent of to-day
it appears that Lady Henry will leave for
England in a short time, preceding her de-
parture by farewell lecture March II.
Though she and Chicago women seemed to
have formed a mutual admiration society.
and despite the stories of her becoming an
American citizen, replacing her title by that
of plain Mrs. Somerset, England once more
Is to become her place of residence. Chicago
society, it is said, will part with the English
woman regretfully.
In talk yesterday Lady Henry struck
chord to which Pittsburg cannot help but
respond. Said she: Now is the time for
and attention should be directed to
the better housing of the poor. Middlemen-
between land owner and tenant-have made
rents so eXorbftant in London and New
York that people are herded like wild
beasts. The same curse of the tenement
house system will soon prevail in Chicago.
City authorities should take the matter into
their own hands, and exact dwellings for
the working classes. Open space in abund-
ance should be secured in the suburbs of
cities on which to plant colonies of working
peoples homes. Increa Sed rents must fol-
low with all their serious consequences il
some provision is not made for housing the
poor"
1t is a curious spectacle, and one requiring
the latter nineteenth century as the time,
and the United States as the place, for an
cause of the tenants and placing them on an
ordinary human basis.
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